The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1916-10-12
WHAT KENTUCKY OWES
BEREA
By Homer II. Lewis


Representative Of the College at the
Opening of Kentucky Hall.
Kentucky is indebted to Bcrea di-
rectly in proportion to the amount
Of service Berea has done for Ken
lucky.
] The subject resolves itself into
three factors. namely. What was
the condition of the people Of Ken
lucky when Berea College was
founded: What is the condition Of
the people of Kentucky today; and
in what way has Berea been in
strumental in bringing about a
change Of this condition.
Looking into the pages of history,
we find that the people Of Kentucky
were in a very bad way sixty years
ago. There were practically no
schools and no churches. and con-
sequently lack of education.
Whenever there is lack of education
in a country there is also a lack Of
civilization. The people lived
largely by hunting and fishing, and
died generally from the bullet Of
their opposing feudsman. Feud
after fcud waged over southeastern
Kentucky until il is fair TO say that
in that section at that time there
was a condition Of war. One of the
great ambitions Of young man OF
that day was To become murderer.
These are a characteristic trait o.
IA barbaric people.
CHANGING at conditions as they ex-
isl today. we see quite a different
picture. We have made wonderful
strides ~ progress in the past sixty
years. and better still, we are striv-
ing harder to reach the goal Of ci-
vilization today in Kentucky than
ever before. The condition Of the
people Of Kentucky today indicates
characteristics Of a people who are
considerably more than semi
civilized.
Now, in what way has Berea help
ed 10 bring about this remarkable
change? II has educated the poor
people Of Kentucky. Berea is the
one place in all our country that the
poor boy and the poor girl have
equal opportunities with the rich.
/ N iS tho onn nIaca in EanfuoG,, that
you can get the goods for less than
cost. Berea charges no profit, and
in this way ii has caused the in
stallations Of high aspirations, and
noble ideals into the hearts of
thousands and thousands, of Ken
tuckians that otherwise could not
have been reached. Think, if you
will. Of the young man, with a Gig
arctic in his mouth, bottle of
moonshine in one pocket and a six
shooter in the other. II is Sunday.
and the young man spends the
whole day learning To gamble. Now,
see the young man on another screen
after he has spent two years in
Berea College. II is Sunday, and you
find that young man in the school
house or the church house of his
community. trying 10 instill the
principles of Christianity into the
hearts Of his neighbors and 10 make
them wiser and nobler citizens. In
trying to transfer the vision that he
has gained through Berea College
to his fellow mountaineers. Now
this is no imaginary case, but con-
crete reality. know Of hundreds
of such eases. How much more
is that young man worth TO
Kentucky than he was two years
ago. Now multiply this enormous
Berea has sent out many thousands
OF such students, and you can in
small way. begin 10 realize what
Berea has done for Kentucky.
We owe Berea College a debt that
cannot be expressed in terms of dol
lars. Kentucky could pay for this
magnificent hall that bears its name,
and then not decrease the indebted
ness to Berea College one atom OF
one percent. Whenever an institu-
tion reaches out among the poor,
common class OF people, picks up
young men and young women who
are headed for degradation, changes
the course OF their lives, gives them
a clean mind, a clean body, and
clean soul, sends them away with
their hearts bubbling over with
desire to serve humanity. There is
no material reward sufficient 10 re-
pay that institution. This is what
Berea has been doing for the people