The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-06-08
EDUCATION PROMOTES.
STATE NORMAL
DR.. HODGES DELIVERS STIRRING
ADDRESS TO WEST LIB
ERTY CLASS.
Speaks on 'Pubic Education in Our
National Life"-Annual Com
! mencement Yesterday.

Education must be efficient and cd
tucniinn Inusl promote patriotism,
DR.. Thomas +. Hodges of MorEAntown.
former president Of West Virginia
university, told a class Of young men
and women who were graduated yes,
trrday from West Liberty Normal
school. r%rarly all Of tn" IS members
Of the class will become school teach
ers. and while DR.. Hodges remarks
were addressed particularly to mem,
: he appealed 10 everyone 70 sno"
whole hearted patriotism in this Crisis
! facin% this nation.
! DR.. hodges was the principal, speak
or a. The rurty-siXlh annua! com
+ mc,rrmcni exercises OF West Liberty
! state Normal school. held yesterday
! morning. His subject was Public
, Education in Our National Life the
! former university president empha
! sized jhr important part educalloh
| has played in the history Of the Unit;
! ed States. declaring that 1t Is essential
! 10 Tho liir Of the nation. He spoke OF
the part America will play IN the
present world war, and declared our
raua" is just and our efforts are
/ righteous.
: Twas schooling" Then.
! Dr Hodge; characterized his address
! as Il morning menlhlIOll,- bay lhS l''' az
had prepared II" manuscript and mad no
, notes rnr reference. hut would LAX IN
/ formally. mining as his Suhlect' luol'
! ,.Il":ltinn III our national HE"
He began by comparing the educa-
| :ionai movement nj fifty years ago with
e, that Of to-day. Then. hc said. III" term
'Srhuolug" could be better applied than
= '"lIicaliOn" Tn" school was regarded
as community affair, and 1t was not
. until after the civil War that the state
idea of education was taken up. lie
:puk" III the opposition al first TO the
; publ" school system. saying many re-
: gardrd il as public charity for the
, poor Thank God" Dr. Hodges de-
! one" The benefits Of education belong
: to rvrIyon" rs Il matter or public right.
, rho speaker said h" would discuss the
! latter part of his subject national IRE:
first. lie briefly traced the history OF
the nation. speaking nf its establishment
+ hy the thirteen colonies. and of its early
trials and struggles. He then spoke OF
the contribution TO our national life. or
tnn part in il that education plays.
Seeks After Lilo.
. 1rr Hodges referred 10 4 plant rs an
. illustration Of his Subject, OF its being
/ composed. If minute cells each all"''
! but only when they are rs whole is the
: zeal liir possible. individuals were COM
! pared to the plant cells but only as they
! form the whole nation are We tn consider
, the national life. Continuing with the
: plant rs an illustration. the speaker said
II SKIS what II needs for life. mention
, ing how a plant seeks the Sunlight and
moisture because they are essential 10
its life. In the same way. said tho
. speaker. was public education brought
about as results Of the striving Of ma
tiunal life as after that which will nour-
i$h and strengthen. Referring TO the i'm
, portant place of education in national
life, pr Hodges declared: IF public
educational efforts go no farther than to
: serve tho needs of individuals who benc-
tit by II. II could never rave reached the
point Il has to-day.
Public education, Dir. Hodges said
must he tested for two things. In the
first piar- j. must hr tested for efEi-
cheney. 1T must he efficient materially:
II must be efficient intellectually, and
: il must he efficient spirituality" AS a
, whole h. added. our educational ef-
forts meet this test very we'll.
/ Tendency Toward Practical Things
There WAS formally mlch criticism OF
the educational system. br. Hodges said
: because too much attention was paid II
efficiency. Now tho tendency Is toward
things practical. As evidence 81 this
h- mentioned mammal training. domestic
science. agriculture and applied arts
which now occupy II prominent part III
the curriculum Of every we'll regulated
school