The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-10-19

A Washington Girls Pen-sketch Of the
Famous College.

n .
Famous College.
oBERLrs COLLEGE. o., Oct. 12.-lSpecial
Correspondence PosT-INTELLIGENcER1 -
Dear, learned, classical Oberlin, how pleas
ing are thy quiet charmsl The college
campus, shady with trees, and the beauti-
full college buildings are the chief attrac-
tions of the quaint little town. All sum-
mer it sleeps while students and professors
are away on vacations, but in the fall it
wakens and again teens with life. 1t is in
the early morning that we make our first
tour of inspection. The massive stone
buildings show clear and distinct against
the blue sky. The class ivies cling to the
walls, giving graceful finish to the whole.
'That building" says my lively compan-
ion, sis the Oberiin Conservatory of Music.
The sounds that issue from that beautiful
building are enough to make ones hair
stand on end. A dozen or two of pianos
all playing different pieces, violins, and
vocal class students, all do their utmost to
make day and night hideous for the I'M
fortunate passer-by."
The building is gift to the college from
DR.. Warner, the noted manufacturer of
corsets. No money was spared to make it
one of the finest conservatory buildings in
tower of Babel is a perfect picture in stone.
Peters hall stands close by--its rival in
beauty. This, the finest Of Oberlin recita-
ton halls, is built after the sixteenth GEN.
fury style of architecture.
As we walk beneath the trees that beau
tify the campus with their brilliant au-
tumn hues, as the chapel clock strikes 8.
the walks swarm with students going to
ole ina he hal1
are in hurry, some bright and cheerful,
some with gloomy, distracted air, as
though weighed down by the thoughts of
lessons only partly learned. We meet a
charming young lady bicyclist She wears
a suit of navy blue and white, with cap to
match perched jauntily on her head. Her
cheeks are flushed and her black eyes
sparkle. She looks, as do all pretty girls
perfectly irresistible.
There comes a professor of mathematics.
Every movement seems in accordance with
some mathematical principle. As he
raises his hat his arm describes a circle,
and his steps seem measured by some in
visible rule. Here comes a professor of
literature. His face is pale and his eyes
have a dreamy look. One half suspects
that he is poet. Beside him walks a
UEIoh, cucTRctlc MAN, cflucHlly vi 0cfiildH
descent. He is Latin teacher, and from
his robust figure we are led to believe that
he finds something nourishing in the roots
of Latin verbs.
We see all nationalities represented in
the crowd about US. That dark young
man with the straight black hair is
Hawaiian. This young girl with olive
skin and lustrous black eyes has African
blood In her veins.
We come to fine old tree. "This is
Oberlin's historic elm," my friend tells
me. "Here good old Father Shipherd
knelt and prayed that the school he was
about to found would be power for good
throughout the land. and wonderfully has
his prayer been answered"
Alas, for the irreverence of man. The
old elm where once the good man knelt is
now favorite resort of the fish wagons.
In warm weather its historic branches
vibrate to the tune of the fishmongers'
horns.
The names of the streets are suggestive
of the educational town. North and South
Professor, East and West College, are
among the names of various streets. We
would not be surprised to hear of Forum
or Euclid avenues.
The Theological seminary is large
brick building, and the venturesome ivy is
doing its best to cover the red walls.
Oberlin is famed for being the first COL
lege of Importance to open its doors to the
weaker sex. Side by side the young
women tread the paths of learning with
their brothers. But it is for its good moral
atmosphere that Oberlin is most noted.
No sketch of 0berlin, however brief, would
be complete without few words of tribute
to ex-President Fairchild, who, for forty
years, held the first place in the college
and the first place in the hearts of Oberlin
people. Although he has retired from all
active duties in the college, he still attends
the daily exercises in the college chapel.
The influence of his noble lfe-an influ-
ence more powerful than words-is felt by
all the students.
Happy, peaceful school days at Oberlin |!
Truly, the youth who gather here from all