Putnam patriot., 1924-06-13


 the spirit of cooperation is better. es- pecially in an enterprise like that in which we are now engaged. But 1t Is fair to add that there Is such a thing as wholesome good -natured rivalry in worthy effort, not to compete, but to lead the way; and in this connection let me call your attention to an edit crial in the Hartford Times" of last Thursday, heartily commenting this pioneer movement of Windham County to place "Windham House. on the campus of the college for women, and suggesting that the larger counties of the state, as Hartford and New Haven counties, may well follow the example of Windham County. So you will see that a responsibility as well as an op- portunity rests with all the friends of Windham County to make this move nnent a glorious success.
 The opportunity to "help build Windham House" may easily remind us of Portals prophecy
 How far that little candle sheds his
 beams,
 So shines good deed in a naughty
 world"
 World Has Been Naughty"
 For certainly the world has been naughty l firmly believe that 1t is slowly getting better-and it is certain that "Windham House" will shine as a star in the Armament of light and truth when aiding a college devoted to that most magnificent and necessary of all forward movements today, the training of young women and young men for the great work of social reconstruction. We are some times prone to rail at the colleges for their visionary" and impractical theories; and yet, we all want our boys and girls to go to college; for we realize the truth of the ancient pro- phet's warning that without vision the people perish" We are calling up- on our colleges to be "more practical but let us never lose sight of the vis- ion of service and sacrifice as nobler than self seeking. l confess that l am still believer in what some regard as the "oldfashioned" notion of ground ing in the "humanities s"-in the ideal ism" and inspiration of history. and literature and music and the arts as the background of practical training for the vocation finally chosen. But may add that 1 believe that the old fashioned method of education should be shaped to determine as early as may be the special aptitude of the stu- dent so that the proper place m life's work and achievement may be found. There is an adage well worth quoting right here. Get your joy out of your work, or you will get very little joy in life" And above all, let the lesson be taught that a worthwhile success" in life cannot be bought with money or influence" or social or political pull but requires fitness. training. experi- ence, with willingness to work and work hard. and with desire to be of service in mutual helpfulness.
 Foreigners Children Students
 There is q feature of the modern Windham County to which l would like Co call your attention, as an integral, vital part of the educational problem and the civic problem. Let me remind you that the larger part Of the Wind ham County of the future is but little if any represented in this gathering here tonight l mean the so-called "foreigners," and especially the chill dren of the foreigners. But these children are appearing increasingly in our high schools and colleges, and all accounts agree that they are aequit- ting themselves with credit. often chal- lenging the children of the native stock to look to their laurels. Indeed, the aptitude of many of the foreigners, and especially Of the children, to catch the real spirit of America may chal- lenge some among us as to whether We have kept our hearts and minds alive to the spirit of our own fore bears. Some one has nptiy para phrased St. Paul's declaration, Moth ing human is foreign to me" as ex- pressed more aptly of some present phases of our national life by render ing it Nothing foreign is human to me-" There are some who are con- cerned by differences of race and creed; but it is well to remember that there Is no race or creed which the higher education and efficiency-train- ing for life service do not tend to broaden to a better understanding.
 The real vision of q sane "Ameri- canism" is not to attempt to square your foreign neighbor to your own particular interpretation of what 1t means to become an American citizen, but to understand and appreciate clearly the environment from which your foreign neighbor came to this country. I shall never forget a warn ing which it was my privilege to hear from the lips of Bishop Brent, him. elf far-seeing and beneficent Ameri- can, he addressed a company of gra- duate students at Yale University, who were about to go into remote lands, especially to China and Japan and Manchuria and Korea, not only as missionaries and teachers. but also as advance agents of foreign com merce. Said Bishop Brent, with the of his own experience in far countries:
 Make Fearful Error
 "Young men, if you are going among these various peoples with the notion that you, as from America. are some how superior and can dominate them bv your knowledge and wisdom of our new and advanced civilization, you will make a fearful error, and invite upon yourselves and upon your coun- try a disastrous measure of failure and wrong influence, but if you can realize that wherever in the world you 20. you will find the same sort of folks that you are yourselyesi that their hopes and aspirations and de- xiras for better living are precisely