Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1873-04-11
eruDENT EXPERIENCES.
BY PCsLIUs.

u,
college. looked upon colleges as unreal
hings. had heard and read much about
them. but never having seen one,
con,s scarcely look upon them as things
that really exist had looked upon s'u-
dent life as q kind of ideal life which it
xss impossible for ordinary mortals to
attain to. Though | had always desired
and hoped TO attend college at some time
hardly dared TO think it possible for
suen being ss myself to enjoy snch =
privilege.
Al last I saw a college. vas con
vinc.d that it was . re:i thing, for my
ewes could not deceive me. There it was.
large stone building four stories high ;
Fl ON ito lofty dome heard the pesls of
its huge bell; heard the echoes in the
distant hills. | saw the students 90 they
engaged in their boyish sports. looked
upon them with sort Of reverence. feel
ing that they were favored nortAls.
supposed that in shem dwelt almost &ll
knowledge. A, length entered college
| entered upon life At college with much
fear and trembling. | we'll knew that
had no remarkable talent, xnd feared to
hs brought into contact with those whom
| supposed were endowed with great nat
ural gifts. was, nevertheless, deter
mined to proceed, and, directing all my
effort TO the work in hsad. 30 make az
much progress as could. l hardly dared
to hope that l should DO abs to compsts
with my companions, yet concluded to
do az we'll as could. Il. a
| found myself ia q strange place, sur
rounded by strange people, and having
strange duties to perform. had, Of
course, attended common schools: but
there was vast differences between shese
schools and college. While attending
common school, stadenss live with their
parents and are in no sense shus out from
the activities Of real life. At college, on
the contrary, students are usually separ
ale from home and friends, and are to 8
very great extent shut out from the busy
world. This college is little world in
itself In it there exists q public genti
ment, differing entirely from the common
sentiment of the outside world yet pub
lie opinion exists there just, az certainly
rs il does in practical life and this opin-
ion takss forms which are just are pos
tive and anmIistkksbls as the forms
which public opinion assumes elsewhere
do not intend TO say thst there 10 no
sympsthy between the college world and
the world outside, for there 10 in many
respects q deep sympathy, in many res
poets there 10 q similarity, but ssy that
students being in peculiar circumstances,
must of necessity have peculiar opinions.
They mast be controlled by such laws and
regulations as meet the requirements OF
their condition. AS students have glass
of duties to perform differing in many res.
poets from the duties of practicals life,
they must have rules to guide them in
the performance Of these duties, and in
their intercourse with ono another.
It is thought by SONS that by being
placed in such conditions young persons
are untitled for the duties of practical life !:
but think any one who will tsks pains
10 inQuirs into the matter, viii find that il
is not ;rue: for while there is in eoliegs
public sentiment differing from that of
the outside world, there ID also public
sentiment which is common. Ths indie
pendent sentiment is one that arises Of
necessity from the condition Of the
student. Il is not in opposition TO the
general public sentiment, but is samsshing
which college life, and college life alone,
demands. Il Is necessity and not q
choice. =. o.
Calumet Michigan.