Newspapers / North Carolina Christian Advocate … / Aug. 6, 1908, edition 1 / Page 2
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2 , RALEIGH CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE, Thursday, August 6, loos pi m TO OUR READERS. We leave in charge of the Advocate for a few weeks Rev. H. E. Spence, who served in a similar capacity so successfully for a short while last summer. He is a born writer and newspaper man, and we congratulate our readers on being served by stfch a capable workman. Fraternally, THOS. N. IVEY. The Editor will be absent from the office during the month of August. He left last Monday morn ing for a week's visit at Lenoir, N. C. Then he expects to attend the National Editorial Associa tion at St. Paul, Minn., before which body he is to deliver an address on "The Religious Newspaper in Our National Life." From St. Paul he and oth er editors expect to go on a trip through North western Canada as the guests of the Canadian Northern and the Canadian Pacific railroads. The editor trusts during this trip to build up his somewhat depleted health and to furnish the readers of the Advocate with some helpful and in teresting letters. COLLEGE LOYALTY. Are the Methodist of North Carolina loyal to their church? Rather a pertinent question, but one that will bear consideration. They may stand ready to proclaim its praises; they may boast, its influence; they may uphold its creed, but do they support its institutions? The latter question may or may not apply to many financial questions, but the application we wish to make is concerning its college. We, as Methodists, stood at the altar of our church and took the solemn vow before God and man that we would attend upon the ordinances of the church and support its institutions. Metho dism has always stood for education, and certain ly the church college may be ranked among its institutions. Yet it is a distressing fact that many of our North Carolina Methodists are indifferent to our church college and that scores of our young men attend other institutions. Now, this article is not intended to be an attack upon the other colleges of our State nor an over enthusiastic appeal in behalf of Christian educa tion. We appreciate the work of the other schools in our State and are glad to see that all of the denominations of any considerable strength have their own church schools and that these schools are thriving. We believe, too, that our State schools are such as to make any North Caro linian proud of them. And certain it is that these schools are under the management of Chris tian gentlemen, and that the prevailing senti ment tends to refinement and moral uplift. We realize, also, that there are special reasons why some men should attend the State schools, or even schools of other denominations, in pref erence to Trinity. For instance, any man who wished to enter any of the professional studies, such as pharmacy or medicine, could not find a course leading to a degree at Trinity and would be compelled to seek instruction elsewhere. Also, a man who wished to study law without first learning something of the academic world would have to attend some other school, for the equiva lent of a two years' course in a first-class college is one of the entrance requirements into the Trinity law school. Of course, there are many branches of industry that require training at a technical school. Or it might possibly be that a student could much more easily attend some oth er college, and all of these things should be given due consideration. But everything else being fair lv equal, do we not owe it to our church to sup port its school, and is it not true that we have not made any great effort to discover the points of comparison between our school and others? Now, it is a sad fact that with all of its superior advantages and splendid equipment the attend ance at Trinity College makes but little advance ment and is far short of what it should be. And one does not' have to travel far before he finds that there is a spirit of indifference, and almost hostility, towards it among those who ought to be its most loyal friends. Misconceptions of its true character, false reports as to its manage ment, float in the air, and all due to the fact that no one seems to know or care very much about the true status of affairs. Some actually do not differentiate between the Park School and college students, but class thein promiscuously together, and of course when mere high school students are mistaken for college men, the idea gets out that the standard of Trinity is low indeed. If some of these gentlemen who believe that "no good thing can come out of Nazareth" would not accept hearsay but would get a catalogue and learn something about the college, they might change their minds. Now, it is quite likely that some such miscon ception is responsible for the indifference with which our people treat their school, and it be hooves those of us who have its interests at heart to do all we can to dispel such erroneous ideas. We may do this in several ways. First, a word to the students who have attend ed Trinity and are contemplating returning in September: you can do much to make a favor able impression for your college. Too many col lege students go home during vacation and do nothing but sleep and rest. In some way they have outgrown their surroundings and it is awk ward adapting themselves to them again. The home people do not understand why this is, but in many cases attribute it to an acquired pride on the part of the student and the relation becomes more strained than ever. Frequently we have heard the complaint and often not without ground that Mr. A.'s son was once useful in the work of the church and Sunday-school but has be come worthless since attending college. And while the summer is far spent, yet you may do much to prove that a college man is not essential ly different from other men. Make yourself use ful, adapt yourself to your surroundings and show to your home people that a college train ing is worth while. Not only this, but show them that your college is the one to attend. Talk up your college not merely its athletic interests, though these have their place but the entire in terests of the college. There are boys with whom you used to play who look upon you with a feel ing of estrangement. They have not been so for tunate. Talk to these boys. Try to inspire them with an ambition to secure an education and then bring them to college with you when you return in the fall. The alumni, too, need a word of exhortation. At the alumni dinner this year we were all proud to be Trinity men and were very enthusiastic. One joke told there was typical of our enthusiasm and will bear repeating: "An Englishman, a Ger man, and an Irishman were together one day and the Englishman, trying to be nice said: 'If I were not an Englishman I'd be a German.' The German courteously replied: 'And if I were not a German I'd be an Englishman.' The Irishman said nothing. One of the others said: 'And if you were not an Irishman, Pat, what would you be?' 'Faith,' answered the loyal fellow, 'if I were not an Irishman I'd be ashamed of myself.' " The application, of course, is easy, and surrounded by notable men and with stirring speeches we were brimming over with enthusiasm. But where is our ardor now? Men of other denominations, whether principals of schools, lawyers, preachers or what, never lose an opportunity to put in a good word for their Alma Mater. Shall we do less for ours? Again, we might do something in the way of forming alumni associations or college clubs. Dur ing every political campaign there are numbers of these clubs formed and with good effect. Often we hear of Bryan clubs and Kitchin clubs; wilv should we not hear of Trinity clubs? A number of these have already been organized, and we hope to hear of still others. Much can be done in a practical way. Come to the aid of the com mittee appointed at the last banquet and con tribute something to the furtherance of then plans. The leading men of our church need to awake to their responsibility also. In every community there are a number of prominent Methodists, men of means and influence. If you have boys, send them to your church school. If you have none inform yourselves about your school and talk it among your neighbors. Your word will go far in influencing them to send their boys to our school. It is your college. Look out after your own in terests. Upon the preachers especially is this task in cumbent. Some of you are Trinity men and are under a double obligation practically all of you belong to the Conference. As part owners of the school property, you are under obligation to your Conference to help look after its material inter ests. Then, too, it is to your interest to see that a strong, enthusiastic Methodism is trained in your State, and your school will do much to help train it; and besides all this, it is not your choice; to be loyal Methodists you must support it. It matters not whether you approve of it entirely or not, the management is selected by a body of men two-thirds of whom are selected from anions your number, and their choice is approved by you in Conference assembled, and to refuse to stand by the work of your Conference is unloyal and un-Methodistic. You have much influence among the youth of our land; you may inspire in them a desire for an education and you certainly can put them in touch with our college. How often have letters asking information concerning men who ought to be in college gone unnoticed? How many have responded to the President's plea for a general rally? There are just a few points in favor of Trinity that deserve special mention. Her catalogue tells about her endowment fund, laboratories, library, and curriculum, and her athletic reputation is too well-known to mention. But some things the cata logue does not mention, and these things go far towards making an ideal college. In the first place, the college has a large, well trained faculty and these attend personally to all of the students. In some institutions there are so many students that often some of the lower classes are placed under the instruction of upper classmen. At Trinity the humblest Freshman comes in direct contact with the best professors. Again, as is shown in the bulletin recently is sued by the college, Trinity is so situated that its students may come in contact with the busy in dustrial world and the culture of a town. They also have the privilege of attending the best churches and lectures. And there is one important thing in which Trinity stands in a class by itself: there is abso lutely no hazing there, nor has there been in two years, and with the present sentiment against hazing, rash and ignoble indeed would that man be who would transgress in that line. Parents may rest assured that their boys are safe, for at Trinity there are no cowardly midnight attacks, shooting scrapes, or brutal battles between the classes. These are some of the special advantages that she possesses in addition to the splendid equipment found among other colleges of her rank. Nor are .these the only peculiar marks of her greatness. An indescribable, indefinable, greatness and a hostility to the false and base surround her very walls. Would that we who have felt these might appreciate them more and try to impart them to others! Would that the same spirit might in spire her sons that was always uppermost in the mind of Matthew Arnold." Whatever else might.
North Carolina Christian Advocate (Greensboro, N.C.)
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Aug. 6, 1908, edition 1
2
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