New Britain herald., 1927-02-23
Hits at Members of Council
Who Pinch on School Funds.
William H. Day, in Speech
Defending Washington,
Expresses Criticism of
Penurious City Fathers.

| 4 slap at members OF the COM
mon council was taken by School
Committeeman William H. Day. in
an address on George Washington,
at the Washington birthday celebra-
ton of the New Britain council, O..
/ u. \. NJ, last evening when he said:
Il have had critics of our modern
educational system (and we still
have few men even in our common
council who would have the youth
of today brought up in the same ig-
norance which they themselves dis
play every time they speak, point
to the accomplishments OF Washing
ton and Of that other great man
whom we especially honor this
month-Abraham lincoln"
He struck at the people who
maintain the attitude, what-was-
sood-enough- for-my-father- is-good-
enough-for-m y-son, and those whose
attitude is to get education with
limited facilities rather than TO
spend money on modern equipment.
The celebration was held in the
societys hall on Arch street and
Mr.. Days address was the principal
one OF the evening. Councillor Ed
win J. Barrett made the address of
welcome and entertained with cor
net selections.
The testers, radio entertainers a
prit tat, ri nf J1,1l
E. Lucas Dwight B. Latham and
Stanton Ashley provided entertain
ment during the evening. Their eff
forts We're well received.
Following is Mr.. Days address.
Calls 1t Iconoclastic Age
During this past year there has
been a revival of the age old tend
ency to disparge those whom the
world has chosen to honor The
pleasure that this iconoclastic age
gets from its ridicule of national and
worldwide heroes is in direct pro-
portion to the height Of the pedestal
on which history has placed them.
One of the great men who has been
selected for a target is the man
whose memory we honor on this the
one hundred and ninety fifth ami
versary of his birth. 1t has been
said of him that he was a hard
drinker, a miser, a gambler and a
libertine.
Before taking up cudgels in his
defense, let us look. for a few min
Of 81, !, Il;
man to whom, more than to any
other one man, we owe our liberty.
Born an aristocrat of rich I sup
pose l should add but honesty par
ents, he received what was then con-
sidered a good education. His early
training was at the hands of the
village sexton-yet his remarkable
| inherent ability was evidenced by
his early accomplishments. Having
specialized in surveying he was COM
missioned by Lord Fairfax to map
out the land which he had been
granted by the king. Most of it was
virgin forest practically unexplored,
yet so accurate was Washington's
work that when the state of Vir-
GINA, few years ago, delegated a
group of highly trained engineers to
reestablish the lines, they could find
no appreciable error in the work
| that he had done and his maps are
today accepted as correct wherever
available. Now the most significant
| fact in connection with all this is
~. hn vi Ip
young surveyor was seventeen years
Of age.
Il have had critics of our modern
! education system (and We still have
a few men even in our common
| council who would have the youth of
today brought up in the same ignor-
| ance which they themselves display
every time they speak, point to the
| accomplishments of Washington and
of that other great man whom we
especially honor this month-Abra-
| ham Lincoln. They maintain that
| if these men could get an education
with limited facilities, 1t is needless
to spend vast sums on modern equip
ment. This (what was good enough
for my father is good enough for my
SOM attitude is one of the greatest
impediments to modern progress.
'Of course the answer is that If
We went the average youth to have
unusual ability we must furnish
every available facility to acquire an
education. But Washington was not
an average youth nor an average
l. I.
as Everest overtops Dublin Hill.
Conquered Trials and Rcyerscs
while l have spoken of his pre-
cocity it is worthy to note that the
early popularity of Washington was
not the result of brilliant achieve
ments nor signal success; on the
contrary, it rose among trials and re-
verses and may almost be said to
have been the fruit Of defeats.
THE admirable manner in which
he had conducted himself under his
misfortunes during the French and
Indian War and the sagacity and
practical wisdom he had displayed
on all occasions, were universally
acknowledged; and it was observed
. lIlIll lldl HIS tAuNlNt pCtIl IpllpNt ny
Braddock, that general would not
have marched on to death and mill
tary oblivion.
IN a letter TO his older brother
Augustine, written shortly after the
affair at Fort Duquesne, the young
soldier sums up his misfortunes and
concludes with the statement: i
have been on the losing order ever
since ] entered the service which is
now nearly two years
What a striking lesson is furnish.
ed by this brief summary! How lit.
tie was he aware Of the vast ad'
yantages he was acquiring in this
school of bitter experience. He wa.
being shaped and trained for great
purpose; and every trial and vicis'
situde of his early life but fitted hin
RI ANN with ono nt her Of tlt