Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-09-24
SprouI Warns Penn
Students of EDiLs
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but the students to the Governor of
Pennsylvania.
he remnrking that IL gave him pleasure
always TO attend the opening day exer.
clepa. =, =,
be said, that this coming to opening
doy has got to be a habit with me. I
am presumed, by virtue of my Office, to
be chairman OF the board of trustees Of
tho university. My attendance at their
meetings has not been so excellent, how
over, as at these opening day exercises,
in which I believe have perfect
record
Opening Day Does Him Good
"I would rather attend opening days
than trustee meetings. l might say /
like the company better--there Is so
much more Of 1t, and think 1t does
me more good
The men laughed and applauded and
tbe Governor went on in q more serious
tone. -.
~ cam here to do honor to your
rev provost. Doctor Penniman. He IL
as fair and just as a man may be. He
Ia one of my Oldest friends. ! know
he will have the best co operation you
car give him.
This is really wonderful time In
which we are living. Amazing things
have happened in the last few years,
we will not get them in right per-
spectve until we can view these tremen-
dous peaks across the valleys Of time.
"But, fortified with the knowledge
we have of history, we see through them
ali the true fundamental principles OF
life. These principles have not been
shaken in the slightest degrees, Of that
We may be assured. Despite the va
grant opinions of the thoughtless, the
restless, the unfit, the un Cody, the
un n-patriotic, the Golden Rule still holds
as the best rule for men.
1--WE know that there can be no sue
cess except through industry and trained
ability. We know that there can be
no substitute for education in the train
ing of mems minds. We know that the
great results obtained in this country
are the outgrowth of rational progress
made along the lines laid down 1873
years ago In the constitution of our
country.
Doctor Penniman's Address.
Doctor Penniman's address follows, in
part:
"At the opening of this new academic
years, it Is my duty and privilege to bid
you welcome, but as do 80 my thoughts
and yours keep turning to the fact that
for the first time in many years our be-
loved elder brother, Doctor Smith. Is no
longer with us as provost, though he
will be with us on the campus az our
friend and counselor.
"The University has not physical ac-
commodations today for all who wish
10 enter and have been officially pro-
nounced academically qualified. Please
do not mistake the tone in which say
this. 1t Is one Of profound thankful
ness for what has been in the past, for
the splendid present, for the Increased
opportunities for the University as
see 1t through vista of years yet to
come All that it now needs will, be-
lieve. be supplied in some way.
Remember that your educational
opportunities impose responsibilities
and the community has right to de-
mand proof that your higher educs-
tion is really blessing and that it
others happier. You would not be here |
unless you believe that, though you may |
not all agree as to wherein happiness |
consists. |
ION this opening day let me ask you
to consecrate your time, your strength, |
your thought. to the things in University |
life that are of first Importance, as,
signing to all other things their proper |
places and keeping them there.
Conditions Not Excusable
IF student mas average intelligence
and devotes proper amount Of time to
his University work. he ought never to
get condition, much less a failure In
any subject in his course. am aware
that there are sometimes abnormal
circumstances, or circumstances beyond
the students control, like the necessity
Of self support. or i'll health. which
interfere with a students work and
render it partially unsatisfactory, but,
making due allowance for these, there Is
not. in my opinion, one condition or
failure in a hundred that Is not directly
due to inexcusable neglect OF his work
by the student.
1T is an excellent thing to be an
editor of University paper, a manager
or member of university or class team,
a good actor, or as good as you are aple
to be IN a dramatic club. But 1t Is not
tlkuL lOE any otuuCht, ~ 10 t'os
himself, or to his father or whoever
pays his bills for him to be in the
University and neglect however slightly
the serious work OF study for which he
has come. Whatever may be said and
said speciously and plausibly about the
great value Of student activities, they
are not valuable, in fact they are un-
desirable hindrances, il they interfere
with students Legitimate. work.
"There is no student activity, liter,
sry activity, literary or athletic. which
at any time was ever a good or legiti-
mate excuse for low scholastic standing.
though it may be and sometimes Is a
bad reason for it,
"a failure in university work under
normal circumstances is simply not to
be thought Of. A condition ought always
to be considered. and is considered by a
conscientious student, disgrace. A
student with a condition or with an
unsatisfactory scholastic record does not
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