The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1921-06-17

sight last evening, when elgnty lauy
students Of that institution qualified
as teachers in Minnesota and receiy-
ed their diplomas. No better looking
and more intelligent collection Of
young ladies ever graced the stage on
commencement night than those who
finished their school life last night.
All of the graduates were beautifully
attired in snowy white gowns, and
each wore a corsage bouquet. In ad-
dition to the graduates there were
seated on the stage the Girls Glee
club Of that institution. together with
President c. H. Cooper, Resident Di-
rector I. N. Tompkins of this city,
John H. Ray of Minneapolis, a MEM
Der of the State Teachers college
board, and President Lotus D. Coff-
man of the state university. It had
been planned to begin the exercises
at $3.50 but owing to the lateness OF a
train upon which President Coffman
arrived, the program was not started
until 9:15. Owing to this fact two
very good numbers were dropped from
the program. These were violin solos
by Alexis Parlova and Miss Julia Hub.
The selections rendered by the
Girls Glee club of the school, under
the able leadership Of Miss Nancy G.
Williams, instructor of music In the
college, were greatly appreciated by
the vast audience, which braved the
inclemency Of the weather and
thronged the auditorium. Perhaps
the most pleasing numbers on the
program were solos rendered by Frank
Blyler, the sweet voiced tenor of this
city. Mr. Blyler was required to re-
spond to an encore. His singing was
splendid.
The invocation was asked by Rev.
]. M. Balm of this city.
Story of Achievement.
President Lotus D. Coffman, who
delivered the commencement address,
in opening his remarks, said that the
history of public education is a story
of achievement. The speaker traced
the advancement of education from the
landing of the Pilgrims some three
hundred years ago to the present time.
He stated that the steps of advance
ment of the affairs of the nation from
the landing of the Pilgrims to the
present date can be measured by the
degree of advancement of education.
Changes have taken place in educa-
tion to keep up with the advancement
of other problems in life. The broad
er activities of life must be met with
a broader education. The history of
the nation in educational matters, the
speaker said was repeated in the de-
1t. was only yesterday, comparatively
speaking that Minnesota was settled,
but the sturdy founders of this state
looking into the needs of the future,
declared that there should be a sys-
tenn of education in Minnesota that
would be second to none. Included in
this system they provided would be
system OF public schools, and a state
university to aid in carrying on the
ruP IL hi I'll IL
pioneers were ,hewing out for them
selves in the wilderness homes that
were to be enjoyed by their posterity.
President Coffman said that the chief
needs Of controlling a democracy are
education. The hardy pioneers of
Minnesota understood this and made
good provisions for the future, by
writing in as part of the constitution
OF the state, the school system. In
1910 in this state the average person
received but 208 days of schooling dur
ing his whole life, which made the
United States from an educational
standpoint, a second grade nation. In
1870 the total average was increased
to 5S2 days, and at the present time
the number Of days schooling received
by the average person during his lie
time is 1900 days, which places the
United States in seventh place educa-
tionally. The changes in the number
of days in which the average person
attends school were necessitated, be-
cause OF the more difficult problems
of the people.
~ More Liberal System of Education.
The people have come to the conclu-
sion that the best way to serve the
nation as whole is to provide a
more liberal system of education. Now
IN the present unsettled condition of
the country there is great need of
more education. At this point in his
address President Coffman gave in
stances of lack of sound government
in countries where education had been
let lag. Russia is a good example, of
this, and yet 1t has a republican form
OF government within its grasp. The
educational ability is not there to
carry it on. In that country $50 per-
sons out of every thousand are litter
ate. Where ignorance prevails the
demogogue reigns. The
speaker said that we do not need to
go to Russia to find men and women
who are unable to read and write. At
the time of the draft during the World
war, it was found that right here in
this country, there were 100000 young
men who could neither read nor write
What is true in Russia can be true
even in this free land. Education is
absolutely necessary to combat this.
The average man and woman at the
present time receives 1000 days of
but in the generations to
come there will have to be still more.
Future generations will have to get
more and better training to cope with
the advancement of the world.
Cost Of Education. ~
Touching upon the cost of educa-
ton, and the statement of some Ipeo-
pie that it will be almost impossible
to meet the expense of education,
President Coffman called attention to
the vast amount Of money spent in
this country on luxuries. BY the cut
ting down Of these expenditures, there
would be saving which would more
than pay for the added needs of edu
cation, and the American people will
never miss 1t
In the future teachers will have to
have more cosmopolitan ideas in or
der to cope with the times They will
have to make sacrifices so that the
next and even the next generation will
be better than the present one. The
resent teachers are but pioneers, the
speaker said, on the outskirts of the
profession.
At the conclusion Of President Coff-
mans address, President Cooper pre-
sented the class of 1921 to John H.
Ray Jr of MINNEAPOLIS a member of