Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-09-22
STUDENTS HEAR
PRESIDENT GRAY
AT BATES OPENING

Lewiston, Sept. 21-Hundreds of
Eates students-more than ever be-
fore crowded-the new chapel Thurs
day morning for the first formal wor-
ship and for the brief addresses that
were the keynote of new and prom ,
i5ing year at this Lewiston institu-
ton.
Bates was never more beautiful |
The campus trees were gloriOusly !
tinted, foretelling the richness Of flu
ture autumn; Mount David basked
III the sun over beyond Rand Hall.
and the ivy on the new chapel riotee
Iii Persian colors over arch and re-
tessed window and upward to the
minarets that crown the facade.
The merry clatter of youthful
voices that had murmered with in.
creasing power around the campus
the last few years, as when tide
rolled in and breaks upon the high
cliffs, hushed in the quiet OF the
dusky chapel as President Gray and
his companions took their seats at
the chanccl, each clothed in full
collegiate gowns and impressive in
their dignity.
The chapel organ rolled forth the
hymns of praise with hundreds or
we'll trained voices swelling a mighty
chorus; President Gray gave his ad.
dress; and the other speakers were
Dean F. +. Pomeroy and Dean Lena
NJ. Niles and Rev. George +. Finnie.
President Gray bespoke the need
of the highest type of citizens, with
character and conviction, as safe
guard against Bolshevism and like
sinister spectres.
He then touched on the coming
Eates- Oxford debate, which focuses
attention on what he terms the pri-
mary business of the college to teach
It's students how to use their minds.
President Gray declared that the
educational institution is not an IN
, tellectual filling station where his
/ tory and other knowledge can be
| siphoned into students heads thru
! PROFESSIONAL pipelines. 1t is to IN
| spire the rare art of real thinking,
which means thinking thru" the
careful definition of issues, dis
elimination between the essential and
on-essential; careful use Of words.
|
of logic, not mere rhetoric. In fact.
he said that superficial thinking is
the bane of the age, and crooked
| thinking is on every hand.
| In this connection he cited several
| instances of poor reasoning, including
| Edisons and Ford's arguments for
/ fiat money which he declared are not
even good nonsense"
Regarding the coming international
debate, President Gray said: I'VE ad-
mire the sincerity and intensity OF con-
viction that are developed by British
! debating methods We also admire
| the Oxonians' ease of speech and their
ability to win an audience with their
eloauence. Real thinking means
thinking right. President Roosevelt
| never made trucr statement than
when he wrote in his autobiography,
| What we need is to turn out Of our
colleges young men with ardent con-
victions on the side Of right Sinceri-
| ty and intensity of conviction are in
| dispcnsible to all true thinking. How
! ever thorough-g going and however
straight your thinking may be, failing
Of right thinking YOU are dangerous
member of society.
"The American method of debate,
which begins by compelling fair
minded inve Stie cation of both sides of
! a question and ends only when the
dcbatcr has mastered evidence. author
! ity and logic to prove his case, is in
strumental in developing citizens of
character and conviction. Real think
| ing means this sort.
| "A cole gc-and particularly col
! lege with the Christian traditions and
| atmosphere Of Pates-prostitutes its
! opportunity and tramples upon It's
| past when it fails to train its students
| and righteous elements in every public
| question. When it comes to dealing
with the truth, there is no such thing
as expcdiency. There are too many
people in the world for whom facts are
what they wish to believe and who
never recognize truth though they have
been introduced to it repeatedly. I'M
moral thinking hates, right thinking
loves the truth.
"Thc art of thinking. then, is the
chief business that brings us here. At
the outset of the new college Year let
US sec to it that we devote our best
cndcavors to the acquisition of this
fine art. To learn to think through, to
thinl; straight. and SO think right is no
mean accomplishment. and nothing
short or 1biS iS rnal thinking"