COMMENCEMENT, JUNE, 1898. 643 



of the latter on the one hand, it would be no less wasteful and unfortunate 

 for the latter to feel an envy or jealousy as to the scope and field of this. 



3. Bend your energies therefore to the development of courses of study 

 having a direct relation to the life work of your students. There will be 

 but one consulting engineer or chief engineer of a manufacturing corpor- 

 ation or a railroad, while there is room for a staff of assistant engineers in 

 charge of departments, and an army of skilled workers. Labor for the 

 good of the many, and leave the good of the few to others. 



4. This is not a political platform, nor am I on the stump; but you 

 will find that most mechanical engineers are moderate protectionists, and 

 all agriculturists ought to be, because that national economic policy 

 which induces a community to furnish opportunities for profitable labor 

 in its midst is the policy which ought to bring prosperity in its train. 



5. The educational policy of the state as respects its primary and sec- 

 ondary schools should be so moulded and directed as to favor the possi- 

 bility of easy passage from high school to your doors. It is your school 

 which is for the many, as is the fundamental purpose of your public 

 school system. To educate a boy or a girl up to that point at which un- 

 realized ambitions are fostered is a mistake, even a cruelty. 



And, finally— 



6. I said in glorification of the results of knowledge that these were 

 to be applied in combination with a sound judgment and a strong char- 

 acter. The wisest of men saw the danger of mere ambition without the 

 ballast to keep the well-sparred ship from keeling over much. And so, 

 though I am not delivering a baccalaureate sermon, you will, perhaps, 

 from its very unexpectedness remember the better in your future lives the 

 wisdom of Solomon, when he said— "The fear of the Lord is the beginning 

 of knowledge." 



PRESIDENT SNYDER'S ADDRESS TO THE GRADUATES. 



Ladies and Gentlemen: You have now reached the end of your 

 journey which seemed so long to you when you started four years ago. 

 While many hardships and difficulties have been encountered, yet on the 

 whole I believe it has been a pleasant journey to you, and I know that no 

 one of you regrets the time and effort it has taken. On the other hand, 

 you are to be congratulated on having successfully completed your course. 

 You have had great opportunities, and you are to be commended for hav- 

 ing had the energy and ability to take advantage of these as they came to 

 you. But your success brings with it corresponding obligations. "To 

 him that much hath been given, shall much also be required.'' Your 

 nation and the commonwealth to which you belong have done much for 

 you, and they have a right to expect much from you in return; not per- 

 haps on the battle field, nor in a position of public trust, but in teaching 

 the principles of true patriotic citizenship to all those with whom you 

 may come in contact. They have a right to expect you to be model 

 citizens in the fullest sense of the word, and to freely give to others of 

 such knowledge as you have received here. 



That you will meet their highest expectations w r e have every reason to 

 believe from your success and deportment while in this College. 



There are two thoughts that I would like to leave with you in parting: 



