The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1920-06-03
Fathers, Colleagues, Fellow stu
dents. Friends Of Berea:-

express 10 YOU some OF the Thoughts
and feelings which FIJI my heart.
First Of all let me say that 1t has
been a sense of Providential guild
ance rather than confidence in any
powers Of my own which has led
me TO consider this call. had some
knowledge Of educational, affairs,
and a profound faith in the mission
of Berea College. had been twice
selected to carry this standard, and
my coming promised to unite the
hearts and efforts of all its consult
uency.
The task before us is an appall-
ing one-to human eyes impossible.
Bcrea College, like every Christian
school. is a financial failure-the
students can not pay what their
education costs. And Berea does
not float upon the summer seas of
popularity, but is called to breast
the waves of adverse sentiment The
enthusiasm of the emancipation era
has subsidized, and nearly all the sup
porters who greeted President
Fairchild in 1869 have passed to
their reward. There is no great or
ganization behind us. We are over
whelmed by honorable needs which
arise from an charging work and
opportunity. Since Fairchild's
death. by circumstances for which
no one is TO be blamed, Berea's
friends have been perplexed, and
an annual deficit has grown TO large
proportions. The day on which you
sent the call TO me under the ocean
was the darkest which Berea has
ever known. If the school had per-
ished in the mobs of 1859, it would
have been the murder Of an inno-
cent. If it should be strangled now,
it would be the martyrdom of a
mother with children.
I have not been able to perform
any appreciable service for the Col
lege, and our financial struggle is yet
to be made. but for that day the
tide has seemed to turn. Timely ad-
ditions TO our equipment, and some
establishments in methods, have
greatly increased the pleasure and
efficiency of our work. Far more
students than ever before, from Ken
tucky and from the north, are
knocking at our doors. II is GER
! tain that Berea has call TO live and
te-grow.
BIT let us turn from the poverty
OF our resources TO the majesty of
our cause. Eight men Of apostolic
spirit met in the wilderness and
drew up our Charter. Its first words
are these: In order to promote the
cause of Christ" Let us never for
get that supreme aim. A mere
school of human science and phil
Osophy floats on the current and
simply reflects average public SEN
timent. But il is the mission OF
Christian school to elevate - TO
create public sentiment.
The Charter directs that the edu-
cation furnished should be thor
ough." As radical college, we have
mission in educational reform.
Berea has set a good example 10
Kentucky, and the world still waits
for some school which will fearless
ly put in practice several reforms
which are approved by all thought
full educators, but as yet nowhere
fully realized.
Our educational possibilities are
increased by the fact that we must
give instruction of various types
The methods Of instruction in ele-
mcntary, academic and collegiate
work should be different, and we
claim that they are more certain TO
he different when carried on side by
side. Moreover, it is an advantage
for the normal student to breathe
little college air, for the college
student to keep in touch with prac-
tical life and with missionary work,
and for both TO learn something of
the dignity Of manual toll. Berea
College stands with a spade and a
spelling-boOk in one hand and a
telescope and a Greek Testament in
the other.
Many of our old institutes have
grown tired of that eternal vigil
ance which is necessary TO keep the
avenue of education open for the
self-suppOrting student. We have
no diviner call than TO gather the
multitudes who will otherwise be
untaught, hold them for a longer or
shorter time, according TO their
capacity, and give TO each youth a
bent in the upward direction. Be
rea will furnish its share of inven-
tors, statesmen, preachers, and not
all of them will come from homes of
llXllrV Or even pOmfOPt N will al