158 MICHIGAN STATE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE 



and be an influence for good in his community, as well as by 

 manifesting a spirit of loyalty and devotion that will prompt him 

 to sing its praises at all times and on all occasions. If each 

 alumnus present takes heed of this latter suggestion, a new 

 dormitory will be required to house the inflow of new students 

 at the opening of the college year. 



Another debt of my alumnus citizen, equal in importance to 

 the one he owes his Alma Mater, is his debt to society. The 

 higher plane accorded him in the community brings with it 

 corresponding burdens and obligations. The declaration that of 

 him that hath much, much is required, applies to the alumnus 

 with peculiar force. Society demands that an educated man 

 be a leader of broader thought and higher morals, and it is a 

 responsibility that he cannot well escape. 



An educated man has no business to conduct himself in a 

 manner that will detract from the public morals, whether it be 

 laboring on the Sabbath day, using profane and vulgar language, 

 or spitting on the sidewalk. 



"If meat maketh my brother to offend, I will eat no meat, so 

 long as I shall live," is just as good ethics today, as when it was 

 the rule of conduct of that great teacher and moralist of 1900 

 years ago. 



Such is the spirit of kindly consideration and love of kind, 

 that I would have manifested by my alumnus citizen; and yet 

 I would not advocate a spirit of meekness of the Uriah Heep 

 variety, if you please, but the spirit of meekness manifested by 

 Jesus when he took little children in his arms and blessed them, 

 and the spirit of righteous indignation manifested by him, when 

 he scourged the money changers from the Temple. 



Another debt imposed upon my alumnus citizen, and one 

 quite as important as the others, is his duty to his country. It 

 is in the discharge of this duty that the educated man bestows 

 upon his fellow-citizens and upon the state that educated him 

 the greatest benefit of his intellectual training. 



