Omaha daily bee., 1916-09-20
STRONG MAN BEST
FOR COLLEGE WORK
Chancellor Avery Says Pale,
Emaciated Student is No
Longer Ideal for Learning.
TALKS PREPAREDNESS, TOO

Lincoln, Sept. l9.-(Special.)-The
pale, emaciated student with hectic
flush on his cheeks is no longer the
ideal toward which colleges work.
Chancellor Samuel Avery said as
much this morning in his opening ad-
dress to the student body Of the Uni
versity Of Nebraska in the chapel hall
at Lincoln.
During my studies in Heidelberg"
he continued, zone OF the most sue
cessful students that | knew weighed
100 pounds and was as expert in the
turnverein as in his studies. Vigor
in scholarship and wholesome view
OF life are dependent upon sound
physical makeup. There can be no
alliance between mental activity and
bad vital organs. With health, too,
should be happiness supported, like
health, by moderation and well-regu.
lated habits. But students should
make the happiness that springs from
physical well-being a by-product, and
not the main purpose OF their univer-
sity work. In all their activities they
should remember that moderation is
still as important as when Marcus Au-
relius made it the keynote OF his phil
osophy. The ardent pursuit of hap
piness, especially material pleasures,
as has been observed by every thinker
and philosopher from the earliest
dawn Of thought, too often defeats its
own ends"
Discusses Preparedness.
In discussing the proper conduct
10 secure the favorable opinion OF
mankind, the chancellor took occasion
to discuss preparedness, at least in
some phases. ~ wish to emphasize
the fact" he said, that the real OBJ
ject of the appropriation OF these
vast sums of money for national de-
Tense has been to command the re-
spect of the world.
During the last summer our COM
paratively small regular army and
many thousands of militiamen have
been stationed along the Mexican
border. II has been stated again and
again that forbearancc has been mis-
taken for weakness AMI that respect
can only be gained by a display Of
force. Necessary as these prepare
tions undoubtedly seem to the ma
iority Of our fellow citizens, and i'm
possible as it does seem in the pres
ent development OF our race to dis
pense entirely with force, yet the use
Of force to obtain respect is after all
q relatively small factor in securing
the favorable opinion OF mankind.
Perhaps no one used force more ruth
lessly than Napoleon in building up
his empire. Still Byron was con-
strained to say, Yet mems thoughts
were the steps that paved thy throne.
Command Respect.
Nearly every man present remeni-
bers how he was obliged to pound
with his fists one or two OF his play
mates before they would respect him.
But these incidents were so rare and
the necessity for their use so seldom
that only small fraction of the re.
spect OF playmates was obtained
through force. So also the major
portion OF the respect that comes to
men and nations is derived in other
ways. To this general rule UNIVERSE
ties and university students are no
exceptions.
perhaps the most characteristic
difference between university ant
any other organization Is that the for
mcr must stand at all times for abso
Lutte truth. States may exist and do
benehcent work for their people aiit
still be pcrmeated with corruption. W.
are free to admit this In connection
with any system Of government othel
than our own, and many OF our tel
low citizens do not make an exception
in this respect. So also religious sys
ttrns full Of error may do much to-
the welfare OF mankind. II the livinl
vine Of glorious faith clings to thu
dead branches OF the dogma OF TIL
past, I would be the last to wish L
pull them rudcly apart. Even in thu
public schools, different editions o
textbooks are used in the north ant
in the south, telling from differen
point Of view the story Of the war be
tween the states.
Rise Above Prejudice.
Now, do not mean that uniyer
sity will not be colorcd by the feeling
and prejudices OF its constituency, bu
a great scholar and teacher must ris
above such things. Let me illustrate
Patriotism, religion and popular edu
cation in Japan may unite to teach tina
the island empire has been under tn
guidance of single family for nearl,
thirty centuries, and that he presen
mikado is the direct lineal descendan
OF the son OF Heaven. But, If Japan
csc university should seriously teach
or one OF its scholars try to defend thi
claim, the university would lose mucl
in the respect Of the world. A uni
yersity cannot afford to shield erro
for the sake Of expediency. We can
not teach doctrines which we kno,
TO be false or absurd, because tn
public mind desires that they b
taught. II the public still believed tn
world to be flat and was fanatical I
this view, the university would, !
spite Of this fact, be obliged to teac
the Copernican system, though |
might possibly refrain from CONSTANT
agitating the subject in the news
papers, especially during a Legislative
session. The truth must be know
and recognized, and on fitting coca
sions and in proper academic wa
proclaimed to the world"
Charles C. Crum Appears to