CHANCELLOR BRADFORD.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 March 1919, Page 7

CHANCELLOR BRADFORD.

ADDRESS AT BOYS' HIGH SCHOOL.

Dr. G. IT. Bradford, Chancellor or the Oklahoma Unhersity, who belongs to the Chautauqua party, visited the Kew Plymouth Boys' High School yesterday morning and gave a short 'but eloquent and inspiring address to the school in the Assembly Hall. The Chancellor was accompanied by the Mayor (Mr. C. H. Jltrrgess) the chairman of the Board of ■Governors (Mr. R. YV. D. Robertson) and some members of the governing board.

On being introduced by the Principal of the school (Mr. W. H. Moyes) Dr. Bradford wna given a very hearty reception.

Chancellor Bradford acknowledged the reception, and the privilege of "speaking to the boys, whom he urged to know themselves. He said if he could say a word that would help anyone that w : ord would probably help others. He addressed a remark to the teachers, as if. was indeed also a remark to the community, to the effect that the teacher who (aught simply for a salary was worth nothing, while the teacher who taught for the real ends of education was "worth more than any salary that could be paid. To be real teachers they must first become the friend of their scholars. He then told of the discovery of the great Michael Faraday, and said he would rather find another Faraday amongst the boys before him than possess the wealth of all the hanks in the country. They were the true teachers who taualit, to awaken in the hoys the possibilities of to-morrow. These boys would be the men in that hour of the world when there would be something to be done. Then would come the task of rebuilding the world. In that time the world would need men. The To per cent, hoy of today would be a 75 per cent, 'man of to-morrow, but that was not enough, for "to-morrow" would need 100 per cent, men. "To be almost right," said the doctor "is to be always wrong." Perfection was no trifle, but trifles made perfection. The boy who let little problems in his school work master him to-day would be mastered by little problems in the future. No boy need be satisfied to be a 75 per cent, boy, if he would apply himself and go on and be accurate up to 100 per cent. The privilege of rebuilding the world belonged to the boys of to-day. because the men would he too old. Tn the days when the boys of the present became men there would be great problems to solve, and if the boys made up their minds to be accurate today then they would be accurate men in fhe morrow. "What are you going to be in life?" the doctor asked the boys. Out in the world there were waiting men by the thousand and the million, to be touched by someone with a vision. He recalled in a word or two flic story of Christ feeding the five thousand, and said the five loaves and two fishes would have been of no use but for the fouch of Cod. What the world was in need of was men who would give ideals instead of bread and meat. The doctor urged the boys when taking up a life work to take an ideal that would help to rebuild the world. For the teachers he said he coveted that they might, when they saw the work of the men of the future, realise that those men were living up to the ideal that had been taught them in this school. To the governing board he said the institution was for the turning out of men, end that was the best thimr that could be done. He said, personally, he would rather harness the powers of the boys before him than the forces of the mighty Niagara.

Dr. Eradford said e had heard a great deal of what the community thought of its school, and urged the boys to live up to the community's expectations of the school. There was not. much fear for the community which took a proper interest in the education of its boys and girls. The doctor spoke, in conclusion, of the beauties and glories of Mt. Egmont, and urged boys to have such ideals as would raise their manhood to such heights that they, too, would be suncrowned by God as was the summit of that great mountain. Ho assured them he would remember always the privilege that he had had of speaking to them, and that he would pray God" for the institution.

The conclusion of the address was signalled by an outburst of applause which was renewed when Mr. Moyes expressed the thanks of the school to the doctor for his visit and address and asked the boys to show their appreciation.