Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-04-25
STATE COMMIS'R.
OF EDUCATION TALKS
TO COLBY STUDENTS

DR.. Augustus o. Thomas. State COM
missioner of education, spoke last eve
ming in Memorial chapel at Colby Col
lege under the auspices of Kappa Phi
Kappa, the national honorary educa-
tional fraternity. DR.. Thomas spoke
on 1.-The World Aspect of Education"
and his talk was highly appreciated by
those present to listen to the noted ed
ucator.
DR.. Thomas started off by saying
that he was greatly impressed with the
smallness of the world and it's greatly
diminishing size. He said that from
ancient history down to modern times
the world has grown from a small part
Of one country to the world of today,
but now the pendulum is on the re-
verse swing and the world seems to be
growing smaller. Rapid communication
has been largely responsible for this.
The nations of the world have been
brought near together by this modern
means Of communication and conse-
uuently the nations of the world all
live on Main street." rub elbows with
each other, and must learn to live as
neighbors do, agreeing and getting
along we'll together. The great throw
ing together Of the World War came
Unexpectedly and threw the nations to-
gethcr and now that the war is past.
all intolerance must be forgotten.
The speaker said that the nations
Of the world were like a Marathon
runner who had finished a great race
all of his muscles and powers felt fine
while in the battle. but when the tape
was reached he fell exhausted and all
the intolerance returned to him. There
was good feeling among the nations at
the time OF the war. but all of the ra-
cial. religious. political and other in
tolerances were returning and the po-
litical hatred between the nations of
the world was growing constantly
greater.
DR.. Thomas spoke about the various
plans for bringing the nations together,
such as the League of Nations, the
100000 peace plan, the limitation of
arms conference, and other attempts.
all of which have failed to a greater or
less extent, and that there was great
necessity Of the nations to meet on
some common ground.
To meet on this common ground
was almost impossible and with the
United States becoming the pinnacle
of moral force in the leadership of
the world, 1t was up to America to
reach some goal. Diplomatic, finan-
cial, and financial conferences had
failed and President Coolidge urged
that some spiritual action be taken.
This was very difficult since there
were racial, religious and other diff
culties which prevented the nations
meeting on common ground but
finally education was found to be
the plane upon which all nations
might meet and discuss their prob
lens.
c11 Nv.
chosen to act as chairman of a meet
ing which was proposed by the Ma
tional Association of Teachers and
set about to secure delegates from
all the 70 nations Of the world. He
encountered numerous difficulties in
seeking to have the United States
government call such a conference.
Finally after the government declar-
ed that it would be against the for
eign policy, the teachers association
decided to call, the conference itself
and did so. AT this great conference
there were more than 600 delegates
from 81 countries and great problems
were advanced and possible solutions
outlined. This convention was held
in San Francisco last summer and
attracted world wide attention from
not only an educational standpoint
but from a political and internation-
al one as well. Some of the greatest
educators in the world were present
and gave talks of inspiration and
the hundreds of delegates went back
to their native lands filled with a new
spirit of education.
DR.. Thomas declared that the
World Court was absolutely neces-
sary to insure world understanding
just as traffic laws were necessary
to preserve saftey. He stated that