The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-12-27
SMALL COLLEGES.

A writer in the Nation presents al argu
ment for the smaller and younger colleges
which commends itself to the friends of edu'
cation in this latitude. He says:
If college were of no use but to furnish
facilities for education to students, it might
be best, were it possible, to abolish some
sores of the smaller ones, and give their
property to the larger to increase their eff
cheney. But a college has other uses, and
the philosophical citizens of our new and
growing communities are quick to see this,
although some of our best writer's on educa-
ton seem strar gely TO overlook it. They
see that the cities and towns which grow up
about a college are ordinarily places gilmore
culture, refinement and moral purity than
others; that superior men are attracted to
them with their families; that persons of
better character are recognized as leaders of
society, and influences of all kinds have 9
higher tone A college, even though it be
small, is civilizing and enlightening power
for the community where it stands, and the
surrounding country, and such power is
needed to counterfeit the sordid and down.
ward tendencies which are always operating.
A people engrossed in the pursuit of wealth
need reminders of the intellectual life which
they shall see and feel daily; and what re.
minder is there like college, with its library
and museum and laboratory, and its men de-
voted to intellectual pursuits? The smaller
colleges have local power which can hard
ly be- supplied by anything else, and that
power could not be tranSferred-it would be
lost.
1t is often assumed that the students of
the small colleges would go to the larger
ones if these did not exist. This is not 80,
think. Most of them would not have been
awakened to the value of an education, or
to the practicabilty of acquiring it, if the
college had not been near. Some would,
but comparatively few. The small colleges
draw TO them men who would otherwise have
remained farmers, mechanics and tradesmen,
or taken the short cut to professional life
Most of those who would have gone to the
larger colleges do 60, IS they are attracted to
them by the superior advantages they afford.
Furthermore, the students of the small col
leges receive an impulse to further and high
err education after their graduation. Appre'
Ciating the fact that their opportunities have
not BEEN the best, they set about making up
the deficiency And so very fair proportion
of them will be found in the post graduate or
professional departments of our largest col
ieges, and not few at the universities of
Europe.
Come down to the facts in the case, and it
will be seen that the small colleges are doing
much more for education in our country than
they have credit for. They are the pioneers
and subscribers, keeping alive" to use your
own expressive words, that devotion to in
work which is the salt of material
civilization, and without which it would soon
become putrescent mass and this in re-
gions where there is little else to keep such
devotion alive. 1t is more necessary, after
all, to awaken the love of intellectual pur-
suits in the people than to provide an appre-
cia,ive few with the amplest facilities for
learning; and in this the smallest colleges are
doing their full share.