| Show h Some Dangers of College Life RECENTLY in conversation with a prominent prominent prominent pro pro- member of our community he said in referring to a person who vho had just concluded a number of years spent at college That young man will not accomplish much he has aimed too long and will miss his mark I believe there is much truth in that remark For those who spend too much of lifes life's vigor in preparing for something yet to come failure more or orless orless orless less complete is invariably the result I have wondered if the same causes that produce such a result during a too extended college career might not be in operation throughout life It cannot be entirely due to a lack of obstacles wl which ch such opportunities might suggest for the same results follow those who have had the greatest difficulties to overcome in the acquirement of an education education education edu edu- cation nor can it I think be entirely due to the fact that the most energetic years of life are devoted to preparatory work The cause must be sought in inthe inthe inthe the bearing of school life upon the will wiTT It is a matter of common experience that the tendency to act upon impulse impulse impulse im im- pulse is determined by the regularity and promptness with which we have acted before when we have received that same impulse Those who neglect to act at the proper time will gradually lose power to act the result of such loss is a weak character We see this principle exemplified in the case of some of those who are greatly influenced by music the drama preaching oratory oratory oratory ora ora- tory etc We are much influenced by bythe bythe bythe the rendition of a beautiful piece of music our emotions and our thoughts run high and accompanying these in invariably invariably invariably in- in variably are the noblest resolutions of which the soul is capable the music ceases and gradually our ideals vanish like the mystic influences that hung about the rendition rarely embodying themselves in action thus its weakening weakening weakening weaken weaken- ing effect upon the character A positive positive positive tive result of this law of the will is seen in the conceit and selfishness of many students when they first leave college for most of the stud studies ies in our college curriculum tend toward the aggrandizement of self and the comparative comparative comparative neglect of others In mathematics tics natural and physical sciences etc those with whom we e are going to act are not directly involved almost every effort we here make is impelled by an intellectual or Of an aesthetical emotion and tend towards the realization of one side of self the cultivation of sympathy for others is almost entirely neglected But how may this principle be used to account for the weakening of character charac charac- ter that school school life life may produce I think such a result may he be produced by our failure to apply that which we learn next by our neglect to act upon impulses felt upon the grasp of almost every truth and lastly by a tendency to isolate ourselves from others That one who is loaded down with methods and knowledge which he cannot cannot cannot can can- not apply is worthless Frequently it itis itis itis is the case with the most constant students students students stu stu- dents that their opinions are not sought after nor are they regarded for owing to the habit of failing to apply their ideas they do neither in inspire pire nor compel compel compel com com- pel confidence in their judgments hence the importance in school life lite of continually testing ourselves in practical cal experience Many may fail because they do not get into the habit of entering a subject deeply Most school impulses direct us towards the unifying and discrimination of facts to follow such im impulses pulses is a mental task and a chance is here given many to shirk and such get in the habit of acquiring an indistinct knowledge knowledge knowledge knowl knowl- edge of things The result is a shallow man one who cannot be valued highly From such neglect much weakness of character may be accounted for e To avoid the last cause of failure throughout school life we should cultivate cultivate cultivate vate sympathy for others and with great interest in in our men fellow-men what a strong desire will we have to labor with them With ability to apply with habits of thoroughness with desires to benefit all joined to cultivated and well-informed well minds how can can can- we fail to act vigorously to decide promptly intelligently and rightly With characters characters characters charac charac- whose structures embrace these elements how can action fail in evolving the highest products H. H Chamberlain n |
