The Neshoba Democrat. (Philadelphia, Miss.) 1881-current, 1922-06-08
ALUMNI GRAFTON
|hocRAT EDITOR DELIVERS ALUMNI ADDRESS
ATA.&M. COMMENCEMENT
Inject for the Occasion "Dreaming
and Building for Mississippi"

vi
Clayton Rand, of the Glass Of 1911,
nd Editor of the Nesh0ba Demo-
at, delivered the Alumni Address
the 1922 Commencement at the Ag-
cultural and Mechanical College
fturda. June 3 in the college audi
rum. The subject of the address
|as Dreaming and Building for
ississippi." The address was pre-
| k1ed by band concert by the col
se band, aud the rest OF the day
PAS given over to exercises for the
umni.
The address which pertains to
Pme OF Mississippi's problems fol-
ws;
Public men from within aud with.
1T the State, for many months
psf, have been asking the question;
What Is the matter with Missis.
ppl?", and their answers to this
Much mooted question have been
ven much publicity. AS a result the
Mside world, and we within the
Nate2 have begun to believe that
lssissippi suffers from some incura-
le malady. While it is true that
obstructive criticism cures many
p, we In Mississippi have had
Pough ofchronic kicking for a while.
ar States interests can be better
erved, at least for u season, by cat
(lpguing our many assets than by
ADVERTISING our liabilities; by recit-
fg our many virtues than by re-
bunting our many sins
Mississippi will be cursed, more or
ss, with inertia, and the outside
orld will continue to look upon
er with Indifference, as long as her
pokesmen are chronically critical,
nd her kickers and knockers out
hmber her dreamers and builders.
ecently clipped bit OF verse from
copy of Forbes Weekly. It was
written by Ted Olsen, and Is entitled,
iThe Knockers. It's sentiments are
such sympathy with my message
I the morning that shall preface
by remarks by giving you the bene-
II OF it,
f'The dreamer blazes out a path to
lands remote and dim,
\ Far heights men never trod. until
the vision beck oned him.
And err the Jungle closes round
where first he struggled through,
he builder comes upon his heels to
make the dream come true,
Dreamer and builder, hand in hand,
across the world they go;
The trails they make, the towers
they build. the wondering world
may know.
And when their temples stand COM
piete, challenging heavens crown.
The knockers gather round. and
4 start to talk the structure down.
For this was bullded in way that
breaks all proper rnles;
And that design is incorrect accord
ing TO the schools;
And that offends most shockingly
B some fundamental law;
And that--like this, and all the rest
displays some hopeless flaw,
And SO the critics saunter home,
confiding each to each.
How mightier than spade or sword
is mans great weapon. speech.
And each congratulating each, that
by their words alone
The dreamer's dream, the builders
work. are wholly overthrown.
And while the critic fellows sleep,
the builders come again,
And recreate from dust the dream
the knockers would have slain;
Not perfect quite-proclaiming still
the crudenesS OIL the cl0d,
But wrought for staIwart service
In the toll OF man and God.
And while the knocker folk deplore,
and strive to fix the blame,
. Dreamer and worker. hand In hand,
toll onward just the same;
Content To build as best they
\ know. as every builder may
And caring not one single damn for
what the critics sayp
In my address to you perhaps
hin filling for the time the role OF u
dreamer; q dreamer, speaking to a
group of drenmprs and builders. and
II takes both to build roads and
erect temples. Aud the time Ii ripe
kor the dreamer and the builder In
We have had enough
Tor all time OF iactionalism and fault.
finding. II we could capitalize the
energy and talent that annually
runs to waste in Mississippi In par