270 ADDRESSES AND STATE PAPERS

thoughtful reflection as a meaningful prerequisite to action; while for
the uninvolved, educated hermit it serves as nothing but a meaningless
meditation.

"I think therefore I am, " says Descartes, but the man who thinks
with a purpose is alive and the man who drives his mind to no purpose
but himself is, for all intent and purpose, dead among us. Where is the
real difference between the uneducated savage groping in the dark and
the educated recluse who reads his books and turns off the light?
Certainly it is determined disinterest by those who should be most in-
terested and most determined that has caused the light to fail in the
past decades and shine pale upon us today.

The fifth evidence of educated man, I quote in full: "As a fifth evi-
dence of education I name efficiency... the power to do! The time
has long since gone by, if it ever was, when contemplation pure and
simple, withdrawal from the world and its activities, or intelligent in-
competence was a defensible ideal of education. Today the truly edu-
cated man must be, in some sense, efficient. With brain, tongue, or
hand he must be able to express his knowledge, and so leave the world
other than he found it. Do something and be able to do it well; ex-
press What you know in some helpful and substantial form; produce,

and do not everlastingly feel... and revel in feelings. These are the
counsels which make for a real education and against that sham form
of it which is easily recognized as well informed incapacity. "

THE POWER TO DO! Isn't this the important thing about educa-
tion? Perhaps even the only thing?

The inspiration for commitment, the motivation for involvement,
since we admit it is not necessarily a natural outfall of education, could
come from other sources. It could come from the home, the church,
the school, and it could indeed come from government.

Too often the young graduate entering public life becomes discour-
aged before he even has the chance to learn what the real rewards can
be. Full of ideas and boundless energy he finds himself trapped on the
edge of some bureaucratic limb and, after a few years, we lose him. It
happens, and we would be deluding ourselves if we denied it.

I propose that we begin more positively to look at the idea of giving
our finest young minds a better chance to serve the people through
government. We have a Peace Corps and we have a Job Corps. Why
not, in Maryland, a Graduate Corps to bring our most promising