The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-06-21
HOME AND FOREIGN COLLEGES.


many colleges into prominence before the
outside world, it is an interesting problem
to determine which is best. Many parents
are specializing now as to which institution
of advanced learning is best for son or
daughter, and many young man is ponder
ing over the election of an alma mater. To
the youth just quitting the village school, or
it may be the academy it is a question of
considerable importance in his own mind, as
well as in fact. To wisely select the college
he will attend is of greater moment than
many imagine. There are three classes
of colleges and universities those abroad in
Europe, those in the Eastern States, and
those nearer home Each class has its
peculiar advantages The universities of Eu-
rope, with their centuries of picturesque
histories and their rolls containing the
names of men high on the scroll of fame as
warriors, statesmen, churchmen and SCENT
lists, present very tempting attractions aside
from the indefnable pleasure of attending
school in lands so rich in poetcal and legen-
dairy associations. The colleges of New Eng
land are possessed of many of the European
attractions, and with the prestige of years as
sumo superiority not always conceded nor
always apparent to the world at large, But
it, must be admitted that they possess
much that is desirable, and, like similar in
situations beyond the Atlantic, the glamour
g = a. 10 i
spised. Besides this, most of them are sup
piled with the most costly apparatus pro-
durable, and all the appliances necessary to
elucidate the sciences and various branches
of philosophy These, supplemented by the
best instructors to be had, render the col
leges of Europe and of New England pecu-
liarly attractive, and it is not to be wondered
at that young men possessed of means should
elect to attend them.
There remains to be considered the col
leges nearer home and particularly
those of Indiana. While not so old
as those of the other classes they
have an honored and honorable history be-
hind them. The principal colleges of Indi-
ana have record extending over nearw
messed marvellous progress in their devel-
opment; have seen them emerge from OBJ
security and insignificance to an honorable
standing among the best and oldest in the
ored TO unders and conductors have so well
done their work that they are now source
of just pride to the people of the State. Be-
ginning with but three or four teachers and
a score or two pupils, they are now endowed
with ample means, have fine college
buildings, able and adequate facul-
ties, and students numbered by the
hundreds. The alumni of these institutions
have taken high station in every public
place. In the councils of State and nation
they are in the front rank. They are the
leaders in law, in theology, in medicine and
in enterprising business In the matter of
advanced education they are as good as the
best and graduates of Indiana colleges are
professors in scores of colleges from New
enough to guarantee the thoroughness of the
educational processes of Indiana schools. 1t
is no vain boast to say that our colleges stand
shoulder to shoulder with the best in nearly
every particular, and in every important
feature they are in no wise inferior to those
of any part of the world. The textbooks
used are the same as those employed in the
oldest colleges in America, and the require
ments are now as high. So that with a half
century of honorable standing, with the
ablest men of the West among their alumni,
and with faculties composed of men the men
tai equals of any, and these men supported
by ample financial resources the colleges of
this State offer every substantial advantage
that can be desired. In antiquity alone they
fall short but this defect will remedy itself
in time, and can hardly be regarded as a
fault.
In one important respect our home col
leges are preferable to those at distance,
The leading men OF the West are, as a rule,
the alumni of Western colleges To where
one Indianian graduates at Yale or Harvard,
Brown or Princeton, ten complete their
college course at Asbury, at Wabash,
at Bloomington, at Hanover or at
Butler. The fellowship of this army
of Indiana graduates is worthy of con-
sderation. True, it is not close corpora
ton nor an exclusive company; but sheep
skin from some one of our own colleges is
worth more as an introduction than
one from abroad The alumni of
Indiana colleges are scattered all over
the West. Not a town or CITY of