Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1899-07-21
THE COUNTRY COLLEGE.
President Thwing Tells of Its Advan ages
to the students.

has recently published small hand-
book on "1he Choice of College for a
Boy" in which he says that one of the
first questions which parent considers
in selecting a college for his boy relates
to its location. Nearly all the colleges
in the United States are, like the Jerusa-
lem of David, beautiful for situation.
In fact, colleges have usually been
planted in certain spots because of the
beauty of the proposed location. 1t Is
also evident that to the natural beauty
of the location their presence makes ad-
ditions. The situation Is usually one
of healthfulness. But the special
question that the parent has to answer
is the question whether he shall send
his boy to the college in the country or
to the college in the city. About four
fifths of all the colleges in the United
States are country colleges. Whether
the country or the city is the best place
for college is one of those questions
which educators are constantly discuss
ing. The arguments upon each side
are not difficult to state. In behalf of
the rural location, it Is constantly said
that the personal expenses of the stu
dent are in the country less than in the
city. 1t is also argued that the country
promotes freedom from certain moral
temptations. The declaration is fire.
quently made that the country gives
larger freedom for certain social recrea-
lions and forms of amusement. 1t is
constantly and worthily asserted that
the association with nature through the
country college Is more intimate and
precious. In not a few instances 1t is
well for one who has been born and bred
in the city, and who will probably live
his life in the city, to spend four years
in a distinctly country environment.
For him the country college may be the
best, in case he is willing to accept its
conditions.
The disadvantage of the college of
many students is that the teacher is
frequently obliged to instruct a larger
number of students than he ought
Every college officer knows that the
addition of each new student may inn
poversh the college. The fees paid for
his tuition do not meet the cost Of his
tuition. Therefore as college increases
ency of the governing bodies is not to
increase the teaching force in cores
ponding ratio. AS a rule, a teacher
should have no more men in a class
than he, so to speak, can hold in his eye.
On the whole. the larger colleges are
allowing themselves to suffer and their
students to suffer because of too big sec
tons. This result is not a necessary
one; for, if the college should increase
the number of its teaching force in the
same proportion in which the number of
its students increases, no evil would re-
suit. That the college ought so to do is
evident; but it is the fact that the ordi-
nary college does not usually so do. 1t
is also to be said that the advantage
arising from the presence of a great
number Of students Is not so great as is
usually supposed; for every large col
lege divides itself into cliques or sets of
men, and every division may keep itself
pretty closely to itself. have, for in
stance, known a man in one of our
largest colleges to say: 81 find college
life so lonely.'' The advantage of the
small college is that the relatively few
students and the relatively large num-
Der of teachers tend to promote intimacy
of relationship between those who sit
behind the teachers desk and those who
sit on benches before it. This advantage
is of very great worth. For, as | read
the lives of the men trained in Ameri-
can colleges who have rendered great
service TO AmC rican life. | find them far
more frequently attrbuting value to the
influences of their teachers than to the
teachings themselves. The disadvantage
of the small college, be it said, is pro-
vincialism. The choice between the
large and the small college is therefore
one that should be made with great
the character of the boy to whom the
education Is to be given.
know not a few students who through
the grants made by the college in the
shape of loans or gifts, or through GER
tain work that the college puts into their
hands, are meeting all their expenses.
Be it said, too, that most men of this
sort are men of large ability and the
highest promise. In a word, it may be
said that. however worth educating or
needy of education the rich man may be,
and he is worth educating and he
needs education,-it is of the utmost
importance for the best interests of
America that the poor boy of ability
shall be educated. Many college
president stands ready to help the boy
of strong body, of light purse, of pure
heart, of good brain, and of high pur
poses 10 an education. y boy should
never give up the hope of college
education on the ground of poverty.
Toxins and Digestion.
Nhiln the TOWNS nrnlnceh by mi