THE ALUMNUS AS A CITIZEN 



RUSSELL ALLEN CLARK, 1876 



In speaking of the alumnus as a citizen, one must accord to 

 him a plane above that occupied by the average citizen, or by the 

 community as a whole. I think the correctness of this assertion 

 needs no demonstration. 



Every alumnus has incurred a debt of gratitude to his Alma 

 Mater, which has looked after his needs, heeded his peculiarities, 

 expanded his special faculties, rounded out his nature, and made 

 him a cultured, self -poised, resourceful citizen. 



His first duty, therefore, is to repay that debt of gratitude to 

 his Alma Mater. I fancy if we should ever attempt to compute 

 the cost to this commonwealth in providing each of us with our 

 diploma, that we would be amazed at the magnitude of the 

 figures. 



While this seems like a great burst of philanthropy on the 

 part of the commonwealth, yet it is largely a selfish movement 

 on its part, as it makes this investment with an eye single to the 

 fact that such an investment will raise the standard of citizen- 

 ship as a whole, and thereby decrease the expense of policing 

 the state, decrease the number of penal and pauper institutions, 

 increase the value and productiveness of each man's labor, and 

 add to the safety and security of human life, and to the joy and 

 pleasure of living. 



If each alumnus is true to the obligations thus imposed on him, 

 he will undertake earnestly and faithfully, to repay his debt to 

 his Alma Mater. 



The most efficient way of doing so, is to make himself worthy 

 of the institution whose name he bears, by adopting a high moral 

 standard of living that will reflect credit upon his Alma Mater, 



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