The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1905-10-03
COLLEGES CROWDED.
ENTRANCE TO woMEN's INsTI-
TUTEs VERY DIFFICULT.
Not Only Lack OF Room But Strict
ness In Regard to Health and
Other Regulations Are
Barriers.


Getting into one of the women's col
leges these days Is a serious undertaking.
The most popular OF them are SO crowd
ed that only part of those who are pre-
pared to enter can be admitted This
makes situation exactly the reverse of
that which prevails in mems colleges,
says the New York Sun, where every
student who can pass the examination
and meet the perfunctory requirements
as to moral character is welcomed
Several of the women's colleges re-
quire that those who intend to matricu-
late In particular year shall give notice
TO that effect three or four years before
hand. Thus 1t is pretty we'll known for
several years in advance what are the
prospects for students, and the colleges
are able to maintain their standards of
scholarship.
Physical health also is more strictly
insisted upon In the women's colleges
than in the mems Nearly all schools,
at least Of the higher grade, are now in
sisting as never before upon the health
of pupils.
A physician Is often attached to the
gymnasium, sometimes as general SUI
perintendent Of physical culture. and
upon his advice the pupils often cut down
their school work or for time alto
sether give 1t up. At the women's col
leges the relation of physical health to
general education Is felt to be So i'm
portant that very close watch is kept
upon those who enter college and upon
all students throughout their whole
course.
Every year the June examinations OF
those who have been for several wears
registered as prospective matriculates
OF the women's colleges result In thin
ming out the numbers, but the places OF
those who for physical reasons or for
failure to reach the standard of scholar
ship are told to wait another year are
taken by applicants who have not been
registered so long.
Then the uniucky ones either give IN
the race for the year or spend a large part
of the summer in study for The autumn
examinations, or in special exercises
designed to improve their physical con-
dition. The girl who is rejected on ac-
count Of both physical i'll health and
lack OF mental preparation stands small
chance OF making up her double de-
ficiency
Those students who have been long
est registered enjoy at some OF the wom-
ems colleges special advantages. Ger
tain favorlte dormitories are quickly
filled up by the long registered stucents.
In some cases there is room in the
campus dormitories for only those Who
have applied far in advance and late
corners have 70 lodge outside the college
grounds. The fortunate occupants Of
favorite dormitories are much enyied
by the outsiders, and some perepts con
slider II SO important that their daugh-
tiers shall actually live within the col
leee grounds that they prefer that the
girls shall wait year before entering.
rather than have them exposed to the
Inconvenience and possible temptations
OF lodging outside
1t IS even intimated that wealthy pa
rents sometimes pay handsomely to
lucky occupants of the dormitories for
an exhange OF rooms. A few parents,
on the other hand, believing that the
dormitories are distracting and perhaps
dangerous In their effect upon the
nerves. prefer that their daughters shall
live elsewhere
The girl matriculate has one other
trouble that the boy escapss-the ques-
ton Of clothes. Most young men are
content to 80 TO college Just little bet
ter dressed than at home, but the girls
and their mothers must pass many trou-
bled hours in preparing the college
trousseau
AL an the women's colleges there is
a pretty wholesome spirit in the matter
OF dress and the authorities systematic
ally irown upon extavagance; but every
freshman enters college with some
termors as to her outward appearance.
and there Use good deal of comment upon
the attire Of newcomers.