| Show I Text of Roosevelt Talk I PHILADELPHIA Feb 2 UP p- p Tho text of President Roosevelt's speech at Temple university to today today today to- to day Governor Earle President Beury and friends of Temple university unIversity university uni unI- I l' have just had bestowed upon me mo a twofold honor I am honored honored honored hon hon- ored In n having been made an alumnus of Temple university and I am honored in having had conferred upon me for the first time the degree of doctor of ju ju- ju It is a happy coincidence that we wo should meet together to pay our respects to the causo cause of education education education edu edu- cation on the birthday of ot tho father tather of this nation In his wise and kindly wa way r George Washington deeply appreciated the importance of education in a republic and the responsibility of ot the government to promote it Let this simple statement standby stand standby standby by itself without the proof of quo quo- tation I say this lest if It I quoted excerpts from tho the somewhat voluminous voluminous voluminous vo vo- vo- vo luminous writings and messages of ot tho the first president of tho the United United United Unit Unit- ed States some captious critic might s search arch the Library of Congress Congress Con Con- Congress gress to to prove by other quotations that George Washington was In favor of just the opposite Therefore Therefore Therefore There There- fore on this anniversary of his birth I propose to break a cen cen- old tury-old precedent I shall not quote from George Washington on his birthday Laid Broad Outline Moro More than this and breaking precedent once more I do not In Inte Intend intend In- In te tend t to commence c any sentence with these words words it if George Washington had been alive to toda today today to- to da day or if it Thomas J Jefferson had been alive today or if Alexander Alexander Alex Alex- Alexander ander Hamilton had been alive aUve today or if Abraham Lincoln had been alive alivo today beyond today today today-be beyond ond peradventure of a doubt he would have opposed opposed or or perhaps fa favored fa- fa etc etc etc Suffice it therefore to sa say what President Washington pointed outon out outon outon on many occasions and in many practical wa ways s 's that a broad and cosmopolitan education in every stratum of society is a necessary factor in any free nation governed through a democratic system Strides toward this fundamental objective were great In the two or three earlier generations of ot the tho republic re republic re- re public but you and I well weIl realize that the greatest development of ot general education has occurred in inthe inthe inthe the past half century As literacy increases people become be become become be- be come aware of the fact that government government government gov gov- and society form essentially essentially essentially essen essen- a cooperative relationship among citizens and the tho selected representatives of ot those citizens Too Much of Practical When hen wo we speak of modern progress progress progress ress it seems to me that we place altogether too much emphasis upon progress in things in in invention in industrial development de development development de- de in growth of national wealth But progress in the things of the mind has been even more striking in these past 50 years In my childhood a high school education was an exceptional opportunity for an American boy or girl a college college college col col- lege education was possible only to o an exceedingly small minority Professional schools had hardly hardly hardy hard- hard ly y come into existence Since 1900 while the nations nation's population population population tion has increased by about 70 percent per percent cent the enrollment in all branches of institutions of ot higher learning earning has increased about per er cent At the tho beginning of this century century cen cen- tur tury the total enrollment enrollment in our colleges and universities was just ono one student short of Million In College Collego I think it is too bad they did not get that other one student student student-it if only to o round out the number and ease the way for tor future futuro statisticians Today well over a million students students students stu stu- dents are seeking degrees In our colleges and universities and more than han are aro enrolled in extension extension extension ex- ex ex ex- tension courses and summer schools I think that we of Templo Temple Tem Tern plo pie university university-I I am exercising m my right now to speak as an alumnus can alumnus can take special in n the part that our institution here has taken in this growth This institution has hag carried in practice the basic ideal of at its great founder the late Doctor Russell H. H Conwell He believed that ev- ev every young oung person should be bo given a chance to meet the needs of those who might not be able to afford a college education else else- where He believed that education education education tion should respond to community needs and fit itself into the many- many sided and complex life lito that modern modern modern mod mod- ern conditions have imposed upon us Watches New Plan I shall watch with wiLh the keenest interest the working out of the plan recently adopted by Temple Templo for carrying even further into practical application this guiding ideal deal I refer to tho the plan for forming formIng form form- Ing an organization to be known as the Associates of Temple University University University Uni Uni- and to be composed of ot representatives of the various commercial indu industrial financial and professional interests interest of of the community outside the tho university's university's sity's walls As I understand It this organIzation organization organization will be far tar more than a amere amere amere mere advisory bod body set up to meet on special and infrequent occasions occasions occasions occa occa- and to draft recommendations recommendations of a general character The Associates of ot Temple University will be bo an integral and organic part of tho of-tho the tho university's structure tho the individual associates will havo have clearly dearly defined duties and responsibilities responsibilities responsibilities which they will carry carryout carryout carryout out according to a definite routine routine rou rou- routine tine and their pl p p pose will be bo to servo serve as ag the e es e es and ears cars of the university throughout tho the community constantly alert to the changing social and economic needs and continuously Interpreting interpreting ting these needs to the tho university Points New Opportunity I I. I am am p proud ou to to be the head of ot a Do ati ti make malte a substantial contribution to the cause of ot education even In a period of ot economic distress Through the various agencies the government is is helping educational institutions to add to their present equipment Since 1933 tho the government government government govern govern- ment has made through the thea various various va va- arious rious governmental agencies of ot the administration allotments to local communities for tor schools colleges and library buildings amounting to more than We are also providing through the works progress administration tion educational courses for thousands thousands thou thou- s sands of ot groups of adults where where- ever there are competent unemployed unemployed unemployed teachers and through the tho national youth administration funds fund for tor time part employment to help deserving young oung people to earn their way through accredited colleges and universities in all allpa pa parts ts of ot the United States Wo We havo have rightly taken the position that in spite of ot the fact that economic economic economic eco eco- adversity through these years might impose upon tho the youth of the country distressing and unavoidable burdens the tho government owed it Jt to tho the future of ot the nation to see that these burdens burdens burdens bur bur- dens should not include the de denial denial denial de- de nial of educational opportunities I Ifor for those who were willing and ready to use them to advantage Standards Constant Educational progress in tho the past generation has given to this country a p population more literate literate literate liter liter- ate moro more cultured in tho the best sense of the word and more aware of ot the tho complexities of modern civilized life than ever before in our history And while the methods methods methods meth meth- of spreading education are new the lessons of ot education aro are eternal Tho The books may bo be new but tho the truth Is Js old The qualities of a true education education tion remain what they were when Washington insisted upon its importance First among these quaIl qualities ties is a asenso asenso sense of ot fair play among men As education grows men come to recognize their essential de dependence dependence dependence de- de one upon the other There is revealed to them tho the true nature of society and of government government government govern govern- ment which in a large measure culminates in the tho art of human cooperation Freedom Essential The second great attribute of education Is peculiarly appropriate appropriate appropriate to a great democracy It is a sense of ot equality among men when they arc are dealing with the things of the mind Inequality may linger in the world of material material mate mate- rial things but great music great literature and the wonders of science are and should bo be open to all Finally a true education de depends depends depends de- de upon freedom In the tho pursuit of truth No group and no government government government gov gov- can properly prescribe precisely what should constitute tho the body of ot knowledge with which true education is concerned The truth is found when men are freeto freeto free freeto to pursue it IL Genuine education i is present only when the tho springs from which knowledge comes are aro pure It is this belief In the freedom freedom free free- freedom dom of ot the mind written into our fundamental law and observed in our every day dealings with the problems of life that distinguishes us as a nation In our ability to keep pure the sources of ot knowledge knowledge knowledge-In in our minds mind's freedom to winnow tho the chaff chatt from the good grain grain in in the even temper and in the tho calmness of ot our every-day every relationships relationships- in our willingness to face faco the de details details de- de details tails of ot fact and the needs of ot temporary temporary tem tem- emergencies in in all aU of ot these lie our future and our children's childrens childrens children's childrens children's chil chil- drens dren's future On your own heads in your own hands the tho sin and tho the saving sav say saying ing lies |
