Omaha daily bee., 1902-07-06


A the Athens Of the British empire,
IUtHx4I surrounded by the time-eaten col
- leges OF England's Oldest uni
versity, under the shadows of the mighty
trees where for centuries the greatest
scholars OF our literature have walked, |
write for my American readers. BY the
bequest OF Cecil Rhodes, oxford university
has become to us the most interesting seat
OF learning outside the United States.
From now on a hundred picked American
boys, two from each state and territory, are
to be kept here at school. Mr.. Rhodes VIII
provides that each student is to be allowed
$500. or 81, 500, a year for expenses, and
that the number shall be kept full by new
appointments made through competitive
examinations from year to year. For
this reason examinations for Oxford VIII
henceforth be as common In our country as
examinations for West Point and Annapolis,
and a stream OF oxford graduates Will
slowly permeate every part OF the union.
But first let me give you some idea OF the
university and It's surroundings. l despair
OF transmitting more than an impression
Nathaniel Hawthorne has truly said that
THE world has no place like II, and 1t
would take a lifetime and more than one
to comprehend and enjoy II satisfactorily.
| have visited most Of the classic spots on
the globe, but none like this. Oxford Is
more impressive than Athens and the spirit
OF learned antiquity seems TO hover more
closely over II than over the older ruins
of India, China and Japan. For more than
1000 years men have gathered here for
study. Tradition ascribes oxford's founda-
ton to King Alfred in 972. when 1t began
II was connected with the monasteries, but
for more than seven centuries 1t was a uni
verEity pure ami simple. During the mid
die ages It had as many as 5000 students at
one time, and on through the centuries new
colleges have grown up about 1t, and It has
held its own as one of the chief educational
institutions OF the world.
Twenty-Three different Colleges.
The town OF oxford has now so 1000 people.
II is situated about sixty miles from Lon
don I'm the heart OF rural England. II Is
embraced by the Isis or Upper Thames and
the Cherwell, which here join and How on
to London. as the Thames to the sea. The
colleges are scata red all over the city. They
are not like our great schools and you can
get no idea OF them by such comparisons.
oxford university is not one college, bu'
tWenty-three colleges. Each college has III
own buildings, massive stone structures O.
two and three stories, surrounding greer
courts or quadrangles, with mighty tree
lining the streets in front OF them, and park
are scattered here and there about them
By some the Isis and the Cherwell flow an
I'm other stand trees centuries old.
The colleges are indescribable In thei
time-worn and venerable grandeur. Man
OF them are more like monasteries than col
Ieges. They have their c%lolsters lookin
out upon the quadrangles, and through thel
carved doorways you may expect to see
monk in gown and cowl come forth. tn
walls are fairly chewed by the teeth {
time. The pillars have holes In them lR
those in the bark OF a mighty tree Ion
since dead, and on the roofs OF some II
slate is as worn as the wooden shingles
a house 100 years old. Each college has !
chapel and dining hall, with its windows
stained glass, many Of them painted I
the old masters. Some have walls beaut
fully carved, some are paneled In oak al
wondrous architecture meets you at eve
step.
How Colleges Are Constituted.
Each college is Independent of the othel
Each has its own students, its own pr
fessors and it's own lecturers, although I
students Of the various colleges may q
tend lectures where they please. 7