The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1921-06-28

1
capital Of knowledge and ability in
aimless, useless generoslties. Hold
true to those ideals which you rgov-
eminent and its institutions represent.
We Americans will best help mankind
at large II we most earnestly sustain
mon Immediately about u.s. Again he
emphasizes this call to service by say
Ing: 1--WE look to this months grad
uating classes to provide far more
than their numerical share of leaders
for the nation In a future not far
thead. You will play your parts in a
world in many ways unlike any that
former generations Of your colleagues
could have anticipated. I would feel
that | had performed well the part
that has providentially fallen to me
If could impress upon every one who
goes out this year with a diploma the
thought that 1t is not certificate of
right to special favor and profit in the
world, but rather a commission of
service. Men all about you will need
the best you can give them"
Closely intertwined with this
thought of service to humanity was his
exhortatiOn to the student graduates
to have faith in our country and its
ideals. Much that has been esteemed
elemental has been swept aside" he
declared. almost nothing remains
that we may safely thing of as sacred,
as secure from the attacks of the ICON
oclasts. It is a time in which men
search their souls and assay their
convictions, in which they examine
the very fundamentals Of institutions
immemorially accepted, in which no
tradition may me held immune from
assaults of the skeptic and the doubt
err Nothing remains with us that
is not queried. Therefore we need for
the leadership of the coming genera
ton an openminded willingness to
recognize the claim Of the doubter, the
innovator. the experimenter, the
woudbe constructionist. But while we
must give these adventurous ones their
full chance, we must sedulously guard
against the spirit Of mere cynicism,
the disposition to condemn all things
as they are because they are not per-
feet, the tendency to tear down be-
fore any plan Of reconstruction has
been prepared. The trained mind -
provided it is not overturned - is the
one that must provide the saving fac
ulty of discrimination. The world must
60 forward, and not backward; and it
will not go forward as the result Of
any philosophy Of mere destruction
Interrogation points have been |
written in the blood and suffering of |
countless millions at the end of a
thousand statements of what little
time age we deemed the very basic
principles Of economics, of sociology,
If international relationships, of pub
lie poliscy and human justice.
Let us make our America the best
,lace on earth in which men and wo-
men may dwell. Let us make 1t an ex-
nipple to al lothers, an inspiration and
|. model. 1t has been our privilege to
ee this country which we love called
Ipon to redress the wrongs, Of the
World, to restore the balance of civ
lization. We could not have played
hat part had we not first been true to ,
urselves, confident of our destiny,
ssured Of our Righteousness and of Q
he power inherent in our concept of
righteousness. Let us go on, holding
act to what, in the great trial, has
cen proven good, seeking to make it !
etter, stronger and more unselfish. q
lot us place a firm reliance in our A
estiny and let us seek to realize that
estiny through unceasing effort and a
devotion y
He warned students not to put 100 L
uch trust in books or academic A
arning- that education was some
ling never completed: "The educa-
on that can truly prepare for the de-
ands Of society in the time before us =
IN not be given merely in academic G
Ills. The great world outside must 81
attribute of its practical experience, "
) intimate knowledge, its discipline
I'd disappointments to complete the a
Iuipment. We can learn much from .,
,oks, but II we learned only from Il
,oks we would learn only the wisdom p
the past. Books are tremendously
Ieful II they be made the servitors of a.
e inquiring mind; they may be dead r.
ling and worse than useless IL they Il
come the master of the too receptive Il
ind. He who has learned how to use
,oks, how to find what he requires in
EN- and then to apply it. without the
'cessity Of overlooking his mind with a
necessary detail, is the one who has y,
ade his educational preparation a
ost useful AS a mere storage ware
'use for facts, beliefs, impressions, al
e human mind is an unsatisfactory CT
ant. 1t is too liable to error and too II !,
nited in its capacity. But, on the b,