New Britain herald., 1925-06-27
GIVING ADVICE TO THE GRADUATES


 THE GRADUATES
 For o1ory graduate from a high school college or university there are half a dozen woll-meaning rela- lives and friends who are offering hlm advice. This estimate of the total Of adlice-givers is conserya- tive; perhaps there are from dozen to twenty Of them to each graduate.
 Naturally, tho graduate either feels astoundngly important or pitt fully impotent He is glad to re- ceive so much advice as to what to do" in the future, how 10 make a good choice of life work, and how to become a millionaire in few years, He finds, however, that the advice -givers do not agree; and much of the advice appears to be of that paternal, condescendtng varie- ty which usually flows from success full citizens to those regarded as up- starts. The conndine graduate, ther- fore is forced 10 face the additional burden Of sitting the good advice from the legendary the worth while from the trite, sound doctrine from false assumptions. Before he is out Of the portals of learning A hours he has discovered that the world is not what it seemed,
 Much as we should like to do so, w. intend 10 restrain ourselves in this business of pyramding advice with the harmless graduate en- tombed underneath tie pyramid. We are actually going to be a little unconventional in the matter and assume that some of them don't need much aIvicS. Obviously some of the more advanced thinkers wouldn't take advice anyway, al- though dlscrceuy hiding this disn- clination while listening 10 the bed time stories of the experienced ad- Visers, Others, We take it, will Ue grateful for an oasis in the unlimt- ed desert Of counsel.
 From time. immcmoriaI, gradu- ates from institutions Of learning have been regarded too much in the nature of infants in arms. They have been told with the junction that comes from experience with the ways of the world, that they are just beginning the battle sof life; that they know little of it's strategy, and that nothing is more important than that they be given the right start at this critical pcriod.'
 And then they are shoycd ouI Into the world, to Hook for joD.' Most Of them have a fairly goot conception Of the direction ill which their talents lie, If the recipient a the finish of his education has n, definite idea as 10 the port Of cn deavor toward which his talent urge him to steer, it is not eXactl. a calamity; perhaps it presagcs broader field of action. Such per sons, with the kuack Of being abl to understand much yet having n special gift, often become oppor tunists who are equally at home i any endeayor requiring clea thinking and sustained effort, Tn talented individual may have
 talent for something that is not i sroat demand; the genius may | forced to spend years in q garrc while the unapprcciative worI rushes by; but the bright youth wh can gain experience swiftly as or portunity offers, may from the s;al avoid unromuncrative pursuits an rarely starvcs in a garret.
 It is these average graduates, wh can see through an elementary prot lem without a guide book, who for the vast majority of our newcome from the schools. The ultra-talcn ed are comparatively few; Il youths born to the purple. of genit are exceedingly rare. The grot throng which passes from the scho doors into the wide open spaces endeavor is composed mostly average persons vanished with q habiliments of an education. Tn, are better fortified for the stress existence than the uneducated, b are not entirely immune from Il yicissitudes Of life Trouble. revers and sorrows come 10 the educat, as well as the lesser educated, al frequently. so far as the mere a emulation Of this worlds goods soneeFned, the toEmsE bootelai