why go to college-第6章

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Memorial　Hall　the　life　and　death　of　the　gallant　young　ex…governor
of　Massachusetts；　William　E。　Russell；　men　did　well　to　hang　above
his　portrait　some　wise　words　he　has　lately　said；　〃Never　forget　the
everlasting　difference　between　making　a　living　and　making　a　life。〃
That　he　himself　never　forgot；　and　it　was　well　to　remind　citizens
and　students　of　it；　as　they　stood　there　facing　too　the　ancient
words　all　Harvard　men　face　when　they　take　their　college　degrees
and　go　out　into　the　world；　〃They　that　be　wise　shall　shine　as　the
brightness　of　the　firmament；　and　they　that　turn　many　to　righteousness
as　the　stars　for　ever　and　ever。〃　　Good　words　these　to　go　out　from
college　with。　　The　girls　of　Wellesley　gather　every　morning　at
chapel　to　bow　their　heads　together　for　a　moment　before　they　scatter
among　the　libraries　and　lecture…rooms　and　begin　the　experiments
of　the　new　day。　　And　always　their　college　motto　meets　the　eyes
that　are　raised　to　its　penetrating　message；　〃Not　to　be　ministered
unto；　but　to　minister。〃　　How　many　a　young　heart　has　loyally
responded；　〃And　to　give　life　a　ransom　for　many。〃　　That　is　the
〃Wellesley　spirit；〃　and　the　same　sweet　spirit　of　devout　service
has　gone　forth　from　all　our　college　halls。　　In　any　of　them　one
may　catch　the　echo　of　Whittier's　noble　psalm；

　　　　〃O　Lord　and　Master　of　us　all
　　　　Whate'er　our　name　or　sign；
　　　　We　own　Thy　sway；　we　hear　Thy　call；
　　　　We　test　our　lives　by　Thine。〃

That　is　the　supreme　test　of　life；its　consecrated　serviceableness。
The　Master　of　Balliol　was　right；　the　brave　men　and　women　who
founded　our　schools　and　colleges　were　not　wrong。　　〃For　Christ
and　the　Church〃　universities　were　set　up　in　the　wilderness　of
New　England；　for　the　large　service　of　the　State　they　have　been
founded　and　maintained　at　public　cost　in　every　section　of　the
country　where　men　have　settled；　from　the　Alleghanies　across　the
prairies　and　Rocky　Mountains　down　to　the　Golden　Gate。　　Founded
primarily　as　seats　of　learning；　their　techers　have　been　not　only
scientists　and　linguists；　philosophers　and　historians；　but　men
and　women　of　holy　purposes；　sound　patriotism；　courageous　convictions；
refined　and　noble　tastes。　　Set　as　these　teachers　have　been　upon　a
hill；　their　light　has　at　no　period　of　our　country's　history　been
hid。　　They　have　formed　a　large　factor　in　our　civilization；　and　in
their　own　beautiful　characters　have　continually　shown　us　how
to　combine　religion　and　life；　the　ideal　and　practical；　the　human
and　the　divine。

Such　are　some　of　the　larger　influences　to　be　had　from　college　life。
It　is　true　all　the　good　gifts　I　have　named　may　be　secured　without
the　aid　of　the　college。　　We　all　know　young　men　and　women　who　have
had　no　college　training；　who　are　as　cultivated；　rational；　resourceful；
and　happy　as　any　people　we　know；　who　excel　in　every　one　of　these
particulars　the　college　graduates　about　them。　　I　believe　they　often
bitterly　regret　the　lack　of　a　college　education。　　And　we　see　young
men　and　women　going　through　college　deaf　and　blind　to　their　great
chances　there；　and　afterwards　curiously　careless　and　wasteful　of
the　best　things　in　life。　　While　all　this　is　true；　it　is　true　too
that　to　the　open…minded　and　ambitious　boy　or　girl　of　moderate
health；　ability；　self…control；　and　studiousness；　a　college　course
offers　the　most　attractive；　easy；　and　probable　way　of　securing
happiness　and　health；　good　friends　and　high　ideals；　permanent
interests　of　a　noble　kind；　and　large　capacity　for　usefulness　in　the
world。　　It　has　been　well　said　that　the　ability　to　see　great　things
large　and　little　things　small　is　the　final　test　of　education。　　The
foes　of　life；　especially　of　women's　lives；　are　caprice；　wearisome
incapacity　and　petty　judgments。　　From　these　oppressive　foes　we
long　to　escape　to　the　rule　of　right　reason；　where　all　things　are
possible；　and　life　becomes　a　glory　instead　of　a　grind。　　No　college；
with　the　best　teachers　and　collections　in　the　world；　can　by　its
own　power　impart　all　this　to　any　woman。　　But　if　one　has　set　her
face　in　that　direction；　where　else　can　she　find　so　many　hands
reached　out　to　help；　so　many　encouraging　voices　in　the　air；　so
many　favoring　influences　filling　the　days　and　nights？





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