New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-12-17
AMERICANS AT OXFORD.
Hoo Rhodes Scholars Are Impressed
and What Then Are Doing.
Oxford, December Z,

holidays in England. They have made their
mark already as a picked body Of Rhodes
scholars, selected after sharp competition and
rigorous examinations They have been we'll re-
oeIved at the colleges TO which they were as
s,ened. and have settled down TO work with a
sense Of exhIlaratton from the novelty of their
surroundings. Every one speaks well OF them
rd there is no prejudice against them. The
beautiful university town. with its stored quad
rsneIes and lovely gardens, has appealed to their
vaccinations and been source Of inspiration
Cor many of them. Some of them are backward
.hout expressing their opinions after so short an
exnerience and all wisely avoid making any
comparisons between English and American
universities; but they are happy in their new
ute frank in their recognition Of what is useful
and beneficial to them here and not disposed to
he critical or to look a gift horse in the face
They have an annual allowance of $500 from the
pbodes fund and this enables them TO live COM
sortabIv but not eXtravagantly, in the colleges.
e,5 70 have q margin In reserve for vacation
.ournevs A Few of them were forced TO borrow
-,orev at home before they could come to Eng
land and until this Is paid back they under
obligations to cut down expenses and to live
s-uysIIy. The majority Of them have entered
ro7 their work with light hearts. and are X
-ecting TO spend the long summer holiday in
e,-,+zerland which is the favorite recreation
ground for Oxford men
have been curious to learn what has made
.be deepest impression on these forty-three
A,osr,can students who have come from every
,o+,on ~ the Union. It is the social life within
~ Colleges and in the university town. They
t,,o,r one another, for they came to England on
,be same ship and have kept up their acquaint-
o,ce 90 they able TO eat their Thanks
Giving dinner together without introductons OF
reserve But these American associations and
friendships are not what they mean when they
talk about the unique social advantages of Ok
ford They are impressed with what may be
called the family life Of the colleges and with
The democratic spirit Of the place. The barriers
are broken down. and the students brought
into nitrate relations with one another and
with their instructors. AZ Brasenose, for ex-
ample there are four Americans from Georgia,
Delaware New-York and Oklahoma. They have
been taken into large family of English dons
and undergra duates, and are made welcome in
all the rooms. Rank, wealth. poverty. colonial
training and American experience are not felt as
hindrances to social intercourse There are no
cques: there is no snobbishness. Men meet on
q common level of equality. breakfast and take
luncheon together. rub against one another, and
become tolerant and flexible. The students
brought into close contact with their instruc-
tors and tutors and have more intimate relations
WIZ llaN the COlUillOES OF AMERICAN uill-
versity life allow. At OTiel, Mr.. Rhodes's own
college, there is another group OF three Amer
lean students from Iowa. Maryland and South
Dakota and the social feeling Is equally good.
Mr.. Youngs success a jumper in the sports
was considered an honorable event for the COL
lege Just the fine running of Mr. Schutt, the
Cornell man from New-Yorl was the subject Of
hearty congratulations all around at Brasenose.
AT Christ Church the number of students is so
large that there is inevitably more exclusive
ness but the six Americans from Colorado.
Louisiana Montana, North Carolina. South
Carolina and Pennsylvania have not suffered
from lack Of cornpanionship. and are disposed to
think that the cliques are not serious source of
disturbance in social relations. Similar Illus
Tations of family life might be given from the
smaller colleges. 1t is. indeed. the character
istic feature Of the two great English universe
ties that social life is thoroughly democratic.
Each college is a little republic of letters. in
which fraternity, good fellowship and liberty are
noble traditions.
What is most distasteful TO majority of
the American students is the traditional disci-
pine Of the colleges. The average age Of the
contingent Is twenty-five; they are with few
exceptions. tall. broad shouldered men; and
while they are entering Oxford at time of life
when seniors are receiving their diplomas at
harvard i dc. fElDceLOn, Drown, COlQfnDld and
Cornell they treated here as inexperienced
boys. work with tutors at their elbows, are sub
,ecied TO watchful surveillance and are fined and
disciplined Il they are outside the gates after
hours Some Of them have been vaIedictorians
al American colleges. like the energetic Mr.
Nixon, who Is TOW at Balliol after a success
ID career at Wesleyan; some of them have
laen teachers. like Mr.. Werner. of South Caro-
Ina, who is at Christ Church. and at least one
ar. Scholz has been z college lecturer and is
fitting himself at Worcester for an important
chair in the University Of Wisconsin. For
thoughtful. mature men OF this order the re-
slraining Influences of paternal government
must be rksome. Some OF them say that they
oislike the restrictions on their liberty. but
there is no evidence that they are seriously irri-
tateo or annoyed. They are quick to catch the
nomor Of the thing and TO describe the colleges
ss hnoergartens for adults. or as academic nur-
series with awkward tutors and ugly proctors
in Place Of governesses and nursemaids. The
majority are amused, and In q tolerant spirit
accommodate themselves 10 their new environ
h'ehL One Of the commonest phrases among
tnein Is playing the game" They plume them
selves on their skill in adapting themselves to
new conditions and putting up with restrictions
"hlch they consider unnecessary and beneath
hen dignity. There is something after all in
american virtue Of hexlbiIity and accornno-
e6"oh- Whether il is in the ethics of Aristotle,
vi which the classical purists lay much stress,
LAY De doubted: but Il is fl the American blood.
@'s English tourist when he travels abroad.
may exhaust his energies in condemning with
N"e irony OF coarse profanity everything UNI
usual from the serving Of an egg the cook
s OF beefsteak 20 the making of a bed or
e otoerinG Of bill The American traveller
N"Oys the sense Of being in a foreign country
Sao aoapts himself with easy grace to what