The New York herald., 1922-10-01

out consciousness there is affixed to
a group the label which signifies a
condition which may or may not be
true, but the group is damned with
the crimes ascribed to it by the sug-
gestion of label.
There would be less' point to bring
ing any such comment as this before
an undergraduate audience If judg-
ments of men and policies in under
graduate life were not so frequently
derived and held by responsible men
on the basis of like labels affixed by
other men irresponsible and for rea-
sons insufficient. / am not going into
this at length. You men of the coll
lege know the facts and can discuss
the question as intelligently as can
any one. ! would simply inquire, as
bearing upon any argument, to what
extent among us merited and desirable
confidence can be destroyed and real
worth can be obscured by malevolence,
irresponsibility. or carelessness in
such cases as affixing the label "yel-
low" to an athlete. "weir" to a scholar,
or "high-brow'' to a policy.
II. among carefully selected group
OF men, living In q presumably intel
lectual environment and with unusual
freedom of contact with advanta-
geous opportunities. we cannot free
ourselves frcm the curse of Judgment
by label. then the hope is slim indeed
that truth shall be sought and real
values shall be conceded to men and
policies in the world at large.
/ advert once more to the statement
which / have made heretofore that n
standardized group is a mediocre
group and that a conventionalized
civilization is a dying civilization.
The principles behind these statements
are operative in college life as defi-
nitely as anywhere else.
Must Have Liberty
To Choose Own Goal
The only Standardization that
would willingly tolerate for the men
of this college would be an imprint
that marked them as men craving the
mental abilities and the qualities Of
the soul to know the truth, and as
possessing the stamina and construc-
tive force to do ii. Even then, with
mems attributes as different as they
are and with the realization Of pur-
pose as distant as it will always be,
liberty must be conceded to the indi-
vidual to choose his own path of ap-
proach to the far off goal.
1t is undoubtedly a fact that the
hopes of the world are centered now
as never before so strongly In the
youth of the world. Men trained in
old schools of thought and worn by
the mental and spiritual struggle of
adapting these TO new conditions seek
relief from further responsibility. Men
discouraged either by tho inertia in
their own ranks or by what seems to
them lack Of stability in the oncoming
generation seek a basis of assurance
in regard to the future. Men to whom
the past is a sacred thing and to whom
its experiences are precious treasure
TO be transmitted in trust TO sue
cessors who will cherish and protect
these jostle elbows in our crowded
world with those who believe tradition
and precedent to be n ball and chain
| hindering progress, and each seeks q
generation which will do it's respective
will
1t is at such n time, while the forces
at the front in anxiety await the men
of your generation, that you enter the
training camp behind the lines to
! equip yourselves TO take their places
Or as understudies you stand in the
wings while the tired principals play
their parts. Are there, within your
ranks, the qualities Of earnestness. In.
telhgence, goodness and forcefulness
to justify the confidence which the
world wishes to repose in you?
Tho answer cannot now be made
but in distant years when judgment Is
entered, may it not only be found that
the generation OF which you are q
part understood and met it's respon-
abilities. but also that specifically the
promise of this fine group here gath
cred end the aspiration of this north
country college were realized and that
herein essential virtue was found and
! carried forth TO dwell among men.