Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1916-06-22
PRESIDENT CROOKS
ADDRESSES GRADS
Alma College Executive
Gives Inspiring Talk on
"World and Youth. !"
FORTY RECEIVE DIPLOMAS
Baccalaureate Sermon Given by
Rev. j. w. Priest Sun
day Evening

Speaking to an audience thai
taxed the capacity of the high schoo
auditorium at the commencement ex.
ercises Wednesday evening, President
Harry Means Crooks of Alma college
appearing for the first time as a com
mencement speaker in the city, gave
an address on the subject, "The World
and Youth" The address of Presi-
dent Crooks was received with great
interest and applause. Mr. Charles G
Rhodes, secretary of the board of
education, presented the graduating
class of forty with the diplomas. The
exercises of Wednesday evening
brought to a close one of the most
successful commencement weeks in
the history of the local institution.
President Crooks said in part:
1T is a pleasure to talk upon the
subject of youth. The enthusiasm,
naturalness, courage of youth are
qualities that command our interest
and attention. Youth brightens the
day and night although it is full of
errors, is immature and reckless.
There is an enthusiasm about youth
that we all admire The way youth
goes about its business, the way it
does things and accomplishes things
shows that there is TO artificial en-
thusiasm about youth No matter how
youth comes whether in squads, pla-
toons or singly the world welcomes it
with open arms, for the old world is
worrying that it is growing old. | do
not believe that the world is growing
old in a material way, but in many
ways youth is forging to the front
too soon in its career. There is no
more tiresome person than a youth
who assumes the garb of older people,
who laughs at youth and presumes to
know as much as men. That kind
should be asked to take up a mans
work or woman's responsibilities.
'Naturalness, another quality, be-
longs peculiarly to youth. Youth has
little to conceal and in all its pleasures
and undertakings is responsive. How
different is youth from old age, We
have so much to do in old age so
many responsibilities that is impos-
sible, we say, TO act natural. The
trouble with old age is that it is un-
willing to respond while youth is. /
hope never to see the day when youth
will lose its naturalness and become
old, cynical and unresponsive.
"In youth we find courage standing
out prominently. Youth dares to do
things. Youth with its courage, dar-
ing and idealism have started all re-
cent movements along progressive
lines. The recall initiative, refer
endum, prohibition, woman suffrage,
even our own government in a great
part, were instituted and carried on
by youth. Youth is idealistic and pos
sesses the courage and daring to go
ahead.
Another quality that comes to mind
is that of elacticity. Elasticity taken
in the sense of a quality means the
ability to bounce. the ability that
one has to rise up after a fall, to
start over after a failure. Youth
possesses this elasticity. When
man fails at 55 years of age statistics
show that only very small per cent
will again make another attempt. If
man fails at 40 he goes forward to-
wards his ambition with renewed en-
ergy. Such is the difference between
old age and youth. Youth cannot be
be discouraged. The man who fails
and rises is the man to talk about.
'The world needs all these qualities,
enthusiasm, naturalness, courage,
idealism and elasticity and is looking
for youth to develop them, more than
ever before, in the coming Years.
congratulate this class on the fact
that they are just in the June of
their lives. beg these young people
70 prolong a little while their prepar-
alton. Do not hasten too soon into
greater responsibilities. do not mean
TO encourage them to avoid response
bility, but too often we see youth
rushing in business before it has
spent enough time in the June of life.
In life's September and October there
US need for long June. | would re-
mind them that success consists to a
great extent on the retaining of
youthful qualities, and urging them
to look forward to the days TO come
confident of success"
Mr.. Rhodes, in presenting the di-
plomas, spoke highly of the work of
Alma high school and the position it
has reached in the educational world.
Mr.. Rhodes said il was a great pleas
ure to have the honor of presenting
the diplomas to the largest class ever
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