X-talks and other addresses

Contents

"X-TALKS."

PAGE

The Choice of Friends 21

Introduction

If by reading these "Talks" your burden grows

lighter, Your hope in the future is stronger or brighter; If they shall inspire but one noble deed, Or help you to live for Christ and His creed; If strength for life's duties, or courage, you gain ; Then we shall know that his hope was not vain. Although imperfections you surely can find, Just sift them all out and leave them behind. And the hope is still cherished that by more than

half, The good will outw r eigh what seems only chaff. Then, whatever the fate this volume shall meet, If it strengthens the right its mission's complete. If you take up these 'Talks," as critics will do, To bring imperfections alone to the view, You will find them ; but trusting that no worthy

line Will be as a pearl that is cast before swine, This volume is sent on its mission of love. May it be to each youth as -Noah's white dove, Bringing hope to each one who resolves to be

true; Whatever the work his hands find to do.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.

George Washington Hoenshel was born at Mendon, Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, December n, 1858. His early education was obtained in the public schools of that State, in which he afterwards taught for several years.

After graduating from the Normal School at Danville, Indiana, he immediately began the formation of plans for the organization of a similar school in Virginia. The strong opposition which at that time existed throughout the South to the principles of Normalism and coeducation made this a bold step. But it was with no weak and faltering purpose that the task was undertaken.

The place chosen for the experiment was Middletown, a historic spot, located on the Valley Pike, about twelve miles from Winchester. Here, in the fall of 1883, was organized the Shenandoah Normal College. But it was only a few years till this child of genius had outgrown its swaddling clothes; and finding it impossible to secure suitable accommodations here, the school was moved to Harrisonburg, in Rockingham county. Here, in 1887, the school opened with a good enrollment. The rooms which had been secured here were far more commodious, yet poorly adapted for school purposes.

IO BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.

The school continued to grow; but still there was felt the need of more suitable buildings. It was Mr. Hoenshers growing ambition to secure for the Normal a permanent home with all needed appliances and conveniences, adapted to the needs and requirements of the work. This led him, in 1890, to accept the offer of the Basic City Mining, Manufacturing and Land Company, and to move the school to that place, where suitable buildings were erected and given free of rent for a period of ten years.

The long cherished hope seemed at last lo have been realized. But the triumph was of short duration. The third year at this place, and the tenth in the history of the school, had opened with encouraging prospects. All hearts were full of hope. But on the night of November 16, 1892, the cry of fire! fire! rang out from the halls of the Shenandoah Normal College, and in a few minutes the beautiful building, with almost its entire contents, was in ashes. Courage fails me to relate the sad story of blighted hopes and fondly cherished ambitions. Let him whose heart never faltered tell it in his own hopeful words. The following account of the fire appeared in the Normal Index of December, 1892, under the head of "Normal Notes":

"Since the burning of the college building on the night of November 16th, we have received letters of sympathy and encouragement from many friends. Time does not permit us to an-

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. II

swer all these letters as we would like, and so we give this rather personal account of the fire and its influence upon the school.

"The college building was a three-story frame structure erected especially for the Normal by the Basic City Mining, Manufacturing and Land Company in 1890. It contained thirty-three rooms. The lower story was used for recitation rooms, dining room, and kitchen. The two upper stories were occupied by the principal and his family and the students.

"The fire occurred at ten o'clock on Wednesday night. It was discovered by some of the students, who observed smoke in their room. At that time the whole attic seemed to be on fire and there was no hope of saving the building. It is possible that the fire originated near the roof from the kitchen flue. Nothing could be done but to save what property we could. Each student took his own trunk from the building. The girls acted with remarkable presence of mind. Some of the students lost most of their clothing and others nearly all their books. One of the girls saved everything even to an empty ink bottle. So much for a level head in time of danger. The writer had retired and was awakened by the commotion caused by the students removing their trunks from the building. The first care was for his family and then for the records of the school and other personal papers. A part of the records were saved but the library, notes.

manuscripts, all were lost. We saved but little more than the clothes on our backs and a part of the family escaped almost naked. Although the stairway was burning, much might have been saved by cool management. Homes were freely offered the students by the citizens of the town, and we turned from the glowing embers to plan and to prepare for the work of to-morrow. The tall chimneys standing amid the ruins cast weird shadows among the surrounding trees, and by many were regarded as monuments of the proudest work of the Normal. But we looked not to the past and its achievements but to the future, where the star of hope still shines brightly.

"Thursday morning the work of reorganizing was begun. The Rosenberger building on Augusta avenue was rented, and partly furnished. Thursday evening there was a meeting of faculty and students in one of the recitation rooms of the new building. We talked of the past, and planned for the future. All were hopeful and signified their readiness to begin work again with renewed zeal. After invoking divine guidance, and singing "All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name," we adjourned. It was one of those strange meetings that leave lasting impressions.

"Friday we again began work. There was a scarcity of books and no blackboards, but in time they were supplied. Owing to the difficulty and the disappointment in securing furniture the students suffered many inconveniences in the new building, but all without complaining. We are now pleasantly located and school work is moving along as usual. None of our students left us on account of the fire, and others have since come in. The writer can not speak too highly of the loyal assistance of the faculty and the courageous spirit of the students in their determination to make the best of their misfortune during their days of disappointment and trial.

"The citizens have been kind to us. They have rented the buildings we now occupy and supplied many of our immediate wants. Professor Sine, W. A. Bowles of Hotel Brandon, Dr. R. G. Griffith, J. H. Rankin, and H. R. Hicks were especially kind in furnishing homes to the students. The Principal and his family will long remember the kindness of Professor Sine on the night of the fire.

"Early Thursday morning one of the ministers from Waynesboro came to see us. He greeted us with a hearty hand shake and a cheering "God bless you," and in his hand there was the crisp paper that secures comforts everywhere. He was prompted by no ties of friendship, but by the emotions of a common humanity and the precepts of a divine religion. Help was not desired, and such offers of assistance were at first refused, but when they came in various forms and from different sources, we could but accept them in the spirit in which they were sent. We recognize an overruling power in the destruction of our home, and it would be unjust not to acknowledge a beneficent hand in these kind offers of assistance. God sometimes uses human means to accomplish divine ends. Financially our loss was not great, but it was our home, and we lost all. Notes and manuscripts that represented many weary hours of investigation and thought have been destroyed and can never be replaced. Mementoes of the past and gifts of friends in one night are reduced to smoke and ashes, and we go out homeless and almost penniless in the world. We still have hope and courage and take up anew the tangled thread of life and shall press forward to nobler achievements in the future.

"It was not carelessness on our part that the furniture was not insured. We were insured by the agent, but as he assumed authority that did not belong to him we lose what might have been saved from the general ruin.

"We have received many compliments for the promptness with which school work was begun after the fire. We claim no credit for that. We did no more than we would expect the majority of our students to do under similar circumstances. And then it was no time for thought. It was a time for action, prompt and decisive. We had entered into agreements with the students and the faculty, and these must be made good, however great the individual loss. And then there was no way back. When the Normal was organized in 1883 it was our aim to make it equal to any institution of learning in the South, and having put our hands to the plow we could not even look back. It was 'Normal grit' that aided in our organization of the Normal, and it was 'Normal grit' that helped us in this disaster. We are now in a condition to make good all of our advertisements and are already making arrangements for a large attendance when the spring term opens. We mean to furnish accommodations for all who come. From the ruins of our home the Normal rises like the Phoenix of old and will stand pre-eminent among the favored schools of the State. The stars and stripes never floated more majestically in the sweet winds of heaven than when our flag was unfurled to the breeze on Thursday morning to convince those who doubted that the Normal still lived.

"Plans are now being matured by which we will secure more durable buildings and increased facilities for carrying on our work. We look not back but forward. We talk not of the past but of the future. The Normal rises triumphant from the ruins and invites those who look up and aspire to enroll their names among those of the students. If you are backward we will impart knowledge; if you are weak we will give strength; if you are indifferent we will arouse enthusiasm; and if you are discouraged we will inspire life/'

l6 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.

The accommodations thus secured were, of course, only temporary. The problem of finding a new home was now to be solved. The "boom" which, a few years before, had swept through the valley had subsided, and left business in a state of stagnation. Indeed, it may be truthfully asserted that the raid of the "boom" of the early 9o's was no less disastrous than that of Sheridan in '64. In this state of affairs the Land Company was unable to replace the building which had been destroyed. The outlook was by no means encouraging, and a less determined heart would have given up in despair.

After a careful search and thoughtful consideration, a beautiful and healthful location was found and selected at Reliance, Warren county, Va. Ample buildings were at once erected ; and here The Shenandoah Normal College began its new career in the fall of '93; and here it still lives and flourishes, with brighter and ever brightening prospects for the future.

We have sketched thus briefly the history of the school, for it is inseparably connected with the life of its founder; and serves to emphasize, better than anything else could do, his indomitable courage and faith in the final triumph of the right.

As a teacher he was unique, and as an orator he was a man of peculiar power and magnetism. His words, as well as the spirit and enthusiasm with which they were uttered, carried conviction to the heart of him who sat beneath the magic spell. He had that peculiar power, which unfortunately so few public speakers possess, of imparting his own zeal and inspiration to his hearers. Many orators can delight an audience; but he sought not to please but to help. In doing that he did both. Whether one sat beneath the matchless power of his oratory or received instruction from him in the class room, he could not deny the influence and power of his personality.

As a man of business he was prompt and decisive. He did not believe in wasting words. He always knew what he wanted to say, and said it; he quickly decided what he wished to do, and did it without taking counsel of any one. This led him to make mistakes which at times brought down upon him harsh, unrelenting criticism. But this very quality was the strongest element of his genius. Without it his biography would not have been worth writing. As for the criticism, he cared not for that so long as his cherished ideal was being attained; that of helping young men and women to a higher and better life.

As a worker he was untiring. He never knew what it was to have an idle moment. His favorite motto was: "Better to wear out than to rust out." But in avoiding that danger he sometimes went fatally near to the opposite extreme, forgetting that it is also possible to tear out. His zeal too frequently led him to over exertion; the consequences of which are always fatal. Besides teaching seven hours a day, he personally transacted all the business of the school, managing the boarding hall, editing The Normal Index and Teachers' Gazette, delivering frequent lectures, and carrying a heavy correspondence. His mail he frequently carried in his pocket all day before finding time to read it. When going out to lecture, or on any business connected with the school, he deliberately chose a night train, whenever possible, in order to save time. Even then he did not waste a moment, but carried with him some book to read, or a bunch of examination papers to look over and grade.

Thus were spent the active years of this heroic life, until the hand of that dread disease, consumption, was laid upon him, and he was compelled to lay down his self-chosen task. For several years he was unable to do full work, but it was only a few months before his death that he gave up class room work entirely and placed most of the business of the school in other hands. He continued, however, to write letters and "talks" almost to the end. This he did while lying in bed. His last letter to a prospective student was written on April n, 1896; and on Sunday, April 12, death claimed his victim, and the scepter fell from those hands which had wielded it so nobly, to be caught up and wielded by younger hands in accordance with his fondly cherished hope. The student who received that last letter arrived on Monday, in time to see its writer laid aw r ay to rest 'in the little church yard across the road, in sight of the institution which his hands had reared, and which yet forms the proudest monument of his life.

A devoted w T ife and three bright and loving children survive him. Miss Carrie D. Moffett, whom he married on the second of July, 1885, was herself a student of the Normal, and a member of the Teachers' Class of that year. After receiving from his hands the certificate of her graduation she gave her hand to him in marriage; and before that astonished audience, taking the vows which made them one, they started out together upon the untried future — that future which, to use his own favorite expression, was to be so strangely mingled with joy and sorrow, success and failure. In his help-meet he found a truly noble and loving companion; a zealous sharer of all his labors and hopes, a true sympathizer in all his misfortunes and troubles, and a devoted attendant in his affliction. At his death the burden of the school fell upon her shoulders for the remainder of the year, when it was reorganized under a different management. This burden she patiently and faithfully bore, for it was a labor of love. Her address before the thirteenth graduating class is appended to this volume at the earnest solicitation of the writer of this sketch.

We earnestly commend the life and example of G. W. Hoenshel to every aspiring young man and woman. It is the earnest hope of those who are sending out this little volume that all who knew him, and those who did not, may read the inspiring story of his life, and especially his own helpful words in the following pages, and receive new courage and inspiration.

M. L. FEARNOW.

"X-TALKS."

i.

THE CHOICE OF FRIENDS.

The old adage that "birds of a feather flock together" is true. A person is known by the company he keeps. The evil and the good form no intimate associations. Virtue and vice have no dealings with each other. A company of young persons will all become evil or all good. The only way to avoid the influence of evil associates is to keep away from them. Xo one can have evil companions without becoming like them.

I want no better test of a young man's character than to know his associates. When a student enters school he can select his own friends. If he goes with those who always do good work and respect authority we know he is all right, but if he selects his friends from those who neglect their lessons and delight to loaf around the stores with the men of the baser sort in the neighborhood, we know that he needs to be watched. A student always determines his own standing in school by his own conduct. He can stand among the best or stand with the low r - est. As it is in school so is it elsewhere. A person's standing in the community is determined by his associates. When going into a strange place to teach or for any other purpose you cannot be too careful. The people will receive you kindly, and by your associates you will either gain or lose their respect. Don't be in a hurry in selecting your friends. Treat all kindly, be courteous always, be slow in forming friendships. If circumstances should place you among evil associates, avoid them, come out from them. Your character is of too much importance to be imperiled by coming in daily contact with persons of corrupt minds and morals.

In selecting your friends consider well their habits. Avoid those who use tobacco in any form. If you do not smoke it is not pleasant lo be in company with a number of young persons who do smoke. If any of you now use tobacco, stop it. It does you no good; it is expensive, and it is disagreeable to many persons.

Do not select your friends from those who enter saloons or gambling halls. Your friends must not go where you cannot enter. Avoid those who use profane or obscene language. Go not with those who never attend church and who laugh at things sacred. Have no friendship with those who spend more than they earn, and promise more than they can do. .. Keep away from those who, in their dealings with others, disregard the principles of strict integrity. The vain,

MASTERING DIFFICULTIES. 23

the foolish, and the careless can do you no good. Select not your friends from among them.

Choose your friends from those who live as you do, think as you do, and have somewhat the same ideas of life as you have. Congeniality of disposition always makes fast friends. It is not necessary that friends should always agree. In fact it is well some times that they should have different views upon many subjects. It is important that they should be candid and sincere; more desirous for truth than contention. When two persons earnestly seek for truth, they cannot be far apart.

But if you would have friends you must be true to your friends. You must be worthy of friendship, and endeavor to be a help and an inspiration to all. "The friends you have tried and their adoption proved, bind to thyself with hooks of steel/'

II. Mastering Difficulties

The great object of a student's life is to learn to master difficulties. It is not intended that school work should be easy. Were the teachers to solve all the difficult problems it would do you no good — you would obtain no strength. School life is a time for labor and not for pleasure. Were it possible for me to remove the difficulties from your way, I would not do so.

I delight in giving you hard lessons. I like to see you do your best. I would rather you would fail in recitation after faithful study, than depend upon some other person to do the work for you. We obtain strength only by doing that which requires exertion. To do only that which is easy tends to weaken us.

I am aware that you are inclined to think that the work is sometimes too difficult. That may be so. It may not be possible for you to master all the difficulties that come up in school work, but you can always do your best. To try earnestly, even though you do not succeed, will make you stronger. It is not expected that you can master all things. What I would especially urge upon you is to form the habit of mastering as you go. One lesson well learned will make the next one easier, while a neglected lesson will render others more difficult. If you leave difficulties behind you, you cannot tell when they may cause you trouble; for they will be sure to overtake you sometime. The wise general leaves no enemy behind him when he invades a country.

You know not what you can accomplish until you try. Many things that now seem impossible to you will seem easy when you put forth the proper effort. Each day has its own duty, and doing well the work before you will enable you to master all difficulties. The danger is in the first neglect of duty. Form the habit of always doing your best. Review each day's work, but

MASTERING DIFFICULTIES. 25

do not worry over the result. This is a time of preparation for life's work. How well you prepare for each day's duty will determine how w T ell you will succeed in your chosen work. Every difficult problem solved, or sentence translated, will make you stronger.

Many persons do not know how to study. A student once remarked to me that he had read his lessons over six times and did not know them. What a waste of time and energy! He did not study. He might read a lesson over twenty times in the same manner and still not know anything about it. Too often a student attempts to prepare a lesson and think about something else at the same time. A few minutes of hard study will accomplish more than hours of careless reading. Concentration is the secret of intellectual strength. Devote all your energies to the lessons before you. Think about nothing else. One careful reading and study of a lesson ought to enable you to master all the important points. Do not attempt to study any lesson when you are thinking of something else. It is simply a w r aste of time. Form the habit of controlling your mind. Do not build air castles when you ought to be studying. Bring all your faculties to bear upon the subject before you, and many of the difficulties will soon disappear. It is possible to take a piece of ice and so concentrate the rays of the sun as to cause fire. So the energies of the mind may be concentrated until the impossible is almost accomplished. Master yourself. Do not be discouraged until you are sure you have done your best.

Hard study is the way to make a lesson easy. Do not deceive yourselves by using keys and translations. Strength comes only from undivided exertion. If, while in school, you form the habit of relying upon others, it will be an element of weakness to you at the. time when it is most important for you to be strong. The only way to overcome difficulties is to master them. When the king brought his son to the Grecian philosopher to have him taught geometry, and asked that the work might be made easier for him than for others, because he was of noble birth, the philosopher replied, that there is no royal road to geometry, that those who would acquire the knowledge must put forth the effort. If you would enjoy the pleasures of a student's life, conquer self. Yield not to difficulties, and do well the work of each day.

III. Choosing A Profession

Every person can do some one thing well. Failure is not always an indication of weakness. It is frequently the result of engaging in the wrong work. Those who fail at one thing might succeed at something else. Success in life de-

CHOOSING A PROFESSION. 27

pends to a very great extent upon the correct choice of a profession. It is not always easy for a young person to choose a profession, and yet it is important that a choice should be made early in life. Each one of you should labor for some special purpose. If you have not selected your life's work, let me urge you to do so now. It will give you strength and make success more certain. Many young persons waste the best years of life by simply drifting.

As a rule, you will succeed best at the work you like to do. Before selecting a profession study yourself well. You should know wherein you are weak and in w T hat you are strong. Then consider well the requirements of the various professions, and you will not likely make a mistake. I do not regard one work more honorable than another. The honor is not in the profession, but in the man. There is something ennobling in doing any work well. It is far better for you to succeed in the most humble vocation than to fail in an honorable profession.

There are no soft places in life. There is no royal road to success in any profession. Those who have good positions and large salaries are the men who work. To-day every profession is crowded. There are teachers who have no positions, ministers who receive no call, lawyers who have no clients, and physicians who have no patients. Don't make a mistake. You can rise only by hard work. Unless you can stand among the first, it would not be wise for you to enter a profession. You know your strength and the difficulties in the way. Determine to rise or enter not at all. You will find room only at the top. If you make no mistake you will succeed. Look not back, but go forward.

There is a demand for men in all the various professions of life — strong men — men who can take the lead and mark out the course of the world's progress. There is a demand for good ministers, wise lawyers, and successful physicians. There is a wide field of usefulness to the young man who has the strength to go forward and overcome the obstacles in the way. The world is ready to receive its master. Within the past few years wonderful discoveries have been made in the science of medicine, and yet greater developments and improvements in the treatment of disease will yet be made. In all professions there is room for improvement. To him who takes the lead will be granted the honor of a successful career.

Not every one can succeed in a profession. Many a good farmer is spoiled to make a poor preacher. There is no honor in being a secondclass anything. If you have not the requirements to succeed in a profession, engage in some vocation. Do your work well; fill your place in the world full. Honest effort on your part will make any work ennobling. In whatever work you engage do your best.

SELF-CONFIDENCE. 29

In many vocations there is a demand for leaders. This is especially true in mechanical occupations. The young man who is familiar with electrical science is sure of a position at good wages. There is an opportunity, also, for the young man who desires to enter upon a business career. A vocation is no more exacting than a profession, while in many cases the pay is much greater. Work well done will always bring its reward.

While I would advise you to select early your work in life, don't be in a hurry to engage in a profession. It pays to prepare well for any work. If you are ready to begin well between twentyfive and thirty years of age, the time devoted to preparation has been well spent. The competition is great, and you will have need of all your energy. Many persons fail because they lack preparation. In their haste they lose all. They are weak when they might be strong. Choose your profession wisely, secure thorough preparation, strive earnestly to lead and you need give yourself no concern as to the result.