The Pittsburgh Academy - Eagle Yearbook (Pittsburgh, PA)

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. 'Y THE EAGLE VALEDICTQRY Tlie Motlernistic Trend to Materialism In the past two decades the world at large has experienced an un' precedented trend toward materialism. This materialistic trend is of such vast momentum as to threaten the strongholds of menis highest idealsg and at present we find ourselves facing a possible complete innihilation of man's ability to appreciate spiritual values. By spiritual values I mean not religion alone but rather that happy faculty which enables one to see the beauty in nature, to understand good music, to appreciate good pictures: in short, that state of develop' ment of the soul which puts one in tune with things which, though abstract, inspire noble emotions in us and are motivating factors of right conduct. I - -.av i i :Zi ' P1 ' ff V., ' , I M, 44, . pq. , 'Z Naomi Plummer believe that the term spiritual values may be expressed in the three words4art, sentiment. and religion. In art we have the embodiment of all that is beautiful, such as painting, music, poetry, and drama. Materialism has eaten its way into modern art as a canker worm into the heart of a rose, NVe find its etfect both external and internal. Cn the outside we find an indifferent and ignorant patronage which knows not how to appreciate the beautiful, and worse, is unshamed of its deficiency. The artist, working from the inner circle of his art, claims he must degrade it to meet the popular demand or be doomed to utter failure and compelled to seek a career in some other field of endeavor, As the result much of our music is jazz, our modern poetry doggerel, our pic' tures wholly inferior to the old masters. I I have used the term sentiment to express in a word those iner sensibilities such as honor, magnanimity, reciprocity, and ethics. A well balanced code of hon' or will consist of the two major elements, loyalty, and chivalry. To be truly honor- able one must first be loyal to ones self which inevitably results in loyalty to family, friends, and country, or as Polonius says in Hamlet: To thine own self be true and it must follow, as the night the day, thou cans't not then be false to any man . Chivalry is that grace, which in men, prompts gallantry towards the opposite sex and in both men and women respect for old age. The Dictionary describes a magnanimous person as one of large wholesome soul who would not stoop to anything mean or unworthy, while reciprocity is the spirit of fair play which says 'AOne good turn deserves another. Ethics is the science which treats of mans proper relation with man for mutual benefit and gen' eral uplift. The attainment of these graces is absolutely essential to a true appref ciation of spiritual values, yet the influence of materialism of the present day threatens to make of this an age of shriveled souls incapable of and insensible to the beauty of this higher sentiment, By religion I mean that essential part of the human nature which knows that there is a Supreme Being to whom man owes obeisance. This knowledge, together with the realization of man's duties to the Supreme Being is the foundation upon which is based our system of ethics, and here again we have the tleadily result of niaterialisin. In our own America we have the much heralded contention between THE PITTSBURGH ACADEMY , N Forty eight Mmamai f' , LX

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,X THE EAGLE Commencement Program CARNEGIE MUSIC HALL JUNE zz OVERTURE . Rocereto Orchestra INVOCATION . . Rev. W. E. Howard, D. D. SALUTATORY ...... R. Stanley Smith EDUCATION AS A NECESSITY OF LIFE SONG ........ Hilma Sutter of the faculty VALEDICTORY .... Sarah Naomi Plummer UTHE MODERNISTIC TREND TOWARD MATERIALISMN ADDRESS TO THE CLASS OF 1926 . john G. Bowman, LL. D. Chancellor of the University of Pittsburgh SONG ..... . Hilma Sutter PRESENTATION OF DIPLOMAS . President Herbert G. Lytle BENEDICTION . , Rev. W. E. Howard, D. D. FINALE Orchestra THE PITTSBURGH ACADEMY ...Q-,. ,N .., x X i ll Forty-seven

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v 1- 493 ' yigvrfff . . A . THE EAGLE Fundamentalism and Ivlodernism. The entire controversy is nothing more nor less than a conflict between materialism and spiritual values. The theologian who cannot reconcile the scripture with materialistic phenomena finds that he must either reject the irreconcilable portion or concede that some things are possible even without a scientific or tangible basis. Thus we have the parting of the ways, or in ecclesiastic terminology, a schism. To rob the scripture of its irreconcilable parts is to acknowlf edge it fallible. To acknowledge it fallible is to render it powerless as a spiritual arbiter. To weaken the Bible as a final court of appeals for faith, and practice is to render the church without authority over man's morals. This weakening of the internal forces of Christianity has its counterpart on the outside in an appallingly inf different and often skeptical laity. All this is a result of materialism. just why these conditions prevail is more than I feel competent to declare, un' less it be that this is an unprecedented age of material achievement when no propo- sition of science or adventure is able to impress our sophisticated imaginations, an age when a radio announcement that man has flown over the pole, a distance of WOO miles in less than sixteen hours, occasions only passing commentg or it may be the result of increased material prosperity and the great advancement of government of the people by themselves. I rather believe however that the cause is more apt to be found to be a combination of these conditions. President Coolidge in one of his timely addresses said that what our country needs more than new laws and better law enforcement is a return to the godly prinf ciples of the founders of our illustrious nation or in other words a real revival of piety, that virile godly piety which has played so large a part in every noteworthy achievement. If everyone participated in this revival of piety there would come simultaneously an awakening of spiritual appreciation. As to the other two phases of our discussion, art, and sentiment, I believe that the only remedy for their maf terial stigma lies in education. A mans education is not completed when he has learned how to make a living, but rather, the higher ideal of education is to teach men how to live. This can best be done by teaching him how to appreciate spirit- ual values. Unless a school has made this a part of its curriculum, unless it has at' tempted to do this for the student, it has utterly failed in its mission. But tofnight as we, the class of 1926, make our bow in departure from the study hall of our bef loved Pittsburgh Academy, we are grateful for we are conliedent that during our brief sojourn with her we have learned much that will enhance our appreciation of spiritual values. And to you, dear teachers, as we say, Farewell, we desire to express our appreciation of your many kind contributions to the equipment with which we now face life. By your lives we have caught a vision of higher ideals and are possessed with a desire to know more of the beautiful in this life. Fellow members of the class of 26 as we part tofnight to go our separate ways through life, let us determine to use well the equipment which we have ref ceived at the hands of our Alma Mater, ever remembering that material gain is not the greatest riches this world has to offer, for What doth it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul? fDeliver-:tl by Naomi Plummer at the commencem nt tx feasts litld :it C.ix'm-gmc Tvliisic Hall on Wt-dntsday. june 23, 1926.3 THE PITTSBURGH ACADEMY 45' jr :Q Forty mne