The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-12-28
BEER AT THE M. /. T.

President Pritchett of the Massachu-
sets Institute Of Technology is having
trouble with the religious organizations
on account of his attitude toward the
student smokers. In a letter which he
has just sent to Rev. W. T. Worth of
the Methodist Ministers Association,
he said some things that will probably
tend to make him a target of criticism
for some time.
He acknowledged that at the junior
class smoker beer was served, that
ninety-seven men present consumed
fifty-six pints, or about half a pint
each He says:
Il believe that there is use of beer
and wine which is right and proper,
and another which Is wrong and de-
graded, and whenever I have had occa-
sion to speak to the students on this
subject, l have put forward some such
statement as this:
The question comes before me in
this practical form. Shall students be
allowed to come together in informal
gatherings for discussion of topics of
technical and general interest, in build
ings under my control, with instruct
Ors present, where an inexpensive and
simple lunch is served, and the drink
ing is restricted to a moderate use Of
beer: or shall they be sent to hotels
and restaurants where expensive din
ners are the rule, and all restrictions
are removed? In my Judgment the first
position is the truthful one and that
which will help the boys to temperate
and clean living.
Permit me to add one more word. I
am profoundly interested in these
young men and in my effort which will
serve to touch their lives in such wise
as to minister to manliness, and man
Illness ought to mean gOdliness. I will
gladly welcome the help and co-opera-
ton Of any Christian man or body of
men who are willing to do service in
this direction.
But I do not believe that this serv-
ice can be done at long range. The
men who can influence these students
bright alert and responsive as they
are-to turn from the material interests
which press upon them to the thought
Of higher things must have some real
contact with their lives, some real I'M
derstanding of its temptations and
difficulties, some sympathy born Of
personal knowledge Of its discourage
ments
1T has been a revelation to me to
find how little the combined churches
of Boston count in their influence on
the character and lives of the con-
stantly growing army of students who
resort to Boston for instruction"
Then Mr.. Pritchett offers to attend
any meetings o. the Methodist clergy
men and discuss the matter further.
THE letter lacks nothing IN grankness,
and It takes, of course, a position dis
tinctly different from that which the
Methodist church takes
The Massachusetts Institute Of Tech
nology is different from most colleges
IN that the officers have very little to
do with the personal conduct and pri-
vate lives of the students. There are
arguments for an institution located as
this IS in the centre of a big city. and
there are arguments for an isolated
college like Amherst and Dartmouth
and Bowdoin. There is no college or
institution, however, where there is
less drinking and riotous living than in
the technical schools. The students
there, almost to a man, have decided
upon their profession in life, and they
are worked to the limit Of physical
and mental endurance. Tt is generally
admitted that no college expects the
amount Of routine work that is exacted
from a technical student. The man
who graduates from the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology with credit has
shown himself capable Of great physi-
cal and mental effort and he has had
mighty little time for diversion OF any
kind.
At Cambridge it has been found best
TO enforce the no-license policy, TO
abolish intoxicating drinks altogether.
although President Eliot is not d total
abstainer and is not an advocate Of
total abstinence for all persons.