The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1917-02-06
THE IDLER.

g THE IDLER. q.
6, 6 ~ g @ g & q : @ @ @ 8 @ @ -
That letter that l quoted in my last
said something about sending me an
article, Now and Then, or Then and
Now,' and I forgot to refer to it.
have read it over, and l find it is
written by Mr.. ]. G. Clinkscales,
think the same fellow who is 6 pre-
.essor at .Wofford college and was
last wear a candidate for governor,
or rather l should say was a candl-
date some two or more years ago.
You know, as we grow old, time gets
away so fast that We can scarcely
keep track of it. Well, to tell the
truth, don't try any more, for II
makes very little difference to me II
/ do grow old, for l had rather grow
old than not to grow at all, and, you
know, you can grow old in years, and
not be old either for years do not
count in the life of real and live
human being. 1t is deeds that count.
Some one wrote a pretty little poem
about this once, but somehow l just
can't right now call it to my mind,
but you all remember what it is, and
| would be glad to have some of the
city school children send it to me,
But, sc, haven't l got away of the
subject Well, somehow I just can t
help it. But that article that l was
talking about is a pretty good one,
and l am asking the editor to copy
it in the same issue that he prints
mine.
~.
But the way, there is just one or
two things in that article that want
to call to the mind of some of my
modern day educational enthusiasts
and here is one of them: In those
days the college hero was the best.
declaimer, the strongest debater, or
the finest linguist. Now the boy. in
knee breeches plodding his way to
school dreams of going to Wofford
some day. He hears of the college.
hero. He's not an orator, or lin
gist, as in other years, but the dandl-
est Right Tackle, Full Back or Cen
tre Rush; the swiftest pi-cher, the
surest catcher, the nimblest short
stop, or the safest fielder. Then, what
Will he do in the class room? or
What kind OF speaker is he? we're the
questions asked Of a prospective
Freshman. Is he an athlete? a foot
ball or baseball man? is about the
only questions asked Of young man
hnown to be preparing for college"
Of course this coed doctor was
writing about the college days OF the
long ago and about Woford college,
and there has been change, and
great change, and he man who now
does not favor all these modern
things that make the great college
man, is out of date, and | reckon
am out of date. I we'll remember
when / was young how I longed to
go off TO college. l had an idea that
I wanted to go to a college in Penn
sylvania, but l never had the op-
portunity. And then I wanted to go
to Newberry college when it was at
Walhalla and l remember that went
there once to a commencement, and
when I heard those boys make their
speeches, and deliver their deoaSe.
that longed to be able to make a
speech. / never thought about base
ball and football, because l had had
a sufficient amount of that kind or
work on the farm ploWing mule ana
splitting rails, and I was wanting TO
find something besides physical Ia
Dor, and l reckon if they would call
the same kind of hard work that the
bows do now in baseball and football
blowing mule or splitting rails or
some other useful and helpful labor,
they would spurn the idea of doing
such menial things, but they Will
break their noses and their arms and
get full of dirt and all that sort OF
thing at baseball and football and be
called great college men. This, IN
order to develop them physically
We'll, if DR.. Harms or some other col
1eqe men world pvt the boys to ploW-
irg a mile in a new ground they
would soon get a good amount of ply
sical training, and would be able to
eat coliards and bacon and sleep like
a babe at night Then, it was only
one or two boys from a rural COM
munity who would be able to go to
college. and I remember how l would
look at these boys when they would
come home for the vacation, and al
most envy them their good fortune,
and wish that I could go away to
college. They were the heroes OF
the community from which they went.