Evening star., 1943-05-25
Admiral Sheldon Halls
New Military Course
Al Hampden-Sydney
Will Not Lessen Love
For Peace, He Declares
In Commencement Tolk
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
HAMPDEN-SYDNEY. Va, May
25.-The beginning of the Navy ane
the founding of Hampden-Sydney
College seemed entirely unrelated
events in 1776, but today the fate:
of the Navy and Hampden-Sydney
as a college included in the Navy's
college training program are closely
interviewer, Rear Admiral Luther
Sheldon, jr., Medical Corps, U. S. N.
said today in the commencement ad-
dress at this next-to the oldest col
lege in the South.
An alumnus of the class of 1908
Admiral Sheldon declared that "Vir-
ginia was the home of the small
liberal arts colleges, of which Hamp-
den-Sydney is a shining example
which have played such large part
In the educational system of the
Nation and which have done so much
to inculcate in our youths the love
Of those things which are great and
good, as opposed to those things
which are only utilitarian."
Graduates of colleges such as
Hampden-Sydney. Admiral Sheldon
continued, are not likely to "go out
into the world scoffers and cynics
two attitudes which have brought
unhappiness and disaster to more
young college graduates than any,
thing else of which I can think.
A graduate may not make money
as quickly as can the graduate O!
a more strictly utilitarian school
but he will have "a greater appre-
citation of the worthwhile things
OF life, a better understanding OF
events long past, more sympa-
thetlc outlook, and a greater chance
Tor happy and useful life" Ad-
miral Sheldon said
Patrick Henry Founder.
Reminding 1913 graduates that
President Taylor, in 1849, appointed
William Ballard Preston. Hampden-
Sydney graduate OF 1924, as Secre-
tary OF the Navy, Admiral Sheldon
said Patrick Henry's spirit 50
am not a Virginian, but an Amer.
lcan' is the spirit that has
kept the Navy and Hampden.
sydney alive and has rendered then,
poth important factors in the life
OF our country Patrick Henry
was one OF the founders of Hamp.
den-Sydney College and is believed
TO have drafted its charter.
asserting that the Naval Academy
alone cannot furnish enough officer;
1or an enlarged fleet and that the
colleges must help supply them
Admlral Sheldon said introduction
or military and naval training into
the college course will not lesser
the love of peace but will increase
hatred for paciflsm and make OH,
students more anxious than eve,
10 do their part to bring back peace
on earth, good will to man. even
at the cost of their own lives
Admiral Sheldon emphasized that
more than one third of the youne
men who applied for enlistment in
the Navy in 1912 were rejected for
physical disability.
pS pi CSChtCu STOSS SeGtlOn.
These, mind you. were boys and
men seeking voluntary enlistment
because they wanted to fight for
their country, not men being in
Quoted against their will" he con-
tinued. They represent cross
section of American youth. 1t is
not a picture of which We can be
proud, but it should be warning
to us and stimulate us to see that
such conditions do not continue -
He added, compulsory physical
training and education in health
matters must be given a prominent
place In our system of education
IT America is to maintain its place
IN world leadership"
The Naval Academy, the speaker
continued, docs not and should
not pretend to be a liberal arts
college, and it would be a sad day
for America if our entire educational
system should be patterned upon
It," He was equally emphatic, how
ever that tho "St,int rIjcrir,li,,o an