The Washington herald., 1917-06-21
DR.. MARDENS UPLIFT TALKS
What You Graduates Can Do.
BY ORIsoN SWEET MARDEN,


We will find a way or make
one." is the motto of the gradual
ing class of a New York high
1t is thoroughly American
motto-strong, hopeful. inspiring
Godspeed in their effort to live up
to it.
Many OF our graduates take too
much time, after they leave school
or college, in trying to find a nice,
easy. well-marked path in which to
walk through life. But it is the
one who makes a new path, who
blazes his own path who does the
most to help the world along. The
Edisons, the Marconis, the Wrights.
all the thinkers, the inventors, the
discoverers, and leaders who open
up new paths are the men our age
needs most.
1t is so much easier to follow an
others trail, to let somebody else
make our progress and save US all
the bother of thinking and plan
ming, that most of us yield to the
temptation to follow. 1t is hard
try to be original, inventive, re-
sourceful, to do things in little
different way, in a more efficient
way, to put our own individuality,
the stamp of originality on every
thing we do. 1t is SO much easier
to be one of the 'also rams" to be
an unthinking follower. merely one
more citizen in the great human
throng.
1t is a significant fact that
Who's Who in America" has only
about sixteen thousand names. 1t
is true there are great many peo-
pie who have done, and are doing,
invaluable work for humanity
whose names are not in Who's
Who" and whose deeds are not eX-
plotted in the newspapers, but ac-
out of 10000, 900 Americans ever do
anything that is really distinctive.
original or individual
Out of the multitude of this years
graduates how many will do any
thing especially distinctive, how
many will make name for them
selves, how many will ever be
known Outside of their own little
community? How many of that
New York graduating class will
realize their class motto and blaze
a new path in which others. less
original, have ambitions may fol-
low?
1t is not a worthy ambition merely
to try to get ones name in who's
Who?" 1t Is not an ambition worthy
of any mortal being sent here with
ID BEdHu HltSSdSG lOl IdCct " 6NI
gle and strain merely for little cheap
fame or notoriety, but it is worth
any ones while to strive to make his
life a masterpiece, to be an artist in
stead of an artisan in ones calling.
1t is a worthy ambition to strive to
make the most out of the life stun
that God has given you. 1t Is your
duty to lift up your head among your
| fellows and to resolve at least to make
your stand for something, to those
who come after you.
We get out of ourselves about what
we expect to get. If we don't ex-
| pect much our efforts are correspond
| ingly weak, but If we form the habit
of expecting and demanding a great
| deal of ourselves, We are always ready
to put forth our best efforts, to do
our level best, and doing ones best
is an excellent substitute for genius
Whatever vocation you choose, no
one but yourself can prevent you from
living your life to the level Of your
gifts, no one but yourself can prevent
you from being individual in your
strength to build a fine character, to
make your life stand out as the re-
suit of a fine ambition, a noble pur-
pose. You can make your life a re-
| fininG, uplifting, always helpful in
fiuence in your community. You can
one who will have nothing to do with
the coarse. the vulgar, the impure or
the unworthy.
We have no ure for colleges" said
| Edward Everett Hale, unless they
can make men out Of boys. First Of
| they are, what they are, and what
they are to live for. They are to
know that they are in a world where
each lives for all and all for each. "
The real purpose of education is to
broaden life and to Mt US for high,
! nNncAlffah GATNytNa -.
| personal services to Your Community,
| you can so endear yourself to your
| neighbors that they will feel richer
| for living near you. You can so live
as to make every acre OF land in your
vicinity worth a little more because