Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-12-04
Tells Why American
College Men Defy
Conventions of Day

Charlottesville, Ind, Dec. s.-(P-
American college men defy conven-
lions, shock sensibilities and inflict
cruel hurt upon themselves because
they are facing unafraid a world Of
bewildering perplexities, President
Ernest M. Hopkins of Dartmouth Col
lege declared in an address at the in
auguration exercises Of his brother,
Louis B. Hopkins, as president of Wa
bash College here today.
The eastern educator said he resent
ed condemnations of American college
students. THE only points at which
am willing to criticize this genera
ton of College men is that they have
no understanding of the imperative
necessity Of self-discipline and that
they are 1mpervious to attempts to
give them comprehension that without
this peither intellectual sinew nor
moral stamina can be developed except
by later struggles" he added.
Our college youth confront a world
OF bewfldering perplexities undreamed
of in any previous generation and face
it unafraid.
Possessed Of abundant argument
for doubling the validity of old loyal
ties which men have declared and then
ignored, repealed by the interpretations
OF religion which pander to bigotry
and intolerance, they revolt from the
tawdriness and futility of it all.
I'm search for better ways they
commit new follies. They deny con-
ventions; they shock sensibilities and
too often, and most serious, they in
f1ict cruel hurt upon themselves. But
In the main this generation of youth
Is an indomitable one seeking to be
captains of their own souls and prom
Using to succeed. In straightforward
ness. in unhypocritical honesty, in
clearness of thought and integrity of
action, in aspiration and idealism, their
like has not been seen before.
"The question is not more logical
ly to be asked whether the colleges
can find men worthy of their adj
vantageS than it is whether this on
coming generation Of youth can find
colleges qualified to understand
them and competent to inspire them.
The college which thinks of itself
simply In terms of curricula and of
departments of instruction, and of
requirements for degrees, may af-
ford certain devices for develop
ment of talent but it does nothing
to build character or to develop
personality or to give vitamins to
mental nutrition.
"The college misses the whole
point Of its being unless with all
else its influence is calculated to
enhance the values of life for the
individual student. Its positive
functions are to aid those who seek
for themselves knowledge of what
; desires are worthy and how most
adequately those may be realized"
The difficulty of college admins
tration, he said. lies in the fact that
the work of the institution is always
fundamentally for the benefit of a
tomorrow about whose circumstan-
ces one can but inadequately know.
Presidents of nine colleges were
guests of Wabash at the installa-
ton ceremonies of Mr.. Hopkins, q
Northwestern University man and
the seventh president of the institu-
ton. In addition to the Dartmouth
president there were DR.. William
Lowe Bryan, Indiana University;
DR.. Edward c. Elliott, Purdue Uni
versity: Father Matthew Walsh,
University Of Notre Dame, and DR..
Wilter Hill Scott, Northwestern
University, as well as the heads OF
four smaller Indiana colleges.