The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1917-08-11
THEY ALSO SERVE WHO LEARN
College Students Can Best Aid coun-
try by Completing Education.

try by Completing Education.
The following timely and we'll
worded circular was published as a
bulletin over the signature of DR..
John Il. Wigmore, the dean of the
northwestern University Law School,
who was recently appointed on the
staff OF the judge advocate general of
the army and as member of the In
ternational High Commission:
"A rumor has come to our notice
that possibly the University will sus-
pend sessions next fall or winter, be-
cause OF the claims of military SER
vice on large numbers of the student
body. This rumor is baseless. The
University will open at the usual time
and continue its regular work.
ITO announce this is enough to dis
pose of the rumor. But fallacious
notion seems to lurk behind the ru-
NOR, and further word is needed to
repudiate it. That fallacy is that
university work is not so important,
and that its continuance becomes less
imperative during war time
"This is dangerous notion and
should be disowned The very con-
trary is the truth. One of the great
est and saddest calamities already OBJ
vious as lamentable result of the
war, for European nations, is that
the intellectual power Of their popu-
lation is being destroyed. A great
swath of destruction has been cut
through the ranks of educated young
men who were to form the intellectu-
al leaders of the coming generation.
They are gone. The world has lost
them. And those nations in the COM
ing years will be by SO much the
weaker and less progressive, less able
to master the futures problems.
ut is for US to take warning from
this lamentable example. We cannot
afford to incur the same risk. We
must keep the ranks of our educated
men we'll filed We do not know how
deeply the fate of war will ultimately
spread death in our army. But we
do know that the cessation of one
years full quota of educated men at
our universities. would be simply one
whole year lost in the onward march
Of progress during the next genera
ton.
"We cannot afford to contemplate
this The ranks of the universities
must be kept filled Science must re-
ceive its full annual share of nourish-
ment, and must continue to contribute
it's full annual share of results. Pro-
fessors and students alike must not
cease to assist in keeping alive the
body polite; for science is the breath
of life to the community. This war
itself is scientific war; and before
it ends we shall need, as other nations
have already found, to continue un-
remittingly at the task of research
and preparation. That task, though
mot SO sensationally obvious, is as IN
IIdispensabIe and Us honorable DIS the
tasks of agriculture and manufac-
| lures.
"Let us therefore fully understand
that the ranks of the universities
must be kept filed. And let us carry
this message to others. Let each stu
dent who has decided to devote HIM
self to military service make every
effort that his vacant place in the
army Of science and learning shall be
filled during the coming year by at
| least one other enlistment in college
or professional school, There are
enough and to spare, among the
young ambitious men of this country
| to do this and more, without in the
least detracting from the imperative
needs of military service.
"Let us make sure, then, that when
| a, ~ m oTiea nnPn IN
the fall, the ranks Of science Will not
be depleted"
Commenting on the above Presl.
dent Thos. D. Boyd Of the Loulsiana
State University says:
"There is no doubt that the Worlc
will have to look mainly to the Unltec
States to replenish it's supply of high
lv educated men, now being so rapid
~ denleted on the battle fields Of
Enrone. Many European colleges
and universities have. closed thei1
doors, and it would be very untorta
nate to have any great falling OH l, !,
the attendance at our American col
leoes and universities this fail.
"High school graduates and colieg'
students are worthy of all praise To-
Ihe;r eaeerness to enter the militar.
service and their willingness, II nee'
be. to die for their country; but tnl
war will probably continue severa
Years longer, and there is no douo Z.
ihat these young men can render thei
country better service by compietln|
| their education, and thus hitting 1nelll
selves for greater usefulness neleal al
ter ~ Such IS the opinion of Preslden
wilson and other authorities at WASH
. |