Introducing the American SpiritSteiner, Edward Alfred
General
Introducing the American Spirit
Steiner, Edward Alfred
National characteristics, American; United States -- Social life and customs -- 1865-1918
The German student's social standing and his future depend upon his
"exams." There is only one prime thing, and that is study. When the Herr
Director learned the multiplicity of our outside activities which divide
the attention of the students, he knew why they do not study. He was
aghast at the scant reverence paid members of the faculty. When walking
with the president of one of these universities, we met groups of
students who did not salute the head of their institution and barely
made way for him to pass, he grew quite wrathy, and it took the combined
efforts of the president and myself to keep him from telling the young
men what boors they were. I think he discovered later that it was mere
thoughtlessness, and that there is something really fine about the
average American student; that he is usually a gentleman at heart, but
that he has not yet learned to value the grace which comes from that
sacrament of the common life--lifting his hat to his superiors.
When I told him that one of my students came to me one morning in haste,
with "Say, Prof, where is Prexy?" he did not laugh as I expected; but
when I remembered that I did not laugh either, when it happened, I
forgave him his lack of perception.
It is of course true, that the average college professor would rather be
called Jimmy or Jack or some other pet name than to have his academic
degrees pronounced every time a student speaks to him; but there still
remains the fact that the ordinary American youth lacks this sense of
respect for personality, and that an education, even a college
education, does not remedy the defect.
It is a very exciting moment in the life of the undergraduates of at
least one university when they try to discover if the preacher can make
himself heard above their coughs, which is their way of challenging his
message; but it does not help him to believe that he is in the presence
of men who know what reverence means.
I do not deny that the undergraduate honors achievement, but even in
that he lacks proper discrimination. How much education can do to
instill this common and deplorable lack of reverence for personality I
do not know; for it lies far back, too far back to be reached by mere
academic training.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account