Alumni Oration

"Where Are We Going? Theme of Address" Daily Gleaner (17 May 1951). (UA Case 67a, Box 2)

Mr. Phillips introduced his subject by saying in a museum in Vienna is exhibited the piano used by the master Beethoven. An American girl visiting the museum walked casually up to it and ran off a careless air. Then, turning to the attendant, she asked whether there had not been many great pianists to inspect the instrument. She was informed that a short time before, the great Paderewski had made a pilgrimage to this shrine. "Paderewski?" said the girl. "Surely he must have played something beautiful on it." "On the countrary," said the attendant, "he did not feel worthy of touching it." My friends when I turn back the curtain of time to my own graduation to recall the Alumni orator of 1923, I feel unworthy to stand in the place once occupied by our beloved New Brunswick poet, Bliss Carman. Even last year the address was delivered by a very distinguished alumnus, Chief Justice Farris, of British Columbia. Probably sufficient has been said to explain why I am subject to two conflicting emotions at this moment – one of great happiness on account of the honor, and a feeling of humility similar to that of the great Paderewski.

Some lines from "Paradise Lost" came to my mind as the text was being prepared:

"Far off from these a slow and silent stream,
Lethe, the river of oblivion, rolls,
Her watery labyrinth, whereof who drinks,
Forthwith his formed state and being forgets,
Forgets both joy and grief, pleasure and pain."

It is my earnest hope that a discussion on some phases of Education will not be so dry, that someone will be delegated before its conclusion to procure for us a glass of water from the "slow and silent stream." Like some professors, I am sometimes guilty of emulating the "babbling brook"—but not here this evening.

Appreciation of U.N.B.

Before the message proper, may I speaker of the beloved institution which looms very large in the mind of each of us, our Alma Mater, upon whose campus we find ourselves tonight. Recent graduates and those whose residence permits a regular attendance at these gatherings, do not realize what a thrill it gives an old graduate to return after an absence of twenty-eight years from all such functions in this city—just to see good people he knew in the golden days of youth, to renew friendships with those who were classmates and undergraduates in his day at U.N.B. and to clasp the hands of the beloved professors who labored so earnestly to assist us up the arduous path of education. Of those graduates who have left us permanently, may I mention only two—the late Hon. "Frankie" Bridges, who undoubtedly would, in a very few years, gave become the leader of the Liberal party in Canada, and Miss Maggie Jean Chestnut, always a close friend of my sister, and a good friends of mind, especially in the years when she studied at the University of Toronto. Such wonderful qualities of mind and heart as they possessed, endeared them to everyone with whom they came in contact. I rejoice that one of the University residences has been named in Maggie Jean’s honor, and sincerely hope that a scholarship will perpetuate the good name of Frank Bridges, if it has not already been established.

It is a matter of great satisfaction to me that the University of Toronto is a younger sister of our own University. This fact leads one naturally to recall the great exodus in 1788 of many of New England’s most cultured families, who for love of King and country, settled in the wilderness, endured privation and hardship, for a Principle which was to them far more important than their material Prosperity. In the wilderness of this province, they established firstly their homes; secondly, their churches, with very little time delay between the two; and thirdly, their schools and this College. In seventeen years after their arrival, instruction was offered by this institutions, then known as Kings College. The University of Toronto, for the sake of proving her a younger sister—and I hasten to add, a very worthy one—was granted a charter in 1827, by owing to controversy of a religious and political nature, instruction was not given until 1843. The development of these two great Canadian universities has been parallel, with the many advantages of population and industrialization favoring the upper Canadian university, whose graduates are better able to work in their own province than were we from little New Brunswick.

Where Are We Going?

The title of our discussion this evening is, "Where Are We Going?" In spite of my applied science background, and my experience with things mechanical, including steam locomotives, I have been drawn by inclination and interest to the more personal field of Education. Each one no matter what his profession, should be concerned with this vital subject; whether he is taking courses, his children of grandchildren are still in school, or simply because he is paying for Education! Canada is a land of unlimited opportunity. About two months ago, an issue of one of Canada’s outstanding business papers painted a picture of industrial and commercial expansion so optimistic that a depression seems very remote and unlikely. It is unfortunate that the spiritual development of humanity has not kept pace with the material.

Education, while under the control of the provinces where it should remain, is a national function. To my mind, conditioned by occupation and training, it is the duty and the responsibility of the Federal legislators to make general grants to the provinces for Education, with special references to those schools, and university faculties which contribute so directly to national expansion. Of the necessity of federal grants to universities, I have no need to take your times, as President Trueman and the heads of other universities are eloquent in their appeal for such aid. Imagine, if you will, Ottawa, Montreal, or Toronto, without its quota of university graduates. Railways, airways, telephones and telegraph lines, water systems, hydro and steam electric plants, without engineers? How long could our mines and oil wells develop without geologists? Forests without foresters? Factories without experts? Agriculture without trained scientists? Communities without pastors, teachers, doctors, dentists, architects, lawyers. All these trained graduates are essential to our well being. Nothing has been said about the trained research expert without whom no progress scientifically or educationally is possible. Surely a greater share of the federal revenue for the cause of education should be forthcoming from Ottawa.

Time Wasted

Too much time has been wasted by educational administrators who fuss and, yes, that is the word—about little things, whether you youngsters sat like wooden images in the classroom from the time of their entrance until the bell rang, and other picayune matters. The story is told of Winston Churchill and one of his greatest war speeches at the time of Britain’s darkest hour. The text was submitted to the War Department who requested absolutely no change in content. One purist however, observing a preposit on the end of a sentence, had changed it to its grammatically correct location, thereby making the sentence cumbersome. The old warrior, enraged about it, sent a note which read, "Your comment is of a type, up with which I will not put."

We are all, professionally or otherwise, brought face to face with the important problem of what should be taught, what should be omitted, and the reason for the selection in each case. The curriculum obviously depends on our aims and objectives, which are definitely the answer to the question, "Where are we Going?" The schools, and universities are doing a positively grand job in this country, as is evident from the demand for the graduates, not only in Canada, but in the graduate department of great American Universities. In spite of our success, a re-examination of our aims in the light of present day demands is essential to our general well being.

From the Gleaner

A Fredericton friend sent me a copy of The Gleaner dated April 26th. May I quote a few words as decidedly appropriate at this point.

"For my part I like to think of people’s rights, the rights of the people of this Province to reasonable standards of education, health and social services and a standard of living consistent with their own initiative and resourcefulness and the natural resources of our Province. We in New Brunswick cannot expect to have prosperity handed us on a platter. Our enterprise, courage, self-reliance and industry will be the determining factors in shaping our fortunes.

We will gain little through a supine envy of others. We shall gain less if we are resigned to doing nothing for ourselves. May we concentrate our attention on the key words—enterprise, courage, self-reliance and industry.

Born too Soon

"Had Abraham Lincoln been living today, the Rotary Club would supply him with a set of books…the Lions Club with a good reading lamp…the Kiwanis Club with a wooden floor for the cabin. He would have had the protection of the child labour law and government old age insurance…A kindly philanthropist would send him to college with a scholarship.

Incidentally, a case worker would see to it that his father received a monthly cheque from the county…the O.P.A. would reduce his rent by 50 per cent…He would receive a subsidy for rail splitting, another one for raising some crop that he was going to raise anyway, and still another subsidy for not raising a crop which he had no intention of raising.

Result: There would have been no Abraham Lincoln."

Educational textbooks have been written by the dozen containing learned discussion on the philosophies of Education, and prescribed aims and objectives. May we, in the light of our presentation to this point examine a few of those which are basic and fundamental to success in these modern times, bearing in mind both our immediate industrial and commercial expansion, and also the threat of an insidious propaganda which, working from within, might conceivably upset our democratic ideals.

It is the duty and responsibility of our educational system to set up specific aims, not separate and distinct, but interrelated. They are applicable to young students, to older students, to those in graduate studies departments regardless of courses; they are of value to those interested in applied science, pure science, or liberal arts. They are in what I hope is climactic order:

1. To develop the power to think clearly, independently and courageously;
   
2. To develop talent to understand the views of others and to express one’s views effectively;
   
3. To develop competence for a suitable occupation;
   
4. To develop an interest in an advocation;
   
5. To develop good citizenship;
   
6. To develop the concept that Education is a continuing process.
   
   As a member in good standing of the Association of Professional Engineers of Ontario, I am impressed more and more by the number of practicing engineers who continue to study privately and at university extension departments. It brings to mind the words and examples of a man who meant a great deal to me when I was an engineer with the Canadian Pacific Railway. This story should prove of value to graduates. George Whitely was a graduate of the Barrie Collegiate Institute in 1902. Finding himself unable to go to university—definitely their loss—he took a job in the ash pit at the C.P.R. terminal. Promotion came fairly fast—fireman three years, locomotive engineer for three or four years, then foreman, master mechanic, and finally about 1924, superintendent of motive power for one of the greatest financial and transportation companies in the world.
   
   Knowing Mr. Whitely quite intimately, I asked him to tell me when he attributed to his rather rapid advancement. His letter to me is one of my prized possessions for in it he said, "I have made it a rule of my life to learn something new every day." That something has not always been connected with locomotives, cars, tracks, and signals, but was frequently from the field of human relations—how man lives with his brother man, why labour and management have difficulties and how they should be overcome.
   
   
7. In Paul’s letter to the Church at Philippi, he used the word "finally" several times, but this is my last, and I hope, most important point. To develop the capacity to apprehend and Practice Basic Virtues. The verb to educate means to give intellectual and moral training. Much has been said about the former, but little concerning the moral aspect, which is definitely linked with "basic virtues."

It is the opinion of the speaker, that greater co-operation is indicated between the church, the home and the school. There are two virtues about which there can be no question—honesty, meaning truthfulness and fair dealing, and Christian love, meaning at least kindness and consideration for others. Man is made in the image of his Maker. Therefore man’s highest development in intellect and character comes from a knowledge of his God. Without dwelling on all the details of organization and administration of courses, I maintain that greater stress should be placed in our classroom on the knowledge of Holy Writ – not dogma – that reveals the love of Almighty God to us. I close with the beautifully significant words of Bliss Carman on this very subject.

I took a day to search for God,
And found Him not, but as I trod
By rocky ledge, through woods untamed
Just where one scarlet lily flamed,
I saw His footprint in the sod.

Then suddenly, all unaware,
Far off in the deep shadows, where
A solitary hermit thrush;
Sang through the holy twilight hush—
I heard His voice upon the air.

And even as I marveled how
God gives us Heaven here and now,
In a stir of wind that hardly shook
The poplar leaves beside the brook—
His hand was light upon my brow.

At last with evening as I turned
Homeward, and thought what I had
Learned
And all that there was still to probe—
I caught the glory of His robe
Where the last fires of sunset burned

Back to the world with quickening start
I looked and longed for any part
In making saving Beauty be..
And from that kindling ecstasy
I knew God dwelt within my heart.