Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1860-09-28
N. p. Willis on Antioch College, where
Persons of both Sexes are Admitted.

In the last Home Journal Mr. Willis gives
an interesting account of his observations il
recent visit to Antioch College, Ohio The
influence Of each sex, he says, upon the man
ners and habits of each other, is found to hs
refining, as well as stimulative OF the higliel
ambitions though, naturally, the effect il
stronger upon the older than upon the young
er students. No restraint, beyond that o
absolute propriety, is put upon their inter
course. The recitations and lectures are, O
course, in common; but so also arc the meals
the refectory being arranged with small Ia
bles, at which they form their own parties OF
four or six, eating and conversing together
with the freedom Of acquaintances in a res
taurant. Out of stu ly hours they associat.
as they please, often forming picnics and
finding amusement in the beautiful scenery
Of the neighborhood, and mingllng much with
the society around Preferences and attach
mcnts are inevitable, of course, but these
honorably pursued, are not discouraged O,
intertered with; and, though undergraduate,
marriages are not common, particularly
while the lady is a "Freshman,") one instance
has occurred of husband and wife taking theil
degrees as Bachelors of Art" at the sam,
Commencement. One couple of "best schol
ars, who had become attached while "Se
niors," and married after graduating return
cd to the College to become each Profcs
sOr. The Faculty seem to act upon the
principle as safely established, that love is
only an explosive and dangerous clement
when bottled up too tightly, and that free in
tercourse between intellectually employed
persons OF both sexes, results in greater re-
finement certainly-matrimony possibly
very rarly in mutual injury.
1t should be mentioned, perhaps, that the
gentle sex has one special officer, matron >
who regulates personal habits by pr siding
over the " dormtory,' or separate college
building where the female students lodge
and that the present incumbent of this Office
Mrs. Paine, a New England matron, is exer
cising very marked influence on the College
by her singular efficiency and good Judgment
The great purpOsc-to gire the mothers of tht
West a Hberat etlucation--is thus prevented
from having the possible drawback of " schol
arly sloveliness." The wcll-known fact that
this is the cheapest place of education in the
world suggests its advantages as within reach
to class humber in life, but with its share
OF noble natures and among those last men
toned we should certainly number one young
woman who is at present successfully pursu,
ing her studies at the College, but who came
there withdde means, and soon found a way
to support herself by hiring as cook to a fam
lily in the neighborhood. There is Spartan
quality in this which tells well as an incident
at the "Alma Mater" of new county,
One rather droll instance of pioneer adapta-
bility is relatcd-a clergyman "cut Vest
having written to the faculty to say that he
had quite family of boys and girls whom he
should like to have educated and wishing to
know whether he couldn't get Job of
preaching, round there, to pay their expen-
SeS"