The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-12-12
COST OF A GIRL AT COLLEGE.

A consideration which will cause Sc
taking. and where means are limited
this point has great weight The cost
must not however, be gagged by what
a boy spends i'm college. the COMPARE
son is as unfair in this particular as in
other relative expenses. Each college
prospectus states exactly the legitimate
fees to this muse be added a sum suf-
ficient for the purchase OF books, and
for the requirements of social life as,
represented in the clubs and students
organizations; beyond this the matter
of expense resolves itself into parental
liberality i'm pocket-money. SO far as
dress is concerned no one need borrow
trouble. The woman's college inculcates
a spirit Of democracy; character and
brains count for more than sumptuous
raiment, the one girl may wear purple
and fine linen, and the next one llnsey-
Woolsey, and vet both viii stand on
the same footing so far as externals
are concerned. Last of all in weighing
the arguments in favor OF college those
features i'm which books play no part
will be perhaps the last grains needed
TO turn the scale. And what are these
features? The advantages of wide as
soCiation: the lifelong friendships
which have here their beginning: the
healthful friction OF minds against
minds: the lesson of self-control and
and self-reliaince: the finding ones
proper level, and then the joys OF Field
day and Float day. tennis, golf wheel
ing. and feminine athletics generally.
The conclusion once reached that
girl is To go to college two things fol-
low in urder--choice of college, and the
manner of preparation Tor entrance. In
the matter OF choice Of college there IL
very little advice Co be given. The wom-
ans college has not Yet reached the
charm OF tradition: a girl hardly yet
chooses particular institution be-
cause IL was her mothers Alma Mater,
and athletics are not sufficiently devel-
oped To exercise positive influence. Tn
less there is decided prediction Tor
co-education, such as Cornell and Ann
Arbor offer. Nassar, Wellesley, and
Smith present equal facilities: Bryn-
Mawr is patterned more after the uni
versty idea: Barnard and Radcliffe ap-
pear perhaps as appendages 20 mems
colleges. ana though their advantages
are excellent. the,' lack as yet the fun
charm Of student life Besides these
colleges there are numerous smaller In
stitutions Offering good courses OF
study leading To "a degree.
Preparation for college should De- be-
gun at an early axe bih 'ih b' Hi'Nt
satisfactorily accomplished at good
secondary school. This does not mean
that such training can bc obtained no.
where else: the hiEh-sChools In many
states 10 excellent work In this respect
But the peculiar advantage OF the sec
ondary school lies I'm the fact that the
whole course of study is planned with
one object I'm view. and that the pupil
breathes the college atmosphere from
the very outset. 4 further advantage.
and one which. to its credit, the sec
ondary school uses sparlngly, is the
privilege Of sending its pupils Co coli
lege on certificate. To enter college
without the ordeal OF examination it
self is not an unmixed blessing any
more than the examination itself is
an unmitigated evil: but the
privilege just mentioned has helped
many a nervous. self-distrustful girl.
who once inside the college doors has
never again needed even 80 slight "a
prop az that implied I'm 'entrsncs On
certificate"
one final point-coliege Is not ox
clusivciy for those born with the tfa-
ditional gold SPOON. the candidate who
needs helping hand VIII Gnd u Out