New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-06-13
COLtEGE MEN or THE DAY.

This is the season when college graduates receive
patronizing lectures from experienced relatives
and the moralists Of the press. They arc popularity
supposed to be in special need of words of caution
against selfconceit. immOdcrate expectations OF I'M
mediate success, false estimates of capacity ana
talent and illusions respecting the practlcai "ork
of life. The general verdict of the elders is that
the boys will get on we'll enough when the concert
is once taken out of them and they find out how
little they really know THIS. however. is a vulgar
ard senscess tauut The plain truth is that col
lege education tends to make a man modest. 1t
teaches him the limitations of his ownpOwers and
of his own meagre store of knowledge acquired in
the classroom The budding freshman is more
pretentious and cOnceited than the full-blown
senior the simple reason that he has not had tonr
years in which to find out how little he knows ana
how much there is to learn. The graduating COL
legian takes n practical view not only OF the
real value of his academic training and acquire
ments but of the serious business of life than dot
ing parents or critical friends imagine Association
with superiors and rivals in the classroom has
taught him that he cannot hope TO be first in every
thing and that nc is lucky if he have special talent
for anything. The discipline Of competition has
made him modest even to the point of being sell
distrustful. The choice of profession or business
has already been matter Of serious and anxious
and undecided it is proof that illusions have been
dispelIed that he has already learned his luntta-
tons and is inclined to underestimate rather than
to oyerestate his capacity for useful work in the
world.
The collcgans need to be encouraged rather than
repressed As a class they are TOre modest Pand
reserved more cautious and conservative, than the
graduates of high schools. or those who have had
very meagre advantages IN education. The loud
takers. who make sweeping assertions on narrow
premises and are ready to discuss anything and
everything without a moments hesitation, are not
rs a rule colege-bred men. Their education
terminated at some level below the universities
probably in the public schools. The collegian has
felt the restraining influences of education
which he himself is forced to admit has been
martial and superficial. He knows what labor Will
be involved if he ever presume to call lnmset
thoroughly educated man, even in one special de-
partment of human knowledge He is inclined to
beltte the advantages of education so far as prac
teal success in life is concerned. and to assume
that in the long the men at the top OF the grad
uating class will be less conspicuous and less useful
than the men in the middle. who already can out
debate the vaedictorian on any subject of current
discussion or than the dull, careless students at
the bottom of the roll. whose social graces, self
possession and stirring temperaments give promise
of influential and.actiye careers If the graduate Of
the period needs any special word of caution it is
apaipst the temptation to dispaTage the advantages
of education and to underestimate himself. Let
,him be 2modest and courageous witha The col
leges are doing better work and turning out
stronger and more promising men than they were
2 generation ago. That Is the simple truth, and the
colegians themselves must not forget it.