River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1923-06-14

proud of their Class Day program,
which was one of the most attractive
ever given at the Normal.
Commencement
The forty fifth annual Commence
ment of the River Falls Normal
School took place Thur sday morning
at ten o'clock. The commencement
address was delivered by the Honor
able M. B. Olbrich of Madison, a
lawyer of experience and note and
speaker of much distinction and
ability. Mr.. Olbrich spoke on the
subject, Local Patriotism, the Hope
of Democracy" To make clear his
theme Mr.. Olbrich quoted two state
ments, widely contrasted in meaning.
The first, statement of 'eodore
Roosevelt, in which he urged the
citizens of the United States to be
broadly conscious nationally instead
of patriotic locally; an idea which
had an unprecedented currency in the
expression, "the new nationalism."
The second statement of Professor
Royce, urging on the other hand
provinciaiism and local patriotism.
Mr.. Olbrich supported the latter
statement by further quotations from,
John Fiske, Elihu Root, Charles E.
Hughes. He then proceeded to show
the dangers to American civilization
of decentralization, the national
government becoming strong at the
expense of local freedom. He said
that Capitalization had been carried
on by the government at Washington
to degree never intended by its
founders. And the public is in gen
eral indifferent. Legislation at
Washington, particularly in the mat
ter of expenditures, is unnotioed; the
same thing, if it were attempted by
local authorities, would raise a
storm. The intrusion of the federal
government into the states is taking
from them the power to regulate
their own affairs. Numerous bur-
eaus at Washington are concerned
with every kind of activity of the
American people, until local liberty
is in danger of being destroyed.
Mr.. Olbrich cited the Roman EN-
pire as an example of government
that had been brought to its ruin by
Decentralization. The outstand-
ing example of modern times is the
German Empire, in which all laws
dealing with local affairs must first
receive the approval of the central
government. The mind of Berlin
was the mind of Germany. Mr..
Olh1ich maintained that the World
War would never have been fought
except for over-centralization OF
government in Germany.
Finally, he made an appeal for n
revival of local independence. Let
the young people who go out as
teachers into the separate conlmunit-
les take with them the idea that
real freedom is in the small social
group; that the home is the source OF
our national life. The first thing to
teach is loyalty to the home, village,
city, and state. Mr. Olbrich con-
Guided with special tribute to Wis
consin, with its natural beauty and
wealth Of local history.
In presenting the diplomas to the
228 graduates, the largest number in
the history of the school, President
Ames called attention to the different
groups and the line of work for
which each had been trained. He
said that the development of a sense
of social responsibility was the aim
of the school and its success was to
be measured by the degree to which
this sense had been awakened. The
present class had evidences BY its
participation in all school activities
that it was not lacking IN this.
Mrs. Langtry of Minneapolis COZ
tlibuted very greatly to the program
with a group of beautiful songs and
the Normal Orchestra gave its usual
fine support.