The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-05-27
COLLEGE LIFE0F BARNARD.
81 ByECT DISCUSSED FROM SEVERAL
POINTS or VIEW.
The Columbia senior and the Barnard senior
Tel, what They Think Then the Western
and the Eastern College Professors Talk
n over The barnard Girl Has Her Saw.

M BARNARD XII " A'''"N '" !" 4 very
good sort,
The Columbia senior took his pipe ont Of his
mouth and looked at the other two men, who,
beng mere freshmen, didn't venture a remark
YES. continued the oracle. There's been
a big change. | used to think tina, everybody
in Barnard who wasn't a grind vas n firt, but
now there's a blk middle class that doesn't
work hard enough 10 develop wheels, bnt doesn't
care a hang what Columbia men think. ltsre-
freshing. I'm almost sorry I'm not a freshman.
When | found that the girls had an outdoor
basketball ground and that the Barnard seniors
were going to be invited TO our bali, ! made
up my mine there was a future for Barnard "
Coming up on the heights has done a lot for
Columbia" The Barnard senior selected q
chocolate marShmalloN and tucked another
cushion behind her back. "fou girls don't
notice il. o course. lou haven't been here "a
see the change, but really the men are improv-
ing. There actually seems Ia br a class between
the fast fool and the slow grind \ few more years
here, where there's breathing Spnce, may stir
up some college spirit and athletic enthusiasm
and put the Columbia men on a par with the men
OF the other universities. Nou know the seniors
have invited our class to their senior ball this
year thirty nine Of Ms, and an extra Ticket 10
each girl for her escorts use. | call that white.
Those men are br frightening a. they take their
flight In the course Of n few wears Columbia
fellows. as a whole, may be- quito rational and
unaffected and interesting, II seems almost a
pity that Won freshmen are the last class that
will over be in mixed classes with themen.
80 much depends upon the point ui view N
these matters. The fact remains that the Bar
nard girl is changing She has been. and per
haps will be, a college girl apart SUI gencrts.
II + hardly fair to compare her with the Bryn
Mawr. Nassar. smith. Wellesley, or any other
college girl. The conditions confronting her
difcr from those belonging 10 other colleges.
Radcliffe is perhaps nearest on n par To- Barnard
but the Radcliffe girl l. as unlike III" Barnard
glrl ~ Boston * unlike New York. There y a
larger post raduate element IN Radcliffe. a
much greater proportion OF specialized dignity,
and a much smaller proportion of huiIy haired
efervesceuce. vet certain common problems
confront the two
Their. L. no DENYING the fact that existing
conditions initiate against III" growth Of social
life and college sentiment in Barnard. Prog
re-s along those lines must como slowly,
and how much Of il will "oma is a matter for
speculation. out Of the 800 Barnard students
by far the majority are New York girls. They
70 there Uecau,a their parents are nnwillIrg
"a have them leave home. and because IN no
woman college Of the country can a girl Oh
tam better educational advanta ges The New
York sirl goes t0 the college for her ROTATIONS.
She does her studying ut home. retains her
homn associations and duties. finds her recren.
tion in her own social circle, She has a whole
lot of interests that have absolutely no con-
nection with her college, and in which her
fellow students do not share. The effect Of
all this upon the social life of the college ia
easily figured ont. but the situation has both
advantages and disadvantage. Tia" srl
misses Il certain amount OF enjoyment that
belongs Ia the life Of such q coleg" A. Smith
or Bryn Mawr. but its a question whether
she does not in the long run find more than
ample compensation.
Several days ago a SUN reporter heard a
discussion between a New York professor and
n man prominent in educational matters
in the West. President David starr Jor-
dams recent uttcrulcr~ upon tur subject or
C0Iiag. education Tor girls wa~ responsible
for the conversation. which thT"shed out once
more tn" hyhpr Atucatlpn for women prob
lem, and .hcidcntlly d"al' with hatnard
1T seems rather Useless To ask whether the
wOman'- collez" is a good Thing, ~q!d the
Western professor. Personally, | believe 1t
Is, but, at any rate It l. here, and II has ap-
IdI lilly WIN W. va Nv o. - 'A'I' Na'h' - -
complete revolution IN ~CClN conditions. The
only thing We can do l. 10 emphasize, as
far a. possible, the beneficial influences -
the girls college. and suppress it. faults. If
| had a daughter ! would send her 10 college
The competition to-day makes II practically
necessary FOR 4 girl OF refinement thrown
upon her own RESOURCES, to have u college cd
ucatiOn. tn" conditions are wronr, The
competition shouldn't exist but, since II does
exist, the average woman will md itt" easier,
II she - college bred "
"Bn, what do YOU think OF n" results Of
thi- college training, NJ to PRESENT date'"
asked the New FORK man.
Broad spreadng discomfort. That's the
chief result, and that IL what proves that there
is a Jaw in the system suppose that ali
education wnkens ambition. hut the educa-
ton that doesn't add to ones content IN the
path which necessity or duty marks ont for
ono. IL a poor thing. Or. Jordan referred 10
the old tales of the educated daughters who
Those stories bclong to the early, DAYS of the
The finishing school. They aren't n part Of
tn" college problem. The college gil trHsn.t
shirk work. shes Eid to work, That's
Wa ali want to 20 that murmured rhe
New York pedagogue,
learning in her own way tha&fn 50 many case,
makes the college graduate r woman out Of
focus. The hone may need q daughter not
comfort, The father and mother have sepa-
rated themselveS from a daughter for four
years IN order that abe may develoN and broaden
into splendid w~OmanhOod They ought 10
get something out of the result but. bleS,
Won. the college Girl cant settl" into her old
niche and glprify II. She want a seven-aCrr
lot and a granite pedestal, The avrrag" girl :
college l. n systematic dollhouse fur the forcing
Of the individual, Tn" girl gaip~ -elf-rrliancr
and pluck, and gray matter but sh" gets. Il
colossal idea Of her own Lmuortanc" in thr
scheme Of creation The AFFAIR." Of the college
world are 81 absorbing aud She such a mighty
factor in IT, that when she comes out into tho
real world she j.. a. Said before. out Of focus.
She has been an individual for 80 long that
she refuses 70 be- ar, atom IN the SOCIAL aggre-
gate. She j. bound TO assert herself n an
Independent molecnle. Sometime. she sue
ceeds. AZ a cost, Sometime mora often
she fails 10 make any radical impression on
an imperturbcolc old world There's where
Of year,. slough of the college ideals and ad-
lust herself 10 the big raa world outside the
college walls but she wastes time aud strength
a. a class. charming and irritating. Her
aReressiveness, Is amusing as n study but
IL i hard to live with. The finest women |
know are COLLEGE bred women bnt they we're
been ont Of college long enough 10 learn n
good MANY thinC1 that wore not IN the school
curriculum Women ought 10 hayo college
education. but they ought 10 have it under
The New York man woke up whom local
issues were touched H. a wav New YORKER,
have.
What do Won think Of Barnard'" 10 asked
IT, Young, too Young To- be exceedingly
interesting. but % ~c"rn- to mo that n. q factor
IN social economics H. far ahead Of tho rlo,-tar
college. II one can call Smith and Nas-nr and
the rest clustered The largest percrntag"
of Tive Barnard studout> arr New York glrl-.
! s.,ypo.e"
Well a GIL who live in a New York home.
while she, %&rttu. her "ilcatlpn hasn't much
n. ma IAr aim .rarIT .F K-aI .,,.L nHA Vtltt-