Alma record., 1919-06-12
SIXTEEN WERE GRADUATED
Degree of Doctor of Divinity
Conferred Upon Rev. j.
Frank Jackson of Alma.

The thirty annual COM
mencement at Alma college came to
close yesterday with the commence
ment address, and the comforting of
degrees upon sixteen young men and
women, who, with the words "Be We
transformed by the renewing of your
minds" ringing in their ears, are
facing the world, full of nope and
courage, and grim determination
to make for themselves a place
worth while.
The commencement activities
opened Sunday evening with the an
nual baccalaureate address by Presi-
dent II. NJ. Crooks, LII. D., at the
Presbyterian church The address
was one of the finest commencement
addresses ever given here, and was
one that was full of thought, which
could not but hold the attention, not
only of those who were graduating
from Alma college, but everyone who
was within the range of DR.. Crooks
voice, as it contained message
which could not fail to impress itself
strongly, upon everyone who had the
privilege of hearing it.
In part he said, america has de-
veloped the college. Ii is a peculiar
feature Of American education. Its
virtues are American, its weaknesses
as truly so. There may well be a
debate as to whether the college, at
the end of four years residence, has
done more for the mind of the indi-
Vldual graduate, or more for the
spirit. Certain il is that the effective
college has changed both mind and
spirit; that bodily vigor is increased
by the regimen of college living is
an unbeatable fact.
However. some speak of finish
ing schools" (what more pitiable OBJ
ect than a girl finished at nineteen)
or Of a complete education to be Sc
cured IN university or college at the
age of twenty-one or twenty-five
the same college is aware that it does
not completely educate and does not
finish anyone. The college is a place
II beginnings. New interests are
aroused, new associations devel-
oped, new ambitions formed, new
purposes found. Devoutly do | hone
that you who are before us tonight
are far more conscious of commence
ment than of conclusion, of doors
opening upon vistas of sDleasurable
activity than of doors closing on re
iatlonships and roads Of opportunity.
Of rejoicings at beginnings of a glad
new era rather than Of sad regrets
OF a wonderful period gone. May /
not hope that there are dissatisfac-
tions with the period closing, vague
STRINGS Of Impotence TO be at the
application of principles not perfectly
apprehended, even tinges Of rebellion
at the smallnesses and unsatisfac-
torinesses of the life you have led
these should characterize you to-
night. Your minds are not full to
surfeit, your spirits and your wills
are not unfaltering. your purposes
are not altogetl er sure.
The psalmist has told us that our
days are three score years and ten.
What shall the world do with its men
ana women living on borrowed time {?
The world makes ready an immediate
answer. Clemeneeau at II is to head
the peace conference: Foch at 81 TO
direct the earth's greatest in earth s
greatest war; Sonnino at 73 leads
Italy; Hindenburg leads the German
legions. Old men are preparing for
earth's new day.
Is II not true that man needs stop
when his mind stops, that man is
Old only If his mind is old? Trans
formations are possible by the renew
ing OF minds. Minds may be re-
newed at twenty, at forty, or at
eighty. Capacity to assimilate new
facts, to deduce therefrom new prin-
ciples and motives, 20 form new
judgments from new alignments Of
events. to possess new purposes for
new activities-this is the criterion.
According to physiologists the
body rs transformed by renewal. bv
new growth every seven years. What
OF the mind? Are our brains the
seventy year clocks conceived by
Oliver Wendell Holmes, wound up
once and for all? $50 We are
not discouraged at the thought that
our bodies are less efficient at fifty
than at twenty or. thirty, but would
have you dismal with a sense Of fail
ure if at sixty your minds are not
better and filter than they are to-
night
mo force equals the force of ideas.
The idea of a mission for Germany
transformed Germany and the Ger
mans. The conception of a distinctive
German Kultur, the dream Of its
spread around the world the purpose
TO force it upon the willing and the
reluctant alike--this has been an ex-
ample of the power of an idea. The
idea Of democracy held our fathers,
IT became a dream, a purpose. a high
resolve. The conception of freedom
for the negro had a similar history.
So with womans suffrage, so with
thought of a saloonless nation.