New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-30
AMERICAN COLLEGE GIRLS.
English Woman Compares Them with Her
Own Countrywomen.

An interesting comparison between the American
college girl and her European counterpart which
IS not wholly TO the disadvantage of the former
appears In a recent number OF THE Outlook" the
writer being given a European university
girl"
The American woman's college is a thing wholly
amazing IN European eyes according to this critic.
NO European educational institution would think of
allowing 10 its inmates such. righteousness Of
surroundings as appears in the American girls
college room. the extreme simplicity of the food
being the only thing common both types Of
educational community
To the uninitiated beholder the American college
girls room, with flags and posters and sporting
souvenirs and class symbols. with mems pictures
on desks and dressing tables might be college
boys. On the other side OF the young
women are supposed not to keep young mems por
traits in their rooms. just they not supposed
to meet equal terms Of comradeship the sub
jects of the aforesaid pictures. The absence OF
books in the room and tho conspicuous presence Of
candy boxes and fruit baskets might also strike the
European observer as peculiar.
All this corresponds with radical difference in
the life of women students in America and in
Europe. The European girl goes to her university
purely for learning, and in the lower educational
institutions It is the same. Study is the business Of
life. and only those fortunate ones who have friends
and relatives TO take them out occasionally and
give them a good time ever get any fun.
In America the college is a school OF life, with
all sorts of activities besides study The European
college girl has to lind out after she leaves coleBe
everything that her American sister learns while at
college, though occasionally In old Europe girl
has chance of getting out her life perhaps
more experience and at least the amount OF
pleasure the American girl does although in a
way entirely different this IS the girl who attends
a university for men and enjoys in the old World,
among hundreds of men. the perfect freedom OF
movement and the feeling OF independence which
characterize the happy life OF the American college
girl (happy in that she realizes by herself an ideal
of and Y1Fa1 tai1a
strain which comes to the life when lived by
one girl among crowd of men).
The chief characteristic OF the American wonan'S
college IS well defined. the critic proceeds, by the
historical words life. liberty, and the pursuit OF
happiness" To the college girls happiness many
elements are cooperating, among which, notably,
are papa's checks and the advantages depending
thereon; faculty votes prohibiting a schedule OF
over so many hours a week more than a certain
number Of courses for the semester; constant anxi
ETY. on the part Of "PreX' and IN. D." lest the
young buds OF hope break down under the strain
of study and forth.
This last appears particularly strange to the
European mind No one gives thought there, IL
appears to the effects OF study the health OF the
students. We may moan. sigh or revolt" says
the writer. we may strike. protest or die In the
attempt: from the serene Olympus OF the faculty
the gods watch with calm, unruffied brow the
struggle OF the nOnentities down in the halls OF
learning