Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-02-23
ual worth gave to all humanity m
Increased importanca ga


increased Importance.
Another very predominatiny in
auence, Supplementary religion and
moving from 1t. was education. This
movement was not new in the
Colonies but 1t increased in volume
after 1872. 1t has been claimed
that the Reformed Dutch Church of
New York founded an academy lin
1888 and that the Boston Latin
School was established in 1886. In
the same year Boston took action in
town meeting to support a school,
and in Connecticut and Rhode Island
schools were opened within a few
years. In Philadelphia, New Jersey,
Maryland, Virginia. and South Caro-
lima. and other Colonies. early action
was taken to provide schools. but
the effort was not followed up so as
siduously as 1t was in New England,
where the clergy were very active in
| its promotion. This influence was
seen in the first compulsory school
law in America, which was passed in
| Massachusetts in 1647.
I'VE shall fail in our estimation
| and understanding Of him." Mr..
Coolidge said, unless we remember
| that during his life time he helped
| to build place Of religious worship;
| in his will he provided for institu-
| tions Of learning and in his farewell
| address he emphasized the spiritual
values OF life. But what he did was
| even more eloquent than what he
| said. He was a soldier. patriot, a
| statesman; but in addition to all
| these he was great teacher.
| "He believed our political institu-
| tons were superior to those of other
1
hatred Of all things foreign and he
| made large concessions in the nego-
| tiation of treaties for the settlement
| of disputed questions which We're for
the advantage Of foreign nations. He
! believed that obligations were
! mutual, that what we expected to re-
I ceive we should be ready to give,
both in the field Of citizenship and
in the larger domain Of international
| relations. He chung to the realities.
| That was his greatness.
Washington has been known as
one of the most practical of leaders.
He was not emotional. He was pos
sessed of that broad comprehension
of a situation which made his judg-
ment eminently sound. With the
| possible exception Of the field OF
| Monmouth, when disobedience Of his
orders amounting almost to treach-
cry was losing the day. history al
! ways reveals him as calm, cool and
| collected.
HE wished to see his country not
only materially prosperous and po-
| litically successful, but beyond that,
and above it, he wished to see the In :
| tellectual, moral and spiritual life OF
the people developed. This is the
side of Washington to which too lit
tie attention has been given.
In his farewell address he solemn
ly warned his countrymen that these
are the foundations on which rest
all American institutions. More
than that, they are the foundation
on which all civilization must rest.
1t is as an expounder of these great
principles that he performed the
greatest service for the world"
Tracing the development of educa-
ton in the United States. the
President declared "the country al
large had not failed to follow the
precepts of Washington. and con-
tinued:
"From the three institutions of
higher learning in existence at the
time of his birth. the number has
grown to 913, with a total enrolment
of over $4,000 students and over
| >,
nearly $S15.000,000 and a property
value of over $1,OOO,0 100000. Our
elementary and secondary schools
have expanded until they provide
for more than 26.000,000 pupils and
REQUIRE over $4,000 teachers. In
1912 the-total amount expended
yearly for all educational purposes
was about s7O6, 100000. This has
been increasing with great rapidity
until in 1924 it reached $4,000, 900 900
This represents the result which
has been secured by the carrying out
of some of the most important
policies of our first President. 1t
should be noted that these are the
policies of peace. They are based
on a desire for intellectual and moral
enlightenment They are the only
means by which MISUNDERSTANDING,
suspicious, hatreds. and wars can
finally be eradicated from the earth.