The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1882-07-13
[Cincinnati Commercial

diversions OF fOung MEN at COilege.
In spite of the labored and circum-
spect letters that fond parents receive
from their hopeful sons at college; of
the severe intellectually which we
have been taught to believe pervades
every institution Of learning; of the
formidable curriculum; Of the awful
gravity of the learned Faculty; yes,
even Of the meager bodies and lack
luster expressions of our youth upon
their release from these intellectual
cloisters, there are some faint reasons
for belief that college life has its COM
pensations, if not its amenities. In
deed, it has been vaguely whispered
that student life is not strictly life
of dpprivations; and some have gone
so far as to assert that young men at
college may be quite as gay and frol-
icsome as elsewhere.
People seek to believe that which is
agreeable, and so we shall give an in
dulgent ear to these pleasing reports;
for it certainly would afford much
pain to think that the physical nature
Of the young American is being
dwarfed for the sake of his mental ma
ture. 1t is well enough to talk of
Latin and Greek and metaphysics as
the essentials of education, but we
want to know how these are to give a
healthy appetite for dinner or to make
the frame robust. They never can do
so, and the only physical changes that
they can effect in youth is to make
the eye expressionless, to stoop the
shoulders and to slacken the gait.
And so it is with satisfaction that
we hear that, in all the substantial in
stitutions Of learning, the young stu
dents are leaving their dry books and
dryer lectures to organize boating and
base ball clubs; that cricket is played,
and that the exhilarating exercise of
polo is cultivated. When we read
telegram stating that 'the base ball
clubs Of Harvard and Williams played
yesterday an exciting game Of twelve
innings" we are delighted, and con-
gratulate ourselves that so much more
vital energy has been gained for the
youth of the country. When we
learn that "the Oxford Eng Boating
Club is about to sail for America to
compete with the Yale Club" our
heart swells with patriotic pride, and
we confidently await the announce
ment that the United States has
gained another great victory over pre-
sumptuous Britain.
Not only are we gratifed to think
that our University youth are gaining
so much that is practically beneficial,
but we are pleased, nay rejoiced, to
know that their student life, far from
being monotonous, is one round of
constant delights. The other day a
young friend Of ours (the son of a
Cincinnati banker and millionaire,
just returned from Harvard, gave US a
glowing description of the very sue
cessful society season which had just
terminated at that fashionable resort
He, with a Cincinnati chum, had
"gone on last September, taken a
special" course of French and ethics,
fitted up apartments in elegant style
at an expense Of $400 each, and devot-
ed the fall, winter and spring to occu-
pations such as become young gentle
men in pursuit Of an education. We
have no doubt that they were eminent
ly successful.
1t would be pity if, after all the
excellent opportunities that young
fellows enjoy at college in social
way, they did not become smart, face
tious and clever. And, to the credit
Of collegiate education, be it said, so
| indeed thew are. Numberless are the
stories told of their accomplishments,
and so very convincing are the Incl
dents related Of college humor, that
we may safely lay it down as a gener-
al rule that your university man is
your only wit.
We do not know how many times
we have grown purple in the face, OF
how many times we have applied
soothing plasters to our sorely-frac,
tured ribs, in laug hing over the fine
Joke that the Harvard young men had
on that eccentric youth, Mr.. Oscar
Wilde. It is story that everybody
must know; how, when the aesthetic
Wilde came to lecture in Boston, thu
Harvard boys came up to Boston t.
hear him; how they ticked them
selves out in the most superlative O.
mock-asthetic toggery; how they as
sumed the most languishing Of aas
thetic attitudes, aaa contorted thei
features with the most excruciating O
aesthetic shippers, and how they thel
filed into the lecture-room and pai'
Mr.. Oscar Wilde their facetious com
pliments. Tell US, reader, was no
this a clever thing for the Harvar
E boys to do? And tell US, was it no
: very nearly as commendable thin
for them to ridicule Mr.. Oscar Wild
in this way as it would be for them t
borrow Harlequin's garments, mimi