The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-08-15
DISCIPLINE in Colleges.


A number of circumstances have
served to arouse in the educated part
of our American people an interest in
the discipline of its colleges and uni
versities. In England questions of
this sort do not find much place in
the public mind. Parents are content
to leave their sons to the discretion of
the school authority. The moral and
disciplinary condition of the universe
ties is not often heard of in public
debates. On the continent of Europe
there is even less interest in the social
quality of the higher educational es-
Establishments. The reason for this
difference between the state of mind
in the Old World and that in the new
is proably in some measure attributa-
BILE to the more active moral sense of
our people, but it is doubtless i'll some
part due to the fact that our institu-
tons of learning are generally in
the control of trustees chosen in one
way OF another from men who are en-
gagged in other work than teaching.
European universities, with rare ex-
ceptions, have no relations to the pub
lie which will permit their gradu-
ates, much less those who
who have no relations with the
schools, to influence the conduct of
their authorities. 1t cannot be denied
that there is much reason for fear as to
the effect of the influences which await
young man when he goes from the
home to great school. Whatever be
the organization of the life in such an
establishment, the youth unnecessarily
parted from all those circumstances
which serve to mold his. character and
control his conduct beneath the FAM
lily roof. In place Of those conditions
he finds himself in n large and more or
less free society, composed OF his teach
ers and of the young men of his time.
The ideals Of his classmates are natu-
rally somewhat peculiar. College so
ciety retains the average motives de-
rived from long past. These motives
are unqualified by the experience Of
active life, and so remain archaic.
However much the teaching body OF
the school may endcavor to affect the
tone of the student life, il always abides
singularly by itself, creature OF
youth; not alone of the youth
of our own day, for the tradi.
tions of other generations dwell there.
II is indeed to this isolation Of student
life from the influences Of the mo-
ment, to its separation from the active
world, that we owe much OF the good
which it affords to those who partake
: of it. In it, as in a stream, youths
! intellectual frame is purified and
strengthened by the motives OF his
kind. If he be strong enough to keep
ahoat, the effect is wonderfully better
ing. Though the influence OF aca-
4 demic life is, on the whole, extremely
advantageous, acting in myriad
ways to widen and deepen the better
motives of youth, it brings dangers
: with it. At the age when young men
: generally resort to these schools their
e propensities toward i'll as well az
u toward good are strong, and are UNI
{, controlled by habit. In all such as
!. semblages OF youth, like minds tend
to form small societies, in which there
may be moral gain or moral loss. Nc
9 school, however small or however wei
!, watched, is free from the possible evil
OF such association. At most the sys
tenn Of government can only diminish
G the dangers. In no case can they b'
/ entirely avoided.-Prof. N. s. Shalel
c in the Atlantic Monthly.