Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1890-03-05
A College at Home.

Some rich and poor citizens of st.
Louis have started an educational move
ment that meets one of the demands of
the age. When the plan is fully devel-
oped the result will be in the broadcast
sense university for the people.
A society has been organized called
the Workingmen's Self Culture club.
First, there is building i'll which are
free reading rooms supplied with leading
periodicals and thousand or more STAN
dard books. But this is only the begin
ming. On certain evenings of the week
there are lectures by professors from the
university and others on astronomy, cleo
tricity, natural history, literature, etc.
There are regular classes for study and
be learned, students select some one
branch and pursue that. What may be
accomplished in the course of a season by
a determined man or woman recitirg in
q class once or twice week of an even
ing will carry such pupil no small dis
lance on the road towards liberal learn
ing. If the labor hours are shortened,
there will be yet more time for study.
BY following such course as this, in Il
few years any working man or woman
can secure an excellent education. The
glory of life on this planet is to be always
learning, and one is never too old to begin
to learn.
In st. Louis provisions are made for
working girls and boys in the club.
Philadelphia has u similar organization,
vet more matured than the one in st.
Louis. But Philadelphia's society has
the rather unfortunate name of Neigh
borhood Guild, which suggests church
to the popular mind.
In the Philadelphia guild Monday
evening is devoted to literary exercises
and debating society. \ most attract
i've feature is that the men and women
members meet here all together. The
next three evenings OF the week are de-
voted to classes and lectures. There are
classes in English literature, shorthand,
history and, best of all, in the United
States constitution. Those young men
and women will know something about
their own government.
Friday evening is one Of the most adj
mirable and important Of the week. 1t
is devoted to music and gymnastics. The
glee club practices, and the young ladies'
drill class performs its evolutions in the
gymnasium. Saturday evening witnesses
another admirable and unique feature.
This evening issacred to social entertain
ment and recreation, dancing and games,
to suit young and old. There will be
soon weekly class in mechanical draw
ing, one in cooking and others in manual
training. So that, at their own door,
men and women will find all that is nee
essary for improvement, recreation and
social intercourse.
The projectors OF the guild name it the
Social university. Here is exactly filed
one of the chief wants of the community.
Here is the ideal university of the future.
The working people who attend these
classes pay each a small tuition, not
enough to embarrass them, and yet
enough to make them feel they are not
accepting charity. The instruction they
receive is Of the first quality, being given
by learned professors and experts. There
is opportunity for cultivating the man
ners and social graces as well as the
brain.
In truth, here is everything to make
the laboring man and woman who faith
fully attends such instruction high
bred, graceful, courteous and thorough
ly well educated gentleman and lady.
knowledge worked for in such way as
that always stays by one.