Journalism is an activity which ought to engross college men greatly. It is the only aspect of American life which has deteriorated in the last thirty-five years. We need an invasion of academic spirit, honor and sacrifice to raise it above its present mediocrity and to make it an open, powerful and beneficial influence in our modern life. A university paper such as the CRIMSON offers a great opportunity for college men to prepare for such an invasion.
President Lowell.
"Mr. Toastmaster, Hosts and Guests of the CRIMSON: Dr. Gordon has illustrated his idea of criticism by drawing invidious comparisons between Cook and Peary. I prefer the criticism that was made by a western farmer who had two cats, Tom and Gerry. When he was asked why he did not call them Cook and Peary, he replied because neither was a pole-cat.
"When the Duke of Wellington became Chancellor of Oxford he expressed regret at being forced into contact with so many literary men; and for the same reason I feel in an uncomfortable position. I shall now become serious despite the fact that when a speech loses its humor, as Dr. Gordon said, it becomes immoral.
"There has been some mistake about the subject of my talk this evening. What I said I was going to speak on was the atomic theory, the House of Lords, the solar system, and the destiny of man, and I took this as I did not want to travel outside my province.
"It looks as if one would begin by asking why a man comes to college, but that is like a man's asking why he had himself born; there are but few men who can explain that rationally. When you are born, it becomes important to ask why. If you say you came to college in order to get a degree, it seems like saying you were born in order to get a decent funeral--you leave out all the interests of life coming between the birth and the grave.
"Or, if you say you came to perfect your mental powers, to acquire a vigorous and strong mind, then in order that you may do this, you must begin at the beginning; and in beginning you must learn to discriminate between the things eternal and the things temporary. In the latter you may think I am speaking of journalism, but I am not. The nearest I ever came to journalism was to be asked to be a co-editor of a paper that did not exist. I replied I did not think I was fit for