Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-10-20
I PLEADS FOR BETTER EDUCA 77ONAL ADVANTAG E
In tho glories aud achievements of
tho great republtc-our common coun-

In tho glories aud achievements of
tho great republlc-our common coun-
try.
I like to spcnk OF It now, because
I know tho very soul Of our common
pride In America. We grew sectional
once. but wo OF North and South
alike made such sncrlflciai Offering
of good American blood on tho soil
of Virginia that concord sprany up
from the seeds planted u century anu
n half ago. and tho bloom is that Of
gratefully unitod republic. with ono
purpose, ono prsdc, ono confidence,
one constitution, ono people, and ono
nag.
Aspirations Are Common.
Men speak of North and South and
East and West. Geographically they
are correct. Customs are Outlines va
ried. conditions are many times diff
fcrent. occupations are influenced by
locality, but tho interests and nspira-
tions are common, devotion to coun-
try is everywhere tho same. and tho
spirit Of America, rcnwnkened and
rededicatod. illumineB the onward
way for all alike.
/ On occasions such as bring us here
today, 1t has been well-nigh an Inn
memorial practice to speak of tho I'm
portancc md value of education, and
to urge upon the young that by prop
erly cquipping themselves in tho
realm OF scholarship. they will be-
come tho inhorltors of both the Gull
ture OF the past and tho chief re-
sponsibilities Of present and future.
| 1t has seemed to me that. in Wow OF
| conditions which surround educate
in our country today, wo might vary
that custom and cor tdcr the rcspon-
s'bility OF tho tthunity Mt lnrge
toward it's sokolars and scholarRhips.
limo was. and not 80 long ago,
when college education was looked
upon as the privilege OF him who
should BIO 70 fortunate as to attain IL;
when 1t represented tho assurance OF
place among the Intellectual aristoc-
racy. the satisfactions of culture.
the qualification of refined tastes,
and. presumably. somewhat easier
mode Of life than might DO expected
by the loss fortunate person who had
| failed to attain II.
How greatly Our attitude has
changed, how different has become
the status of him who has enjoyed
the wider educational advantages. Is
suggested by the most casual con-
sidcration OF tho present position OF
education as profession. and Of the
educated man In the community. a
generation Of intensified matcrialism
has brought change that Is no less
than startling. ! was reminded OF Il
recently In reading an address or the
late Senator George f. IIoar on nm
occasion not unlike this which brings
us hero. To the commencement as-
Hemblnge OF ono OF the older collcgeB
he spoke OF tho long maintained
domination Of England BY tho aris-
tocratic County families" He point
cd out that for centuries. generation
after generation. their peculiar posI-
ton had made them the leading In
because they constituted its arIstoc-
racy OF wealth. culture. education and
| character.
AriEtocracy of Intellect.
Then, glimpsing tho contrast be-
tween American and English life, he
pointed out to the college men he
fore him that to them was reserved
closely corresponding position In
the American community. No nrIs.
t"cracy OF inherited wealth. position,
t 10, distinction existed here: the real
nristocrncy was that of intellect. OF
the university and college men, who.
ne satd, occupied hero tho place cor
responding to that OF the old county
aristocracy In England.
II is hardly rounded generation
since that analysis was presented By
the great New England Senator; yet
] suspect that II no wero speaking
In my place today ho would make n
very different address than no made
three decades ago at Amherst. lie
would noto that on the one side we
have come to esteem education. not
as tho privilege OF tho fortunate few,
but rather MS the obligation and tho
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