Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-08-01

&ment exercises OF tho Virginia Mill
n tAry Institute. at Lexington VII
liam Alexander winston, son; o
James Q. Winston, OF Richmond, de
4 livercd on June 10 the following al.
dress rs the valcdictorian and grad.
II uate cum lauda of the class of 1920
superintendent. General Pcrshiug
Board of Visitors. Commandant, Fac.
& sulty, Fellow-Cadets. Ladies and Cen
8 tlemen: All OF you here today are.
xby the very fact Of your presence
e closely acquainted with V. NJ. |. You
Il have sons. relatives and friends who
have been or are now members of
tho corps. Through your interest In
. :them You have heard of it's achieve
{ts ments, you know its standards. Many
G Of you are old cadets yourselves. VINO
nave Kept as closely in toLcn With
your alma mater AS we who have
~ post. You know that i:s military
Fsrank Is the iShest In the country
y that its educational standing is be-
b Sond rcproach. and ihat its tradi-
Il lions are q source OF inspiration and
u pride 10 all who are 10 the slight
e est extent familiar with ;aem. Since
81 common knowledge, ii falls upon me
not SO much TO enlarge upon Them
AS TO tell you i'll what way my class
feels their effect.
one OF transition and unrest. We
entered the old V NJ. l.; We are !eav-
S1ng the new. Not new in the sense
z come SO long as the compelling spirit
OF this place survives. bu, the changes
nave been radical nevertheless. as
Z any graduate OF four years ago Will
stell you. Practically all of my class
We're away for Il part OF the time
4 during tho war. But such little OF
3 itl as we saw was as nothing COM
pared with what has happened since.
Recalls Error OF Judgment.
Last winter we made what might
De called an error OF Judgment. In
other words. the authorities didn't
our New Years celceratLn. But We
have seen the light. II was shown
us ,.bs 100 fereibly 10 be missed. To
%S asa s eSlent our action may have
we are sorry. We have acknowledged
q mistake and rectifed il to the
pest OF our aoili;y. So much FOR
!, AS for the feeling that we have on
leaving. II is one that is shared alike
Sby every cadet and alumnus. AS in
ultra OF worldly attainment 10 say
~ am a Roman citizen" so now is
itla great step toward complete per-
}sonal happiness and satisfaction to
say Il was V. NJ. /. cadet"
81 Now. don't mistake my meaning. /
DID not say that the diploma wh.ch
only infallible open sesame" 10 sue
cess in life. ! know that such things
3have been said and will continue to
ne said, TO the detr!nent OF the most
complete development OF the school.
They are the natural result Of IA
student life az once SO isolated and
so closely confined. l know that the
furthest advancement or V. VI. |. lies
In a iul! recognition of the merits of
sister institutions and the introduce
tion OF features proven worthy else
d - NJ
Is only a college. after all. havini;
many ot the virtues and the faults
common 10 all colleges.
E1tolls College Training.
& All OF Us are born with greater
or less amount OF ability to succeed
In whatever wc may undertake.. There
us no college Q. system OF training
that can !nstAl within US ,hat which
may De .aesins az me outset. But II
there does burn within US some slight
trace o.; that vital spark which dis
tinEu!shtS the real man from the
mere nonentty OF the human species.
by the proper system OF education
and training. such system must
put aside ali false standards ana pro-
purely upon Individual merit And so
cadet" II Is, Win, The, feeling that
impress upon the thousands before
Us whose record is the pride OF
their school and their states. ana
the consciousness that what they
have accomplished We. too, have
peSn ntied TO emulate.
Eufther than this II does no; fall
within my province to speak. Il is
not for me to attempt TO map out
kfors my classmates the courses they
&wholly within themselves and de-
Spends upon what each one OF them
3has within him.
X But there is just one hope ana
&trust that l shall place In them
Wherever they MAYS. go tSey Viii
9meet In one form. -or. SMOTHER with
scttizenship, good government ana the
speace and welfare OF the nation
SSffhat spirit o: rab!d socialism that
Hsssprcad over all the world. Every
4pernicious doctrine that steals from
EthoAe who earn and create 10 give
10 THOSE who squandcr ana destroy.
aaf1n all sides the pro!ligate mob cries
aput. for the savings OF the few Who
xare. thrifty, Systems perfected i.y
Pears Of intelligeit effort and lns;-
Aby 1.-The board overnight FOR some far
ssRsetchcd theory OF the universal
Rbrotherhood OF man or the unrcaSen.
Fling demands OF some demaporue of
&erprise and initiative are nut A. a
#discount and premium placed upo.
&uiSterATu OF authority an! all the
Sprinclples of fair returns for service
Nation Needs Fearless Men.
n The pressing need OF this nation of
yours IS Tor men who VIII take a fear
Eess stand Tor fair play Between con-
Eaictins Interests; Tor the recognition
&of the value o! tho brains OF tho
'Jfew rather than the blind force OF
5Bthe many, and FOR the upholG!ng Or
the principles that have made mis-
country what il is today That nv
CLASSMATES Will be o: that k!nd. thnf
\ they Will play their part. howcvcr
small, TO the crcGi, OF themselves
n and the welfare OF trc.r country.
That they Will. in short, follow ~,
the pTecepts Of Law and order laid
a down Tor their guidance here for tho
past four years, is the charge / uo,y
h make 20 them. There IS now. no f.r.n
S that could lead them 10 action in
n FURIOUS TO the school they arc i4a.
E1ng: Any reflection upon Il, nuy al.
H tack upon II, they would resent ana
Eresist. Let them, then. add Ia ~
d ideal. az broadening Of their spl,,.r..
Bsof activity. Il steadfast detcrfn!ul;ftr.
that their country likew!s. shall SUI.
fer no harm.
4 And in the living up 10 this de-
We have the !nsi,Ira.tnr
ssof association with one OF our great,
Eest Americans To lead us on W.. ar..
sito receive our diplomas from thai
Efamous soldier who is with us Ia
Sdey, Genera Pcrshinc
Sir by the honor you are ron.