Woodberry, G. E. The torch: eight lectures on race power in literature. McClure. 1905.
The PRESIDENT: I have very great pleasure in presenting one who in truth needs no introduction to you; one who has not for some time appeared on our platform but whom I know you will all welcome with pleasure, Miss TESSA L. KELSO.
Miss Kelso, of the Baker and Taylor Co., New York City, spoke informally from notes only on the topic, "Publicity for the sake of information: the librarian's point of view," and has been unable to furnish a copy of her remarks for publication.
The PRESIDENT: I think you may have seen it mentioned once or twice in the course of your reading, that there was such a thing as the "Wisconsin idea." Now, I would not for a moment, having been born in that lovely state, have you get any notion that that "Wisconsin idea" is singular. We have therefore asked to come and talk to us this morning a gentleman who, those closest to him say, is a repository of "Wisconsin ideas," and I have great pleasure in introducing to you Mr. WILLIAM H. HATTON,—"Mr." Hatton by request, though he is ordinarily known in his own country as Senator Hatton.
PUBLICITY FOR THE SAKE OF INFORMATION: THE PUBLIC'S POINT OF VIEW
When man first discovered that his hands would respond to the command of his brain and that he could use a club to defend himself from his enemy, and that he could through combined mental and physical effort, react upon his environment, the gateway on the road to continuous progress was opened to mankind.
The potential power of man cannot be measured. The Creator, in so far as we are able to judge, has fixed no limits to man's progress. The only limitations are his lack of knowledge and his lack of power to discern the true relations of the forces which surround him.
Mankind is a social organism, not a collection of separate and independent parts. Where any part is neglected and fails to develop so as to discharge efficiently its function, the whole organization suffers. Therefore society is not only deeply interested in education during childhood and adolescence, but it is concerned in the education of man throughout his whole life. The public is as much concerned in the education of the man of forty years of age as it is in the education of the boy of five years. One of the chief functions of the state is to secure justice, equity and equality of opportunity. Dr. Lester F. Ward says, "There can be no equality, no justice, not to speak of equity, so long as society is composed of members, equally endowed by nature, a few of whom only possess the social heritage of truth and ideas resulting from laborious investigation and profound meditations of all past ages, while the mass are shut out from all the light that human achievement has shed upon the world."
What shall be done that this "light of human achievement" shall penetrate the cloud of ignorance and cause the lamp of wisdom to burn in every home? Your reply doubtless will be, "The formal training of the schools." Yes; that is a step in the right direction, but all will agree that the training of the schools is only and can be only a beginning, a learning how to acquire and assimilate knowledge and develop power. There must be other institutions and agencies which shall carry forward the work of education, if we are to have that continuous and universal development which is possible and desirable.