Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-03-10
Something for Study.

At Room 9s, State House, Thursday
evening, a little group OF thinking men,
including the members Of the Ways and
Bridges committee of the Legislature,
Hon. George E. Macomber and others
listened thoughtfully to an address by
Hon. william B. Kendall OF Bowdoin-
nam. II was not Legislative hear
ing" 1t was human interest listen
ing.
Nearly everybody in Maine knows
Mr.. Kendall in a business way, as a
manufacturer Of fertilizer. as the own
er Of Names greatest sheep ranch,
as promoter Of good farming; but
comparatively few know that the chief
purpose Of Mr.. Kendalls recent years
is the cultivation Of thought. To come
In contact with Mr.. Kendall is to be
started consciously or unconsciously,
willingly or unwillingly. upon an out
Of the ordinary line Of thought.
Mr.. Kendall has wisely used the in
eide n;s and experiences Of many bust
ness years in storing a broad and sane
mind with food for fireside reflection
and comfort, and for suggestion to
others. when physical activities neces-
sarily must be less. Out of this fund
he is according glimpses to others. He
is sowing the seed for better moral and
civic conditions. much of it in soil that
is unresponsive hut some Of it is bound
to take root
Thursday evenings subject was alb
struse to the average mind, because
not many Of US can jump from every
day affairs to the depths of intricate
mathematical problems and to the
fields of tremendous possibilities, and
feel at home. Mr.. Kendalrs high
ideals lead him to deeply study ques-
tons that appear so staggering to most
of us that we refuse to expend the
mental energy to cope with them. Mr.
Kendall has a natural love for the re-
condite; he takes to the deep waters
and cool currents Of thought that make
the most Of US shiver and shrink.
And so it was on Thursday evening
How shall we describe without the IA
miliarity Of long consideration given it
by the author ard builder, the mia
chine" which Mr.. Kendall has con-
Jured? For lit is a machine" he says,
and then goes on to outline some of the
little" things that can be done for the
boys ard girls of coming generations
by the lifting power Of compound in
terest"
me speaker gave numerous ilIustra-
tons Of the leverage Of 60 to one prv
in removing the rocks from the path
way OF better civic conditions. And
the the only flaw that we have been
able to pick in the Kendall plan" is
that it is so far ahead, or above the
heads of, I superficial public. Such as
Mr.. kendall-and few there BEGAN
lead only SO far and so fast as the
lame, the sick and weak can follow.
and most Of us are afflicted with q
weakness for lodging everything that
means hard work or concentration.
We hope to see the Kendall plan"
for the self-lifting Of municipalities by
their own boctstraps recognized and
exploited. carefully considered, crit
icized and opened up to the light. It
is big proposition and a fascinating
one that no thinking man will dismiss
as visionary because he cannot grasp
1t off-hand. Every big thing has been
dream and an 'impossibility." until
some daring inventor. or dreamer or
crank. has proved 1t a reality and has
utilised It. or has shown the methods
by which tho impossible may be har-
messed and made to serve We await
the coming of the man who can reduce
the Kendall plan to newspaper reading.
easy Of study even II beyond the ay-
erage comprehension. It is coming.
but slowly. Of q necessity. Sure It is
that We shall appreciate it more when
We better understand It.
We have not attempted to deal with
Mr.. kendall's presentation. only to
awaken interest. or curiosity, perhar,