Montana State University - Sentinel Yearbook (Missoula, MT)

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,, - X--------., , -' V , f----.t ,.-., h r , ---.X Nm K r I, 4 - X A THE ss: , A - - 1 ' ,. , t , . 1 ' . f -, rf r , zu-Y' ,,,, MCtgf,,1L,i 1. U V f 1 V, Q .J f i H S' ,fi ,f A, ' J N, .M 1 CI-IOOSING AN ALMA MATER ff' is a custom which is almost universal in liurope for young ' men and women to acquire their education not in a single in- ' stitution of learning, but in a number successively chosen. 'llhey proceed in this way with a view to broadening their outlook JK -, upon life or to specialize in some subject under a teacher who B has become famous as an authority in that special branch of W . IILL learning. There is a growing tendency in America to recog- M nize the advantages thus to be gained and to encourage a cer- , tain degree of specialization. lf a change from school to school is undertaken in the proper spirit during the character and habit-forming years, it is possible, and indeed mighty probable that the change will have a benehcial effect upon the future career of the student, assuming, of course, that he or she will take full advantage of the opportunities offered. As one who has had the privilege of acquiring a small fund of knowledge in this way under the guidance and inspiration of great men in g'reat institutions, l may be permitted to point out a few of the salient benefits one 1nay derive from the privilege. One of the first beneficial effects of going to a school away from home, in addi- tion to acquiring knowledge, is the formation of an ability to adapt oneself to different conditions of life. Happiness then becomes independent of any fixed environment. ff an unfamiliar language is spoken in the land where the selected school is located the conditions are ideal for acquiring the use of that language. Not only this, but the habits, customs and ideas about the life of the people differing from our own can be studied with great profit and usually proves to be of the highest interest. The comparison of their superior and inferior traits with our own, the exchange of ideas and learning from them all tends to create in us a tolerance with the failings and shortcomings of our fellowmen. And frequently a helpful realization is awakened of the insignificance of our own accomplishments. Then again we all differ in our mental makeup and so we find the influence and inspiration extended by a teacher, even though he be a remarkable character. varies greatly with the individual students. In changing from one school to an- other the change in the personality of a teacher may mean a turning point in a life career. Without any fault on the part of the student but due to an accumula- tion of circumstances he becomes discouraged and is on the point of giving up some line of endeavor when a change may bring him within what is to him an irresistable charm and atmosphere created by the subtle influence of a new teacher. This contention is illustrated so frequently in the biographies of men of attain- ments. I call to mind one, especially. to whom it was my privilege to listen many times. This one, a great chemist, was considered a hopeless dullard in the school of his home town. And quite likely he would have remained one all of his life if circumstances had not brought him into new surroundings at an early date in his life. ft was in foreign lands, he tells us, that his latent abilities were developed l'z1g'e Sixteen

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Zinn, Av Aqua'-Q , '. ' rf?-X' XX, :XT T' fs J ' 'ii T HE I ., . F M M hzsxzgf'-ri:vJnsf-i,:'f. 5 L -3-fm they graduate to hold for a term of years. Uy this plan the classes are all provided with officers who take a more or less active part in keeping track of their class- mates, gather and distribute information about the college and about its alumni, and so keep the class and the college in touch. The college itself has facilitated this work by compiling and maintaining a mailing list of all the former students, whether graduates or not, and sending them printed matter about the college at least two or three times a year. lt also seeks to gather news about the doings of the ahunni, and prints and circulates this news in a monthly publication, whichis sent to any alumnus or former student for a small sum. The class officers are called upon to assist in the work of gathering and distributing the alumni news. As secretary of my own class l am just now sending out a call to all former members of the class, whether they graduated from college or not, to join us in the quarter-eentennial reunion next june. The call will also be signed by the president of the class, a Duluth attorney, who will push the plans for the reunion. VVe have the help of the revised list of the addresses of all the former members of the class which was furnished from the college office a week or two ago. Not all the class organizations are equally active. l have in mind one class which graduated nearly thirty years ago, which has maintained all these years an annual circulating class letterg and another still older class which maintains, by a sort of common consent, such a letter once every two or three years. These various devices can easily be copied or modified: the total effect of them- the permanent class organization, the gathering and dissemination of college and alumni news, the five-year reunions, and the class letters--is an unusually compact and loyal body of almnni. 4 La.+.Q?. 1 I., -'TJ' , . ,1 u ti me 'gi lisa tea li Page Fifteen

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. THE SENTINEL ' ,glut , ti -xt - --X ,4 1 A ,t . .m , ,- 5 antl lannerl into aeliieving' the u'mulert'ul tlisenveries in the realms ut' ehemistrt that llliltltflllSIlZllllC1ll1th1lSCllUltl wurcl in the seieutitie eireles the wurlcl over. 'l'hat man was .lustus Liehig. , Quite asicle trum the hroatlening aucl more tangible henelits to he flerivetl l'rum atteucliug more than une institution of learning, there remains the iucleserihahle jot ut' reeulleetitms, that one may call to life at any moment autl at any place. Reeullee tions, not of a narrow, self-sutlicient life, so often the result ut' lack ut ehange in surroumliugs, hut of a life full ot' experiences aequiretl untler ever varying' eonrli ' ' ' ls hehtltl in tliH'utnt numlts ut' tht utultl ul tions: ul enchanting scenes one hz: X ' 2 : - ' - , marveluus wurlcs uf art peoples lung' passetl away have lelt hehuul them 1 ut' eharm ing' men :uul ivmm-n one has met: and of a thnusautl seemingly trivial iueirlents which, nevertheless, have intlueneerl nue's lite tu an extent tuulreametl ut at tht time ul' happening. Such recollections are among' the must priceless treasures to he gathered tluring the happy years spent at various selintnls uncler the charm Qt' great men autl great women :uul of beautiful aucl inspiring' sui'rouiuliug's: treasures that mzuney eanunt lmuy, that no power un earth can take away fruni us: that will help us to pass un seathefl through the vieissitucles ut' life anrl tn meet its joys antl its sm'i'mx's with equal equanimity. ,,QQLArxJ-1 ll: ' X lllill' tllf' NOI!'I'II IFHIYI-I I'au'e Sew-:alt-4-u