The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1916-10-12
WHAT BEREA OWES TO THE
MOUNTAINS
BY Leonard Harry Robinson

djlNP W nuIlhn natnfe. Soul
ceases to be soul in proportion as
u ceases Ia hope. Then. what are
the hopes, the aspirations, for the
mountain youth of tomorrow? Let's
pause for an instant AT his forest
home. The shades Of night are fall
ing gently as from the wings Of the
saber bird. The children, strong
and sturdy, trooping down the lane
with the lowing herd, are seeking.
as truant birds do, the quiet Of the
old home nest. The stars swarm in
the bending skies, the tree thrills
with the crickcts cry, the restless
bird calls from the ncighboring
wood. and the father. a simple man
Of God. gathers his family about
him, telling old, old stories Of rO-
nance and adventure. Of how the
world has promised him much, but
has given him little.
t. those mountaincers there is
music in the word Berea. To the
old il brings a bewitching strain
from the harp Of memory. To the
young il is n reminder Of all that is
near and dear 10 them. But he is
not to contend with bewitching
strains Of celestial promises. He
says, "Berca you are indebted To
me" He has pictured Berea as the
great fountain Of wisdom, where
beautiful rivers wind their silver
threads amid moss-covcred banks,
and the wise extend this wisdom TO
the naughty and the poor. He looks
with WEAKNESS 10 the return OF that
man or woman. boy or girl, who has
visited this fountain Of knowledge.
And his hopes are in Berea as he
pleads. o beautiful river Of water
flowing clear as crystal from the
throne Of knowledge, let your bless
ings sprinkle me. for ! am athirst
in this desert land. o Bereal in
your days Of prosperity, remember
that company in whose veins flow
the young blood Of a nation, in
whose eyes kindle the fires of a pure
faith. and from whose heart radiate
strong purposes, which make ma
tions and directs civilization. These
shall rise up when need is. and go
into life's great battle with un-
faltcring hcroism. and under their
banner shall gather the worlds best
and bravest youth.
You are endebted 10 the mothers,
who are developing boyhood into
manhood. A boy comes waiting
on the pure mountain breeze, 40
Berea, so many Of our youth are
growing into ranhcOd ignorant Ct
everything save the means of licc1-
sed indulgence and frivolity which
our liberty affords, the sweetest of
liberties which were ever trans
mitted from one generation to an
other. o Bereal Can you sum up
your responsibilities? They are
appalling. hut they are thrust upon
you. You are endebted to our
mountains and il is time TO act.
You are endebted TO our farmers be-
cause your professors have learned
that brains mix better with soil
than the waste Of sea birds, and the
mountains are calling for volun-
teers to walk by the farmers side as
he spreads the showers in the ver-
dure Of his fields and locks the sun
shine in the glory Of his harvest.
You are endebted 10 that weather.
worn school house standing in
some bleak corner of our vine clad
hills from whose windows the
passerby catches the confused hum
Of recitations, or from whose door
he sees all classes of children ming
ling together in molly play. You
must plunge still deeper into the
forest as the natural gravitations of
the tide of population impels US on
ward. II is yours to send the flight
Of human thought from mountain
top TO mountaiE-top, so the lingering
nomad may have but moments
pause 10 behold that flying car,
which comes 20 evade haunts. so
long secured TO savage life.
Then let ne examples OF the
founders of Berea College in their
deeds Of heroism and selfsacriflce
be our theme OF meditation and
discussion. Let our memories be
refreshed with the noble efforts,
the grand achievements OF those
who gave their toll. that we might
taste the sweets Of knowledge I'M
disturbed Berea is ours not alone
to enjoy, hut 10 foster and protect,
ours 10 guard from scism, vice, and
crime; ours TO purify, exalt,
enoble: ours TO walk amid the green
hills Of the southland early some
beautiful spring morning just as the
sun is tinting the eastern hill-tops