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| Selected Speeches |
| The Church of Haile Selassie I, Inc. |
| Chapter I - Part 1 |
| Laying Cornerstone, Arts Building Sep. 23, 1963 |
| Higher Education |
| ... Man cannot live by bread alone. Man, after all, is also compsed of intellect and soul ... |
| Selected Speeches |
Education develops the intellect; and the intellect distinguishes man from
other creatures. It is education that enables man to harness nature and
utilize her resources for the well-being and improvement of his life. The
key for the betterment and completeness of modern living is education.
But, "Man cannot live by bread alone." Man, after all, is also composed of
intellect and soul. Therefore, education in general, and higher education in
particular, must aim to provide, beyond the physical, food for the intellect
and soul. That education which ignores man's intrinsic nature, and
neglects his intellect and reasoning power cannot be considered true
education.
A well organized education should not be one which prepares students for
a good remuneration alone. It should be one that can help and guide them
towards acquiring clear thinking, a fruitful mind, and an elevated spirit.
The educated person that Ethiopia and countries of her level needs is not
one who wants stuffed bits of knowledge into his mind. The needed
educated individual is one who uses the ideas he obtained from his
lectures, books, and discussions to the best advantage of his own country
and his own people. It is he who disseminates new ideas in harmony with
the economic and social aspects of his own community so that fruitful
results would be realized. this is the educated person who can sho
segments of knowledge he accumulated in his learning, inventiveness in a
new situation.
Ethiopia is a country with her own cultures and more. These, our cultures
and customs, more than being the legacy of our historical past, are
characteristics of our Ethiopianness. We do not want our legacies and
traditions to be lost. Our wish and desire is that education develop, enrich,
and modify them.
You all know the contiuous effort that Ethiopia is exerting for the
development of a profoud and high standard education. We need educated
and trained persons for research, for the study and development of our
country's resources, for technology, for medicine, for the law, and the
administration for our people according to their custom. These are the
needs that constrain Us to provide, at all levels, education free of charge.
And students, ever mindful of this privilege, should endeavour to
recompense their country and nation.
The opportunity for education, afforded to the few in our country, is not
given to them for a fashion or a mode. It is given for a purpose, for a
task, for a high responsibility, for full and exhaustive use, for the benefit
of our country, and the generation.
We have just explained to you the type of result, and responsibility that We
expect from you students. It is on you, the members of the faculty that
We must rely for this result. We realize the heavy respnsibility We have
entrusted to you. We hope that you too, while beliveivng and accepting
your responsibilities as your sacred duties, will produce for Ethiopia
persons who take pride in you and their education and are ready for the
call of service.
It is you who must mould the minds of your students -- that they may be
wise, farsighted, intelligent, profound in their thinking, devoted to their
country and governement and fruitful in their work. It is you who must
serve as the example. On their part also, they will have to learn not only
formal education but also self-discipline that should be worthy to be
inherited. May the Almighty God be with you in the fulfillment of your
duties.
other creatures. It is education that enables man to harness nature and
utilize her resources for the well-being and improvement of his life. The
key for the betterment and completeness of modern living is education.
But, "Man cannot live by bread alone." Man, after all, is also composed of
intellect and soul. Therefore, education in general, and higher education in
particular, must aim to provide, beyond the physical, food for the intellect
and soul. That education which ignores man's intrinsic nature, and
neglects his intellect and reasoning power cannot be considered true
education.
A well organized education should not be one which prepares students for
a good remuneration alone. It should be one that can help and guide them
towards acquiring clear thinking, a fruitful mind, and an elevated spirit.
The educated person that Ethiopia and countries of her level needs is not
one who wants stuffed bits of knowledge into his mind. The needed
educated individual is one who uses the ideas he obtained from his
lectures, books, and discussions to the best advantage of his own country
and his own people. It is he who disseminates new ideas in harmony with
the economic and social aspects of his own community so that fruitful
results would be realized. this is the educated person who can sho
segments of knowledge he accumulated in his learning, inventiveness in a
new situation.
Ethiopia is a country with her own cultures and more. These, our cultures
and customs, more than being the legacy of our historical past, are
characteristics of our Ethiopianness. We do not want our legacies and
traditions to be lost. Our wish and desire is that education develop, enrich,
and modify them.
You all know the contiuous effort that Ethiopia is exerting for the
development of a profoud and high standard education. We need educated
and trained persons for research, for the study and development of our
country's resources, for technology, for medicine, for the law, and the
administration for our people according to their custom. These are the
needs that constrain Us to provide, at all levels, education free of charge.
And students, ever mindful of this privilege, should endeavour to
recompense their country and nation.
The opportunity for education, afforded to the few in our country, is not
given to them for a fashion or a mode. It is given for a purpose, for a
task, for a high responsibility, for full and exhaustive use, for the benefit
of our country, and the generation.
We have just explained to you the type of result, and responsibility that We
expect from you students. It is on you, the members of the faculty that
We must rely for this result. We realize the heavy respnsibility We have
entrusted to you. We hope that you too, while beliveivng and accepting
your responsibilities as your sacred duties, will produce for Ethiopia
persons who take pride in you and their education and are ready for the
call of service.
It is you who must mould the minds of your students -- that they may be
wise, farsighted, intelligent, profound in their thinking, devoted to their
country and governement and fruitful in their work. It is you who must
serve as the example. On their part also, they will have to learn not only
formal education but also self-discipline that should be worthy to be
inherited. May the Almighty God be with you in the fulfillment of your
duties.
| Haile Selassie the First - September 23, 1963 |
| Ba Beta Kristiyan Haile Selassie I |
| Ba Beta Kristiyan Haile Selassie I |