Valedictory Address

“Education and Democracy Discussed by Valedictory” Daily Gleaner (15 May 1941). (UA Case 68, Box 1)

An unusual procedure was adopted this afternoon at the Encaenia of the University of New Brunswick of having the valedictory delivered in absentia. Sub-Lieutenant Leslie E. Simms, Royal Canadian Volunteer Reserve, delivered the address, the valedictorian Gordon W. Bruce, being absent taking a course to fit him for war-work.

“Your Honour, Ladies and Gentlemen:

Today our class has reached the goal that four years of work has had as its prize. To attain a degree is definitely one of the high points in anyone’s life, and to actually hold the emblematic piece of parchment is indeed a long awaited pleasure.

This class had many members in its freshman year who are not present to-day. Some dropped out for reasons better known to themselves, some have continued on in other universities, some have joined the armed forces and some have just recently entered the civil service for work in the Department of National Defence. No doubt these absent ones reciprocate our sincere wish that they could join us to-day on this great occasion.

Since our last Encaenia, Dr. Jones’ resignation became effective and we have been happy to welcome, as President of our University, Dr. N.A.M. MacKenzie, M.M. and Bar, B.A., LL.B., LL.M., K.C., LL.D. We realize that we are particularly fortunate in having such a distinguished gentleman come to us to preside. Dr. MacKenzie, who is a native of Nova Scotia and a graduate of Dalhousie University, has already had a brilliant career, and his work on international committees and institutes has taken him all over the world. Since locating in Fredericton, President MacKenzie, at a special convocation in January, received the honorary degree of LL.D. from Mount Allison University. We experienced a singular pleasure in adding our congratulations to the countless others extended to him.

In the short time Dr. MacKenzie has been with us we have been keenly aware of his deep personal interest in every phase of our college life. There has never been a time when our country has had a more urgent need for trained and disciplined minds and, during the years to come, our universities will carry the proud responsibility of educating our youth so that they will be ready and eager for the important tasks which face them, and we can feel confident that under the able leadership of Dr. MacKenzie this university can go forward, proud in its tradition of service in war and peace, and certain that it can meet the challenge of a country in the throes of a great struggle.

I know I am voicing the sentiments of the faculty, graduates and undergraduates when I say that we hope that Dr. MacKenzie, his wife and family will find great happiness in their associations in their life in this University.

This year the students have had the extra burden of military studies. The course laid down by the Department of National Defence is a stiff one and necessitates at least six hours a week being spent by all male students to complete the various military subjects. As can be readily seen, this work interferes with the students’ ordinary studies. However, along with a bit of good natured growling, the work has been done cheerily.

The Canadian Officers’ Training Corps in this University gives four separate courses, “Common to All Arms”, “Artillery”, Signals” and “Infantry’, and a course for recruits. To organize and keep in operation a unit of two hundred and seventy-five men, without the aid of permanent instructors and orderly room clerks, is a tremendous task. The fact that this unit, during peace and war, is the finest in the Dominion of Canada is entirely due to the efforts of its Officer Commanding, Major Jones.

Our country must be grateful for the foresight of this University in having kept a C.O.T.C. unit functioning during peace and to its Commander for training many officers, who are able to serve with commissions to-day in the Canadian forces. To-day, as a war time unit, its contributions to our country’s war effort is a concrete one.

We witnessed this year the opening of the magnificent Lady Beaverbrook Gymnasium, the generous gift of Lord Beaverbrook. If you have the opportunity, visit this new gym. I know you will feel, as do all students of this University, a deep gratitude and appreciation to our benefactor. A new gymnasium has been a vital need for a long time but no one ever expected to have such a wonderful structure on our campus.

The new facilities for sport, it is hoped, will be used to the greatest advantage. It seems that the prime purpose of athletics in colleges in Canada is to train teams of super athletes to travel around exhibiting their skill in the name of their Alma Mater. Some colleges in the Western Hemisphere even furnish degrees in an effort to secure potential material for their various teams. This is of course the ultimate of absurdity; we haven’t gone quite that far. Nevertheless, giving physical instruction and improving the health and physique of all the students in this University is not as yet the aim of its athletic programme. The aim is to produce distinguished athletic teams. Eighty per cent of the students then receive no physical instruction. The object of education is to develop the mind, but to experience the full benefit of our education we must be physically fit. That is to say there should be compulsory Physical Training for every individual in this college. If you continue to put the athletic programme into the hands of the students, it will go on as before. The faculty must step in and see that an all embracing physical programme is carried out. No teams seeking athletic awards should leave this campus until everyone is taking physical training; then and then only should teams of various sports be formed. It will hurt many to have to take compulsory T.T., but our future democracy must be made up of efficient and healthy people; it is thus the responsibility of this University to see that its graduates are physically fit. Until there is such a programme laid down, the Lady Beaverbrook Gymnasium will not serve the nation to its fullest capacity.

In connection with athletics, I would like to touch upon a subject fairly well aired by all students of the University. The matter of continuing during the war to levy the student body a relatively large amount of money to support athletic teams. Many of us bitterly opposed what we termed outrageous extravagance during a time of war. More apparently supported the programme, and the Student Representative Council voted to pass all the various sport budgets. There are, of course, many valid reasons why such a sports programme should be continued for the duration, but, in forming an opinion on this matter, keep the following points in mind.

Money these days is a very valuable commodity. The students’ parents, who pay most of the tuition bills and levies, should pause to consider what is being done with the student levies before allowing their sons and daughters to sanction their passing. The faculty, and it is the concern of the faculty, should remember that the heads of universities, or their representatives, met before the beginning of the scholastic year and agreed to discontinue intercollegiate sports and to cut down on extra-curricular activities. Intercollegiate sports, true, have been discontinued but our teams have played other teams, taken the trips to play them and spent the same money. Also the under-graduates should remember that university students to Canada are a very privileged class during this war; perhaps than some sacrifice should be expected of them in this time of national crisis.

The students are indeed fortunate in having a well organized and smoothly operating Student Representative Council. Through it are carried out all students affairs. Its constitution is a model, giving the university students an opportunity to participate in and see function a democratic institution. From this they may see its weaknesses and the way in which they best can be remedied. Above all it brings out a basic fundamental of democracy, namely that “a democracy is not efficient unless its members are efficient and co-operate to the full on its behalf.” It would be well, if, upon entering our University, all freshmen would be counseled by their various professors to engage themselves in their student government.

This year the Student Representative Council had as its president Mr. Ryan, who, in a quiet and conservative manner, brought the student affairs through a difficult year. For these services the graduating class is duly grateful.

For a valedictorian to attempt to constructively criticize the various faculties is a waste of time, for he is a member of only one faculty and only a small proportion of the graduates are concerned with his particular course. But, if our education as a whole is reviewed, all the graduating class is concerned. Our university education is only the continuation of our public and high school courses, along more definite lines. I would then like to review our education in general from the time we entered public school.

What is the primary aim of education in a democratic country? What is the chief purpose of education in a democratic country? Is it not to graduate students resolved to give unselfish and whole-hearted support to their democracy, read to assume the co-operative role demanded of every citizen of a free country? There is no question about this. This is the aim of education, within our country.

The attempt, if there has been an attempt, by the educational systems and universities of our country, to educate for democracy has not been a success.

Our country is spending billions of dollars in an all out effort to help extinguish the war-maddened beasts who threaten our way of life. All democratic citizens of the world, realizing the peril this way of life is in, are sacrificing lives and riches in the name of freedom. The energies of all are being devoted to win this war. A co-operative spirit exists amongst our people that is unknown in peace time. For the first time in the lives of a great many people they turn their minds to dwell upon the problems of their nation; for the first time they think of something other than themselves – are even sacrificing to aid in our country’s effort. But, when peace comes, I am afraid we will slip back into the morass of inefficiency and lackadaisicalness we knew before the war. The words co-operation and responsibility towards our country will again be figments of the imagination. If we do not change our ways, self will continue to be the guiding light of men’s actions and that which we fight to preserve shall in the end, be destroyed from within.

To preserve our free society against barbaric tyranny and the despotism rampant to-day, each individual must become more efficient; each individual must have a stiff will to work and struggle towards a clear, inalterable ideal. This will not come about if our minds, manners, outlooks and customs become decadent, if our faith in democratic beliefs is only emotional.

To quote General Sir Percy Wavell: “Have you ever thought what a world we could make if we put into peace endeavors the energy, self-sacrifice and co-operation we use in the wastefulness of war.” As modern life becomes more complicated, it will be necessary to have the same effort from all citizens in peace as in war, to ensure the survival of our way of life. To bring this about, it will be necessary that all peoples in our democracy be self-disciplined individuals, trained in the principles of democracy, each realizing his responsibility and each actively engaged in fulfilling his job as a trustee of democracy.

It is the educationist’s task to train and equip their students, so that they will be efficient citizens, able to shoulder the burden of democratic citizenship. Educationists must then rise from a secondary position in our national life and meet this challenge.

How must the system of education be changed? Let me make a few observations before attempting to answer this.

If any student, having completed his school and university courses, has never concerned himself with the problems of his nation, or has never made himself familiar with his country’s method of government, if he has only studied to further his own personal ambitions, then he is a parasite of no earthly use to his country whatsoever. But is there anything in our educational system which tends to discourage this self-centered attitude? Admitted there is nothing purposely producing this attitude, but neither is there anything discouraging it.

The Hon. R.B. Bennett in his farewell address before leaving Canada in January of 1939 said to the assembled university graduates of McGill: “You university men, there is upon you a responsibility far greater than on the other men and women of this country, for you have searched for truth, and you realize that, if democracy is to survive, it must be an educated democracy. It must be as efficient as autocracy; it must be as effective as despotism.” Is not anyone justified in assuming that university men are trained and capable of bearing greater responsibilities as democratic citizens? Yes! But have we received any other education than that necessary to make us engineers, scientists or journalists? No! We hear an occasional speaker on the subject of democracy, but he, of a necessity, can give as just an inkling of a profound study. We are not graduated living and breathing democracy, firm in the conviction that we must co-operate to the full in its behalf, nor is the necessity of shouldering the responsibilities of citizenship impressed upon us.

Politics should be the highest calling in our land. To be an elected representative in our government should be regarded as one of the highest honours the population can bestow upon an individual. To serve one’s country in such a capacity is indeed an honor but, in all fairness, am I not correct in saying that a great many of our people, students included, look upon politicians as gentlemen using the government and the people to further their own and their friends’ interests? Canadians, instead of looking up to and revering their elected representatives, cast wondering, distrustful and unconfident eyes in their direction. What of this attitude? The difficulties and problems, facing our country in times of peace, are universally blamed on the government. But is not the government the people? Is not pressure brought to bear by individual and public opinion upon our government responsible for much of the inefficient workings of our parliaments? The politicians themselves appeal as often to mass emotion as they do to common sense. Read any of the campaign speeches of the last few decades and you will find that mudslinging and personal abuse run high in the list of arguments presented to the public. No well-informed public would even consider listening to this type of propaganda, and would most certainly rise in anger if such speeches were used by parties attempting to gain control of the government.

I point out these conditions, trends and state of mind to make you conscious that a change is needed in our education, so that you will demand a change, and also to impress upon educationalists how strongly democracy is crying for a revision of its educational policy.

Our new education must first introduce the study of democracy into all grades of school and into colleges. This would not be a study of hard facts, nor a subject upon which to write an examination. It would teach the fundamental principles of democratic government, driving home the fact that each person is an integral part of his democracy; that each person is responsible to, and is a trustee of, his democracy. Each student will have it thoroughly impressed upon his mind that a certain amount of self-sacrifice and self-limitation of freedom is necessary to make a democracy efficient. Each student will grow and develop in an atmosphere of democracy, becoming thoroughly imbued with the spirit of democracy, growing to appreciate and love his country.

Secondly: Our educationalists must introduce more discipline into the schools. This is the only way that self-disciplined individuals can be developed. Our code of life must seek a higher plane, if we are to survive. Discipline, self-discipline, is the answer. To overcome the laxness of the present day individual, the disorder of manners and outlook, is a problem to be met by the nation itself, by seeing that people discipline themselves. They will do so if they are brought up in a disciplined manner both in school and home, and when I speak of school I include university.

Thirdly: To develop character in the youth of the nation. Not students self-centered and shallow, but students with will power, a depth of soul, a sense of duty, honest convictions, a code of honor and a patriotic outlook. This, the hardest to express, is perhaps the most important part of the new education and should receive the greatest attention from educationalists.

Fourthly: A health and physical programme must be introduced into the nation’s schools and universities. Any improvement of health in this country within the past years has been due to advances in medical science and not due to any physical training programme. If anyone is proud of the health and physique of our nation, he is but an idle boaster. A programme of physical training should not be given in the spirit of “physical torture”, but in a spirit of improving the health and strength of individuals, so that they, part of a healthy nation, may work and see that nation grow to greatness; for without health and strength our capacity for service is reduced to a minimum.

A new education, such as just mentioned, would not have any immediate effects, but it would in time tend to check, and finally stop, much of the inefficiencies of our democracy. Its chief aim must be – “education for democracy”, and not – “production of intellectuals”. With this in mind, it can readily be seen that a patching up will not do but that a complete revamping is necessary. It will take time, a great deal of preparation and study to get such a system working, but it is necessary if we wish to see our democracy function in the future. We are sacrificing everything now to keep our civilization intact, surely the tremendous price we are paying demands a marvelous future, a far superior world to that which we now know. It is the duty of educationists to lay the foundations of this new world.

Let then educationists arise and meet this challenge. To graduate from schools and universities, students, living and breathing democracy, firmly resolved to co-operate on its behalf, realizing that they are trustees of their democracy, prizing their country as their most dear possession, willing and capable of shouldering the responsibilities of citizenship.

We have received degrees conferred on us by a University recognized throughout the English speaking world. Some of its courses are the best obtainable, all rank high in comparison with other colleges. This high standing is due to the work and ability of the faculty, most of whom we have known for four years. Our University being small gives the students the advantage of receiving individual attention from the professors, but perhaps the greatest asset is the opportunity to become acquainted intimately with these men. We all have approached them many times after lectures asking for advice and counsel, which has always been willingly given. At times, I imagine, the professors have thought us to be an unappreciative lot, but underneath our youthful callowness there lives a genuine admiration and esteem for their wonderful work. All we can say is: “Thank you.”

The graduates have been the recipients of genuine hospitality and kindness from the citizens of Fredericton. We have all made friends with many and, I believe, created enemies with none. They have showed patience and tolerance when the students have overstepped the accepted mark of behaviour, have commended us when we have done well. Perhaps the thing which the graduates have appreciated most has been the opportunity of living in such a beautiful city, of which there are few equals. We have enjoyed our short stay and very much regret taking our departure.

And now to my fellow-graduates. We have been together for four eventful years, and now must part to go our separate ways. We have sorrow in our hearts whilst thinking of leaving our University, and we have confidence in ourselves upon facing the world. Let us not discourse too long about the past, while saying farewell. We shall carry with us always memories of the years spent “Up the Hill”, but we fail the purpose of our University if we face not immediately the future.

We all have but one job. No matter in what profession we belong, no matter in what capacity we serve, we all have the same objective. To do our utmost to win the war. This is a duty and, if any one shirks it, he fails, not only his country and empire, but he fails mankind. It is a tremendous task we face. We will have to serve and sacrifice, suffer and toil, but let no one say that we do not take up the task cheerfully and with determination. Our University has not greater honor to graduate students to serve their country. Let us see that we uphold that honor, all of us, not only during this war, but in the years that follow.

Our country calls us; we shall go forward and meet the challenge as we leave our University and say our final farewell, let us take with us these words of the Honorable Mr. Winston Churchill:

“But all depends upon the whole life strength of the British race in every part of the world, of all our associated peoples and of all our well-wishers in every land, doing their utmost night and day, giving all, daring all, enduring all, to the utmost, to the end.”