The Washington herald., 1916-06-07
Didn't Know Which Way to Go.
BY ORIsoN swETT MARDEN,

Now | have graduated, what can ! do?" said
"a new YORK boy to his teacher. The teacher
answered. Il have guided you over the fats, the
shoals and by the rocks, the dangerous places,
INTO the ocean, and now you are where you
put on steam and go alone" Yes" said the
boy boy Il toIs, am in deep water, but l am in fog,
ana don't know which way to go!"
Out OF the world of theory into the world of
ieahticS; out from being helped and led to help
on teachers and text books to independence, to
Sen-help; out from being housed and clothed and
Ifcd, to housing and clothing and feeding your
seh-lt is great plunge for the graduate, and
mis- success or failure the new circumstances
VIII depend upon how much mental muscle he
has developed during the years spent at school
or college.
Some time since | had letter from young
man who was graduated with honor from a
western university. He told me that during the
said to him about developing his will power,
ms initiative, his executive faculties the power
which creates and leads. In other words, this
make success Of his life he had taken a full
course which supposed to fit him for the
practical work of making living, but, far
as that was concerned he was weaker leaving
college than when he entered. While many Of
| his faculties had been greatly improved his in
tiatve; his ability to begin things and put them
through, his practical faculties those which arc
brought into play in actual life in an indcpcnd-
at all
! Whether the fault of this INABILITY to cope
with real life chargcable to his Alma Mater,
/ or to this young himself I cannot tell
The only thing that is clear is that he was not
/ An educated BRAIN is not a mere storchousc
| Of facts; 1t is efficient piece OF machinery.
The really educated man is self-reliant, indepcn-
dent, rcsourccful. He can take care OF himself
and those dependent upon him His spring
! Of power is inside of him. and not in books.
! Whatever knowledge he has he can handle in a
Every college graduate should be able to do
! this. He should be able to take care of him
self anywhere, he happens to be. A college grad
uatc should be able use his ability to the
best advantage in every situation in hfc
The trainer Of college cannot go into
! the boat with the crew when the pistol is fred
use to the best advantage the skill and eff
cheney they have gained under the trainers
tuition.
When he leaves college, the graduate is in
exactly the same position as the boat crew
He cannot take his trainers with him into the
stream Of life outside the walls Of his Alma
Mater: He must guide and control his bark
himself. He must win the race on the strength
/ OF the mental muscle he has developed under
the direction OF his teachers. If he can't do this
his four years in college was waste Of precious
time. He would have been better employed
learning trade.
Some time ago traveller found three college
from Cambridge and the other from Ger
man univcrsity-college men tending brutcs.
! Trained to lead men, they were driving sheep.
The owner of the ranch ignorant rough
grained sheep. raiser The quotations of poetry
and Latin and Greek and the discussion OF the
ories or PHILOSOPHERS Of his hired men were "all
Greek to him. He knew nothing about books
or theories. but he knew sheep and made for
tune out of them, while the others could scarce
ly get living. They diJ not know how to ap-
ply their university training
Al education, Is re%dy seIf-cducation. Teach
crs schools, colleges-"thcsc merely agents
to make learning easy" The universities which
had graduated these Australian sheep tenders
were powcress to supply gray brain matter,
or stamina, or push, practical talent.
! While educational institutions can not sup
ply brains, they can, Of course. do immense
amount in developing and training them, and in
helping youth to them to the best practical
advantage. But matter how practical or
how high class the college, il students do not
! learn to think for themselves and to make prac-
tical application Of their theoretical knowledge,
their way in life. The question then " will iTGNc not
be How much do you know" but "NVhat can
you do?"
! Copyright.