St Mary of the Woods College - Les Bois Yearbook (Terre Haute, IN)

Page 38 text:

- - A- I Les BOIS -'A fit -g -f I ' x 'al J! 1 5 , 4. ' L...-1 ,4 ' Talenis and cz T oczs! By Jane Head Fillgian, '83 The following is the text of a toast delivered by Mrs. Jane Head Fithian, '83 at the State Luncheon of the Indiana Members of the Alumnae Association of St. Mary-of-the-Woods at Indianapolis, April 12, 1917 ADAM Toast Mistress, Members of the Alumnae, and Friends, ,S As I have sat with you today and looked into the old familiar faces-and some not so familiar, and some cer- tainly not so old-my heart has been full of aiection and pride. I am proud to be one of so fine a group of women. In our great United States, Indiana takes high rank in many of the things which stand for the prog- ress of humanity, but in nothing else does she stand higher than in her institutions of learning and in the culture of her men and women. I have a double pleasure in making this statement, for I too, though now coming from your neighbor state, was born and reared in the old Hoosier state-so if you thought you were hearing a Sucker talk, you will now please admit your mistake. I am grateful to you for the opportunity you have given me to be here today, and I am especially grate- ful to our honored President for the confidence she implied in telling me I might talk about anything I pleased. The primary object of this assembly, as I under- stand it, is a discussion of ways and means to ad- vance the interests of our Alma Mater, and to increase our own feeling of solidarity. I have therefore chosen for my text a part of Chapter XXV of Matthew, the Parable of the Talents, wherein is related the story of a man traveling in a far country, who called his own servants and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to every man according to his several ability, and straightway took his journey. Then he that had received live talents went and traded with them and made them other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had re- 7773 M. .. T' J . .. .,.. .., .. ,, ..., - Q . . , E 1 p mf' . -, X Thirty-seven

Page 37 text:

I 1 ,- I X , T H .v,, H ll, f .,,,.., ' f ' LES Bois - 4 I E - .,,,.i -1 - i - 11' Via Pacis f Blest shrine, gleaming white Midst the green and the shade Ofwoodlzmd and meadow And flowery glade. 44 Th irty-s i x

Page 39 text:

V-f' . pf' ' , I 5 I 'V' I N ,f .,.. L, , u ,LN e LES BOIS ceived one went and digged in the earth and hid his lord's money. - After a long time, the lord of these servants com- eth and reckoneth with them. And he that had re- ceived five talents came and brought other five talents. To each of them, his lord said, 'Well done, thou good and faithful servant, thou hast been faith- ful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many thingsf Then he that had received the one talent came and said, 'I was afraid and went and hid thy talent in the earth, lo! there thou hast what is thine! '4And his lord said, 'Thou wicked and slothful ser- vant. Take from him the talent, and give it to him that hath ten. Unt-o him that hath shall be given, and from him that hath not shall be taken awayf In Biblical days a talent, as we all know, was a measure of silver, but from this parable it has come to have a good dictionary meaning, a gift committed to one's trust to use and improve. 4 Indiana being the home state of St. Mary-of-the- Woods, it is very appropriate that the first independ- ent gathering should be in Indiana's capital. Is it not appropriate also that we make this our stock- taking day? On graduation each one of us left her Alma Mater with five talents, two talents, one talent, according to her own ability to receive. What have we done? Can we say, Lord, thou gavest me five talents, and I have made other five ? Can all of us even say, Here is the one which was given me? The standing of a college in the opinion of the public is determined by the ability of that college to equip its students for life. It follows therefore that what we are and what we do, reacts directly upon St. Marys. Looking back to the years spent there, we know they gave us their best, and not one of us but has a tender thought for some well loved teacher and friend. Since our interests are bound together, loyalty to ourselves demands that we render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar'sf' Loyalty to St. Marys means loyalty to ourselves. As we make the best of ourselves, we reflect credit on our Alma Mater. What is the picture in your mind of the St. Marys girl of today? Is there a picture there? You have all read Booth Tarkington's tribute to her, to the old fashioned girl at St. Marys-his mother. The world has set a new educational standard for women. That much abused word lady is not in very common use. It is, to be sure, a scathing con- demnation of a woman to say she is not a lady. It is taken for granted that she is, but that is not enough. '- . ' , f - . ' .. , , ... - . fl Thirty-eiprht ,