The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1885-10-09

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own mismanagcnt, and blame the col.
lege for not acting the Fart of re.
formatory institution, when, in fact,
their sons merely developed Mt the
school the traits that, perhaps unno.
ticed. had been allowed to grow up in
their hearts at home. In such cases,
it IS we'll to consider that If at college,
where the influences are, for the most
part. good, the youth became deprav.
cd, his downward course would have
been very much moro rapid If thrown
entirely on his own resources amid
the daily perils and temptations OF
business life.
Young men entering college must
be on their guard against their daily
associates. Even in the most reputa.
BILE institutions there is, unfortunately,
too large percentage of boys who are
sent thcre because those responsible
knew not what else to do with them.
Judge outwardly, these are not infrc.
qucntly the most prcpossessing por-
tion Of the college community. With
good clothes, a more or less facile
command of the slang of tho day, a
largo sense OF their own Importance,
and, what is sometimes a young man q
greatest curse. IN abundance of spend
ing mouey, they are nuisance wher-
ever they go, from the fact that they
have but two objects, to dodge their
work and got rid of their money, and
are always able to incite others 10 Join
them In attaining both. There is no
method of excluding them, for test
that will. at sight, distinguish the
good from the bad is yet to he invent.
ed; but by their fruits they arc soon
known, and until the character sites
OF his associates have had timo to dc.
vclop themselves, u young man can
not be too cautious in selecting his
friends. But quite as serious is tho
risk to which lie is exposed outside
Of tho college circle. Many, if not
most, colleges are located in medium
sized towns, and among the populu.
tion OF these there is always 10 be
found class of unscrupulous persons
who do not hesitate to lead Young
men into courses of vice and dissipa.
tion in order to rob them. Against
these tho young man has no protcc-
ton but discretion, and If this des,r-
able quality be lacking in his mental
makeup, tho adage about tho fool and
his money will soon in his case be
verified.
Aside, however, from the dangers
to pocket and reputation to which the
young mon entering college are ex-
posed, there is another evil: tho fail
uro OF the college really to lit young
men for the active business of life.
Tho colleges run with one gauge, the
business and industrial world with
another, and the young man who
passes successfully through u college
curriculum is often ili-prcpared to
run on the worlds broad gauge until
his mental machinery has been chang.
ed to fit the track. The trouble may
lilo with tho system or the men who
perpetuate it. or with both, but whcr.
ever it is, tho time has come when it
ought to be remedied. Professors too
often teach books rather than subjects:
students too often study for tho sake
of reciting rather than of learning.
When tho book has been skimmed
over and the lesson reoited. both teach
or and pupil are apt to imagine that
OF the topic there is nothing moro to
be taught or learned. Thus the teach
or becomes lazy, the student conccited,
and the real end of education is de-
feated. When John Selden SAID, mo
man is the wiser for his learning" he
meant simply to express the idea that
fact-g,athcring is not education. That
education only is deserving of tho
name which teaches men what and
how to learn. and if the youth now en-
tering upon a college course can, by
any means, be made to comprehend
this, tho knowledge will open his eyes
to the real value Of collegiate work.
ST. Louis Globe d. 0.ocrat.