SUBSTANCE AND SHADOW

Manawatu Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 2560, 18 December 1924, Page 7

SUBSTANCE AND SHADOW

Pursuit of Pleasure and Happiness

A GOAL ALWAYS ON THE

HORIZON

Dll PITT SPEAKS OK LIFE. “If there is a problem Avith which the Avorld has failed to grapple, it is that of the difference .between pleasure and happiness, for there is a difference. The little passing things of life arc mistaken for happiness, but are in reality duly pleasures,” This declaration Avas the keynote of a particularly fine address by Dr A. B. Fitt, X 3 Tofessor of Education, Auckland University College at the annual prize-giving function of the Palmerston North Boys’ High School last evening.

In speaking of life, particularly as it related to the career of the secondary school boy, Dr Fitt, who is an old boy of the Palmerston North school, assured his audience that he did not wish any boy’s career to be chosen for him. On the contrary, each boy should choose his own vocation, but whe’n the choice was made every endeavour should be made towards the attainment of the highest. In this work, the school motto “Nothing of value without toil,” was an excellent guide, and .should ever be in the mind of the industrious student. Having chosen the ideal, the student should gather all his forces add be vigorous, and earnest in the pursuit; then his life would bo formed smoothly and satisfactorily. Passing Pleasure —And the Goal. The speaker expounded the doctrine of work —of unceasing effort. “Do not stop for one moment,” he said “This may seem exaggerated, but we ca'nnot afford to stop for a moment once we have chosen our life. Nothing stands still iB life. Everything moves and we go cither backward or forward. You must keep on.” It was then that the Doctor referred to the difference between happiness and pleasure, and said happiness was achievement of an object which had been chosen, while pleasure was merely picked upon the way to happiness, and found to bo of no lasting value. He likened life to Maeterlinck’s description of the search for the Blue Bird, and urged the boys not to become daunted because they did not always encounter pleasures on the way to happiness. "Some of our greatest distresses,” he continued, “come with the recollection that there is> at the back of them something higher to strive for. The palm not without the dust of conflict! The end is never reached; it is always a little further on; and so we find that we get on best when we are pushing this object on before us. The Vigorous Rolling- Stone. “In life, we either wear out, or rust out. Plenty of people arc allowing themselves to rust out; thus taking the world farther away from any attainment. Do not let yourselves rust out. Make it your motto to -wear out.” It had been proverbially stated that rolling stones gathered no moss, but in a sense the gathering of moss was not a desirable achievement. Rather was it desirable to become a vigorous rolling stone, to push on to gather very little moss, which was inclined to bo dangerous. Far from delving into many different walks of life with no definite object, the youth should roll steadily onward towards a set goal. The chief good was derived from the work itself. It was the fight which made life worth while; it was the giving of oneself to the community and the struggle to help that gave supreme satisfaction in the end. “Happiness comes from the gradual attainment of some object in life,” the .speaker concluded, “and if you boys choose this.course—and not allow yourselves 1o become laggards you will find that your life will be crowned with infinite satisfaction at the attainment of your goal.”

At the conclusion of his address, the doctor was accorded a vote of thanks on the motion of Air J. W. Rutherfurd. iOn the motion of Mr M. H. Oram, teh rector and staff wete accorded a vote of thanks.