Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-08-17
COLLEGE MEN AND MAT RlMONY.
Many Collegians ID" Not Marry at All and
Many Late In Life.

That many college men marry late in
life the records of college classes prove
That many college men do not marry at
ali the records of college classes also
prove, says Dr. Charles f. Thwing in New
York Independent The class of 1876 at
Harvard college contained ut the time Of
graduation 40 members. OF this number
1O5 had married Is years after their grad
uation. Thirty-four married in the four
years Of the eighth decade Of the century
remaining after their graduation. "a mar
rcd in the ninth decade of the century,
and II married in the first four years Of
the present decade; 40 had not married at
all within the is years. The class of 1871
at Yale contained at graduation lS5 mem
bers. OF this number at their last reunion,
only 81 had married. 1t would he easy
to extend these statistics to numberless
classes; but think the proposition is evil
dent that many college men do not marry
at all, ana also that many of them do not
marry till late in life.
OF the several causes which lead up to
this social condition, | must co.tent my
self with mentioning only few.
one cause which leads to the latenesS
of marriage is found in the lateness If
graduation. The average age of gradui-
tion from the American college is now re-
tween 22i2 and % years. The age has in
creased by about "A year in the course of
the present half-century. The late DR..
Andrew p. Peabody, who graduated at
Harvard in the year 1926, at the age of Ia.
was the youngest graduate with two eX-
captions, that ever left that college. one
OF these exceptions was Paul Dudley. who,
at the age of Il, in 1880 took his first de-
gree; and the other was Cotton Mathcr,
who ian 1913 received the degree, beii
younger by a month or two than was Or.
Peabody at the time of graduation. But
it should be added that the time of COM
al. l.
in the nth century than it was when Or.
Peabody graduated. At the present time,
therefore, the college man is two years
older than was his father or grandfathe,
when they left college. If, therefore, a
man graduates late. naturally he marric-
late
1t is also to be said that the force OF
certain personal habits of the student
tends to prevent or to delay marriage
The student for several years is to all in
tents, a bachelor He is separated from
his home. In many instances he is a res
ident of a dormitory He is a member OF
convent which is also in "A sense u
monastery; he lives with others, but hi
also lives alone. He becomes accustomed
to the use of one room or two rooms q,
his home in which he Is lord and master
His routine circles about himself. He rises
In the morning when he peases or whcr
his duties compel. He pursues the tasks
of each day as the college authorities may
dictate or as his own will may guide. IL,
retres at night, knowing that he is re
| sponsible to himself and to himself alone
! The life of the college student Is essen
| TALLY bachelor life Such life,--livc(
| in nearly all cases for four wears: in no
a few for seven or eight; including tn
preparatory course: in many cases for i
or IL years, including the professional
course as well as the preparatory and col
| legiate.-such a life represents a condition
and a state out of which it Is very dill
cult for many men to fling themselves.
1t cannot, too, in my opinion, be doubt
ed that what may be called the peculiar,
conditions of professional progress ten
to delay marriage. This remark how
ever should be subjected to discrimination
Marriage undoubtedly promotes the pro
fessional progress of the minister, Blu
to lawyer or to a doctor n wife does no
represent so valuable an element of pro
| fessional advancement as to the min
lister.
! 1t Is well known, too, that at the presen