President Robert H. Wright's Opening Speech, Fall 1911
This convocation was given by Robert Wright in September 1911 and addressed such issues as education, dedication and the role of the teacher in society.
This and other speeches may be found in Record Group CH1050, Series 2, Subseries 1, Box 1, Folder 2, in the University Archives.
Citation for this speech: Wright, Robert H. "To the Students of ECTTS," September 1911, CH1050-2, University Archives, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC.
To the Students of the ECTTS
By Robert H. Wright
It is with peculiar pleasure that I stand before this large body of prospective teachers this morning to welcome you to school established by our state to train young men and women to teach in the public schools of North Carolina. It is said as you approach at night some of the thrifty, live, wide-awake towns you see in blazing electric lights "Watch____Grow." We wish you not only to watch ECTTS grow but to help us to grow. This marks the beginning of our third year and the enrollment is greater than ever before in the history of our school for the 3rd day of the fall term.
I am glad to see so many familiar faces with us. I am glad so many of our former students are able to return to us for further instruction; you are twice and thrice welcome to these halls. May this prove to you the very best year you have ever spent in school. Many of our former students are not with us but are facing the stern realities of practical life. Of these, seventeen are graduates of this institution. 
Last May we gave diplomas to thirteen, during the summer we added four to the list. You see from this that this school stands, not for so many years residence held, but for so much work successfully completed. These seventeen young women have the stamp of the school's approval in the form of a diploma. We confidently expect them to make seventeen of the best teachers in our state. Many others, for a lack of funds or for other causes are teaching in our state.All are doing better work than they could have done without the training they received at the hands of the faculty of this school.
To you young women who are here for the first time let me say you are indeed welcome. The management of the school, the faculty of the school, the literary societies, YWCA and every other organization in the school is glad to welcome you.
Many of you are away from home for the first time. Everything is new to you. You will miss your homepeople.I would not give much for you if you did not. Some of you will think of going home. I would not give anything for you if you do go. Love your home, but love it with that womanhood that impels you to make the most possible of your life.
The safety of the American Republic is based upon the love of the home that is deep-seated in the hearts of the American people. Recently a man attempted to defame the good name of the lady of the house in one of our American homes and the gentleman of the house gave him a severe thrashing. The defamer took the case to court and the judge dismissed the case with these words, "You deserved the beating you got." This means the home is protected by the law and should be loved by all right-thinking citizens.
To you home is the best place on earth and it should be. May your stay here be a credit to that home. May you so live one and all that each day here will add honor to that home. Many are the sacrifices being made by loving parents to keep you here. May you at all times act as one worthy of the sacrifice. And may you have womanhood enough to bend every energy to each duty and thus develop for you the highest type of womanhood.
Your stay here is primarily for the knowledge you will acquire. "Knowledge is Power." But let me say to you today knowledge alone may be power in the wrong direction. Each human being has an individuality, a personality that colors, shapes and enters into everything that person attempts.I have known a woman to go into a new environment and make a reputation as a singer and as soon as her personality became known her reputation as a singer was lost.Not that she could not sing as well as before. No, the personality destroyed the art. I have known people who at first in an unknown environment were dismal failures, but when their character became known they became a great power. Personality adds to or subtracts from the power that comes through knowledge. In the spirit of the school you will find the real force that helps to make successes or failures of the lives of those who attend the school.
Why are you here? Why did you not select some other school? There is springing up each year from the great field of the public and the graded schools in our state many who are to be transplanted to the institutions for higher learning that they may grow into the perfect plans intended by the Great God of this universe. Each institution stands preeminently for some one thing and it is this that draws young men and women to it. This particular institution stands for but one thing. It has but one mission and every energy is bent to that one purpose:
To make more efficient teachers for the schools of North Carolina
The fact of your presence here is evidence that you intend to become a teacher, than which I think there is no higher calling given to man, for was not Christ himself known as the Great Teacher?
What is the spirit of the true teacher? Is it to make money? Not that. The teacher's reward is not her bank account. Is it honor and renown at the hands of his fellow man? Not that. Too often the world speaks of us in sneering terms as "only teachers." What then, is the spirit of true teaching? Is it not a burning desire that goes out of the soul toward young struggling humanity to help them to a higher and a nobler plane of living? Is it not alone a desire to fight the demon of ignorance with bookish knowledge but a burning desire on the part of one soul to help other souls to higher and nobler living? It is the spirit of the second Command that God gave to man to subdue the earth "and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moved upon the earth." The soul of the true teacher must be filled with the milk of human kindness. There must be a love for one’s fellow man. The reward of the teacher is in the lives of those taught. Once life turned by you into that path that enables it to reach its most perfect stage of development is worth more than all the salary you will ever draw.
As I look out over the vast sea of humanity spread out over this great state of ours, and as I realize the future prosperity and happiness of our people depends upon the schools of our state -- our teachers if you will, then as I turn to the teaching force and see how inadequate is the preparation offered or requires my heart aches within me. But when I glance back and see where we stood five years ago and where we stand today, my heart is made glad within me. We are a great people and in the near future we are going to do many great things. In this forward movement of our people you, young women, are to occupy a most important place. You are here to prepare yourselves for the tasks that will soon confront you. We are here to help you as best we may. Enter into the spirit of the school and let the spirit of the school enter into you. Put into this year your best and this year will enlarge that self.
