Putnam patriot., 1927-04-15


 that has no commercial value, of un- realizable dreams of divine dissatis- factions. It's business, in short, !s that of teaching not so much what our modern life actually is. as how t should be lived, and supplying the materials for a fuller, larger living. Such a programme does not aim pri- marily at producing successful men. It's graduates may succeed or they may not. but if they do not, their failurs fif failure | really bel Is often at higher level than many a s0-called success. Here is no aridity. no middle class smugness of self satisfied con tent. Happiness? Perhaps. but not that of the mollusc, rather that of Jacob contending with the Angel! Such a life may be "strenuous or lived dangerously" lor quietly in contemplation All kinds are needed and each has its rest unknown t0 those Babbits whose ideas are bounded by an horizon of porcelain tubs and motor cars.
 IL is the chief business of the co- llege to foster this living on higher plane of civilization. and the need of such fostering has never been greater than today and in America. For some reason our industrial mechanical age seems tO make fer vulgarity of manners and thought. and this eff ect is naturally euchaneed in q new country little affected by accommodating traditions. Just why the automobile K more vuiparzfng than walking, OF the phon0prarh than singing Is ngt easy to see hut apparently as fast as machinery come in at the door, good taste flies out the window There is little YulgaritF among primitive races. Thy are prevented hy countless tabas from uuseemls conduct and there k still less iu ancient civilizations like the Chinese Good manners are the natural heritage of an unsophislcated, uucommerciaiized people living upon q suhstratum of restraining traditions. until the cinema and photograph. emhlems of mechanical age. make their appearance The folk dance and national dance give way to Jazz and the fox tfot
 Obviously We need an autidote to this poison of yuigarity which seems to be inherent ln the process of mak ing the world better place to live in-by machinery alone. And where is this life-resturing element 10 come from if not from the colleges2 They are the chief hope of people headed for hopeless meaiocrity. fl not saved by such an agent In no other na- tlons is there sueh vulgar printed matter as iH eur Comics, We eXcell the world in Jazz. iu worthless fiction, in soul destroying phgtaPiays. ih ha= ture-defacing bill boards h no other nation are there such lHe1uth tTaves- !. ties on marriage iH racing aut9mu= piles. acroplaH,s. IH the surf. and over the raII0 NON hcre else are publicity and propaganda so common. so rampant. or so successful Nc where else arr fads ur fashions SO madlv adopted af sa quickly exhausted by incorporate abuse lf song be- comes popular. z ls worn 70 the tat ters on ten million Phoungraphs ln three months cross word puzzles from being diyerting pastime be come the serious business of every spare minute. hut with fhe end al ready in sight fut=ankh-amen. after a brief year of feverish life. has sunk again into an oblivion Us profound as before his resurrection.
 Two Kind. or Colleges
 Of course all this bespeaks the tremendous energy of highly nervous people an asset that may help to make us some day really the greatest nation on earth But until our energy tx better directed and finer sense of proportion developed 1t makes only for noisy jazz like travesty on civilization. If then it is true that the four short years in college are pre- emincntly the period uf life when the higher ideals of civilization can be taught. t seems clear that the col lcgc which relegates those aims to a place of secondary importance and exalts others that can be acquired just as well. or better. elsewhere. Us false to it's trust Such a college may pro sper exceedingly. for the world thinks mainly in terms of success, whether on the gridiron or in the office. and II will back with it's millions an ln- stitutiou where that idea stands first But that college buys such prosperity at the cost If the finer aspect of its mission. and the nation in the end is AtfAllh tt'AA tt'At pun ttA tttt tAt+ttA a that really matter
 lf on Che other hand, the college reaJzes Is uniquely strategic position in our national life. it will not yiei ' to be tremendous forces now exert ing themselves to dislodge it. but Will say tb the prospective student hesi- tating en the threshold " ou are very welcome here fl you are seek ing knowledge We can give you of the best. All that the great m.nds of the past or of to-day have said ur written X our field the laws Of nature. the deeds of mankind in it's upward struggle through the ages. the beautiful in art. or music. or poetry aii arc taught here Co those who would have them Our teachers are men of broad qiews and deep learning Our resources have been devoted to se- curing them rather than in erecting splendid buildings As We are too poor to have both. We have chosen the former Intellectual pursuits will be your chief occupation here; but to meet your very natural tastes, and to help it you for life with a sound body and some practice in doing things. we offer you excellent facilities for all the sports that are dear te your heart. You will find baseball. football and running fields.