Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-05
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF
STATE UNIVERSITIES IN SESSION.
The Rhodes Scholarships and Best
Method of Appointing Students
Address by Mr.. Swain.

voted chiefly to discussion of matters re-
lating to the Cecil Rhodes scholarships IN
America. Mr.. Parkin of Toronto, repre-
seEting the Rhodes scholarships in Amer
ica was present at the executive session
and asked the members Of the association
for an expression Of opinion as to the best
methods of appointing students from uni
versities in the United States to the schol-
arships in oxford.
The matter was considered by the uni
versity presidents as one difficult OF solu-
ton. After extended discussion the as
ISOLATION arrived at the conclusion that the
Appointments must be made purely by edit
cational and social tests. and not with any
regard whatever to political influences. This
conclusion, it is stated, is in accord with
the fixed determination of the trustees or
the Rhodes fund, in regard to the matter.
The association remained in executive
session during the afternoon. The time
was devoted to answering the questions OF
Mr.. Parkin in regard to local conditions
in the various states relative to educa-
tional matters Final adjournment Will
take place this evening.
Address of Swarthmore's President.
Following the formal opening Of the meet
ing this morning at o'clock, President
Swain. formerly of the State University OF
Indiana, and now president of Swarthmore,
Pennsylvania, presented paper on the
subject, How to Eliminate Idle and In
profitable Students From Universities.
Among other things, Mr.. Swain said
ANY device to induce student to work
is not permanently valuable unless 1t brings
the student himself to see in some way that
work is blessing and not an evil. work
is the natural outgrowth of an abiding in
terest in something. The student needs no
proddng who has learned that the highest
joy comes from honest, faithful, fruitful
work, and recreation and other pleasures
have their greatest significance and en-
joyment when they prepare one for the
serious work of life which should bring to
one his greatest happiness.
LAS method of eliminating idle or un-
profitable students by making otherwise
worthless students good FOR something.
would say, begin with the faculty. Be
sure you have in your faculty teachers of
enthusiasm, energy, devotion to their call
ing, well-trained in a knowledge of the sub
jects which they teach. who by example, as
well as precept instill lessons Of continuous
and fruitful work. Where there are two
or more teaching the same seubject the
student should, as far as possible, be per-
mitted to select his own teacher.
Trooper standards of admission rigorous
ly Insisted upon will help to eliminate from
coll &c undesirable students by never per-
hitting them to enter. II the stuGent
cons to college well prepared it is reas on
able to suppose that he has done good " ork
and can be interested in something. a
rule he has already developed some ixes
and dlslikes. One of the causes of id.e .ess
Is e-imina ted II you have him begi.. his
WORK in college by placing responsible on
him. This may be done by permitting lim
at least in part to select his own s,u les
The experience of the educational ", I'D,
the special adaptation of this experieno to
his Individual case. joined with the j. or
tuni y for some freedom of choice. vii. give
him a course which he can be led to fl, is
his own. The knowledge on his part that
10; - l.
is not entirely enslaved by an educa ,ional
trat -tion. will make the conditions more
fav, abe on the part OF the student for
hare work.
mat IN from college of indoIent students I
hav, found the most direct method the
best | woul1 always give a student fair
war ing. so that he cannot claim that it is
his first offense. l would then simply tell
the studt mt that by his own acts he was no
longer a student in the college or univer-
sity. The burden Is then upon him. If,
however, he can later prove to me that he
would make a good student, it is never too
late to mend. l have known a student to
work for a student friend who would not
do so for himself or the faculty.
In conclusion permit me to say that
while every incentive and every device to
make idle students workers should be car
ried out, the college should be like a hive
OF bees In the long run the workers
should be encouraged and the drones driven
out"
Following the reading of President
SWANS paper discussion of it's points was
dispensed with and the association went
into executive session. A recess was taken
at II o'clock. when the university pres
ldents called on President Roosevelt at the
White House. The afternoon session was
called to order at 20 o'clock and was held
behind closed doors.
The Opening Session.
The opening session Of the association was
hall Got ,r1a
and the sessions Of the day were presided
over by President Robert B. Fulton of the
University Of Mississippi. At the morning
session the question of regulating attend
ance on religious exercises in state uni
versities was discussed by Prof Henry F.
Nachtried of the University Of Minnesota
and others. The general sentiment was that
daily attendance upon religious exercises
formed habit of great value to students
In the afternoon the topic was university
control OF intercollegiate athletics Presi-
dent A. E. Birge of the University of Wis
consin, President w. l.. Prather Of the
University of Texas and Prof Nachtried
took part in the discussion, the trend. of
which was favorable to the encouragement
or college athletics in general under proper
official control.
College Athletics Discussed.
In his discussion of college athletics, Pres
Texas said among other things:
Education is not merely concerned with
mind to store it with information and to
train 1t to use its powers effectively 1t also
has the larger duty of developing the man.
throughout the round Of his being Books
and teachers. laboratories and investigators
can and do furnish this end. But in recent
times We have come to see that there are
other agencies which can, at least to some
extent. aid in the accomplishment of the
end of education. for character and practi-
cal efficiency are perhaps as important as
intellectual ability alone.
That athletics under proper safeguards
as to the forms INDUCED in and the bodily
condition of the students participating, will
prove beneficial to the physical health of
need l dwell upon the very great impor-
lance OF physical health to college students
Self-control. adjustment to others quick
Judgment. leadership. these and many other
valuable and practically useful qualities
n ay be healthily learned by the athlete
And another noteworthy advantage of ath-
letics is Its cultivation of loyalty and esprit
de corps.
But 1t is the moral training incident to
properly conducted athletics that l am dis
posed to look upon as most valuable. It Is
| necessary for the athlete. in order to be
successful. to exercise rigid control over his
habits and mode of life. An exceptionally
strong public sentiment demands of him