Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1878-08-23
aOBERLIN DEPRAyITY.o $
why the CIeIzens Of OBeFlin object GO
H7lIIard Eal0Ohs. etc.

As ths, Cleveland. Herald has a pretty
large circulation among your own numer-
Gus readers permit me through your col
umns to correct some erroneous impressions
which several of its recent articles may
have produced intkeir minds concerning
OberliR's attitude in the billiard war. The
articles referred to, are evidently written
by one who is both correspondent and
member of the editorial staff; for the
Lakeside letter and the editorial on Ober-
lin Deprsvity as well as some more recent
ones on billiards and erOquet bear unmis-
taxable evidence of having emanated from
the same vivacious pen.
Every one acquainted with the early his
tory of 0berlin, knows that its very be-
ginning was its college. Oberlin was the
college and the college was Oberlin. With
out the Institution The site of the present
town would probably haYe been somebody's
dairy farm, with perhaps, cheese factory
where the college chapel now stands. 1t
certainly could not have been a town, for
it has neither mining, manufacturing or
commercial facilities for building up q
town. No business can thrive here that is
not more or less intimately connected with
the college. 1t was planted in the forest,
purpcsely alOof frSm all allurements from
study. 1t was meant to be and to continue
remote from all haunts of idleness, immor-
ity and vice. From the beginning, its
founders, officers, and faculty have been
united in their purpose to provide for
young men and women Of every nationality
the best possible facilities for broad,
thorough Christian education. To this
end every avenue Of dissipation has been
earefnlly guarded, horseraeing, circus and
theatrical performances, negro minstrelsy
and beer saloons have been rigidly excluded.
To- college with such an atmosphere
and community with such moral tone,
Christian and even infdel parents have
confidently committed their sons and
daughters to be educated. Their inereas-
ed numbers have demanded and produced
corresponding facilities for support, and
now, as in its infancy, the town finds its
business interests insepsrable from the col
lege. Its twelve hundred students must
be sheltered, and capitalists build dwell
ings and live on their rents. They must
be fed, and grocery stores and meat shops
spring up on every hand to supply this
want. They must be clothed and dry
goods, clothing, and shoe stores are built
and stocked. They must have books, sta
tionery and music, hence bookstores be-
come a necessity. They must have physi-
clans. dentist, BARRIERS, dressmakers, millIner
and laundrywomen. They must have fuel
and lights, umbrellas, canes, fans, and per-
fumes. They must have sittings in church
and boxes in the postofiees. In every di-
rection the interests Of the college and Of
the community are so inseparsbly joined
that blow at either strikes both. A weak
President and incompetent Faculty would
be death to the town, and vicious COM
munity death to the college. All clear
headed and right-minded citizens see this
and cheerfully co-operated with the college,
authorities in their efforts to keep the NOR
al atmosphere of the place such as will
eonduce to the moral health and growth of
both citizens and Students
But it would be strange if there were not
here as elsewhere, some malcontents.
Fortunately they are few; but there are
some who think the college made too
much of, the Faculty needlessly particu-
lar. They say that other towns of the esize
Of this have saloons and billiard halls,
and there is no use in fighting against it
any longer, that young men will smoke
and drink and gamble little and why so
much ado about little innocent amuse-
mont and q few wild oats. They think
that it is quite time Oberlin outgrew her
peculiarities and took things little easier,
To the support of just this class who
would cast of the wholesome restraints to
which the young people of the place have
been subject; who would open the doors Of
temptation just little way; who would
have the Faculty not quite so suspicious
of new enterprises that seek establishment
here, and the municipal officers not quite
so severe in their enactments nor so Tigor-
Gus in their endorsements; who would
see the whole moral tone let down so as to
make it little more comfortable for the
unserupulous-to the support Of this class
the Cleveland Herald comes.
This he does by ridicuhng the measures
taken to keep the town free from corrupt
ing influences, heaping Odium on the peo-
pie themselves and sneering at their high
toned morality. He not only takes occa-
sion but makes opportunity for it. At
Lakeside he pays a fifteen cent gate fee
the same as in 0berlin for a game Of bill
lizards. He is evidently full Of his subject
and the connection is close in his own mind.
He is unhappy at Lakeside; having smoked
his last cigar he finds to his great disgust,
that none can be bought on the grounds.
No stronger drink than lemonade or ginger
pop is sold there, and on Sunday not even
these, everything is closed up at ten o'clock
and people retire. All hisstrictness which
makes his stay kind Of dreary imprison-
ment, is to accommodate the over-pious
notions of Oberlin people. He pays his
fee and escapes from Lakeside. His part
ing advice to the Lakeside organization is,
to be little less strict in their regulations
or they will suffer financially.
When this corresponding editor comes
to Oberlin he combs his hair in front Of his
ears in clerical style lest he shock the good
people by his air Of city worldliness. The
lady visitors at the saloon bestows depre-
ciating glances as he calls for his inebriat-
ing pop. The nefarious billiard den ne
finds presided over by bold bad man, a
desperate from Elyria, who is nevertheless
the miIdest hammered man, a beardless
youth who is evidently unconscious otthe
Nervousness Of his occupation. A whole
column might be quoted to show with what
L. Al l.