Omaha daily bee., 1905-08-06
UPLIFT IN COLLEGE LIFE
Glowing Account Of Educatiou's Outlook in
the Missouri Valley.
SALIENT FEATURES OF PROGRESS NOTED
How state Universities Are Run-AbIs
Teaching Corps, whOIesOme stu
dent Life and High Aspira-
lions Realized.

Fifteen years ago Samuel A. Eliot, D. D.,
president OF the American Unitarian as
ISOLATION, visited the west and delivered
the commencement address at the Uni
versity Of Colorado. This year he made
a similar journey for a similar purpose
on both occasions he visited several state
universities In the Missouri valley. The
great changes noted I'm 1895 compared with
the college conditions of 1880 forms the
basis OF a glowing tribute to western col
lege progress in the Boston Transcript
Dr. Eliot says in part:
Nothing can surpass the academic dig
nifty Of a commencement at western state
university The perfection Of the disci-
pline would make our elegant, but often
distressed, master Of ceremonies at Har-
ward green with envy. AT our eastern col
leges there are still individual idtosyn-
crasies and perverse prejudices and tradi-
tons OF similar days 10 be considered
There are some old-fashioned members
of the faculty who just won't wear the
academic gown or the appropriately col
ored hood, and there are always some reck-
less seniors who will wear tan shoes or a
straw hat. Not so in Kansas and Colorado
in Iowa and Nebraska. There every pro-
lessor and every senior wears his uniform
az II he we're used to IT, each one knows his
Mace and his part and performs II impress
sively. The academic procession, headed by
the regents in their gowns and followed by
the members Of the various faculties with
their characteristic hoods and stripes, ana
by the senior classes OF the college and the
various professional schools, Is perfect In
its orderly procedure and the commence
msnt exercises themselves are carried
through with a soemnity which is some
times awesome. ! caught myself almost
wishing that some senior would forget to
take off his oxford cap at the proper time
or trip on his gown as he came up the
steps of the platform to get his sheepskin,
but no such accident marred the impress
slveness OF the occasion.
Dignity Means Growing strength.
The capacity for taking ones self
seriously was equally observable at the
alumni dinners which I was privileged to
attend It was certainly not the presence
OF clergy that made us serious, for there
was not even "grace before meat" Even
when the orchestra played popular airs, no
body limited that we should do such I'M
dignihed thing as sing. The state universe
ties are. OF course, all co-educational insti-
tutions and more women graduates find
time for attendance at commencement than
men graduates Their presence lends grace
70 the festivities, but does not add to the
liveliness The stiffness was not relieved by
the fact that the speeches of the represen-
tative alumni were apparently committed
20 memory, and somewhat artificial In de-
livery. / recall only one instance wherein
speaker permitted himself to be In the least
jocose At the University OF Colorado, In
deed, the exhilerating leadership and con-
Il alNaW % n
Harvard crew, who has been for fifteen
years past regent of the university, did
succeed in provoking some cheers and one
song, but for the most part we sat and ate
and listened in reverential silence.
The dignity of the academic occasions at
the state universities is an indication OF
the growing strength and stability OF the
institutions themselves. They have OUT
grown the prankish days of institutional
immaturity. The material equipment Of
the state universities is annually becoming
more complete, permanent and beautiful.
It was noticeable at the ST. Louis exposi-
ton, last summer, that the exhibits OF
most Of the state universities of the west
consisted of plaster models OF the grounds
and buildings, and photographs OF class
rooms and laboratories and power houses.
This is indicative Of the temper of the
governing boards OF these universities.
They are interested In the things that make
show, and which can be pointed out to
the taxpayers as adequate results OF
efficient administration. Each one OF the
four universities I visited has now a vision
OF it's own material development The Uni
versity of Kansas has laid out a scheme
for its prospective buildings and the de-
velopment of it's extensive property on the
beautiful hilltop at Lawrence, which 1t can
4
Iowa City the university, which occupies
the old state capitol grounds, has recently
employed the Olmstead Bros to give ad-
vice about the placing of enough new
buildings to suffice for the needs of the
next half century. At Boulder Colo, under
the influence OF the aforesaid regent with
Harvard traditions, an endeavor is being
made TO work out on the Mesa, backed by
the snow-clad mountains, a quadrangular
design something after the plan Of the Har-
ward yard The new buildings are hand
some and well designed, but one ventures
TO raise the question IL the emphasis is not
put too strongly upon equipment. and toe
lightly upon the real purpose OF a univer-
sity. In one direction, moreover, the build
ing operations have been curiously made
quate. No one OF the universities that
visited has yet established a dormitory
system, though the Introduction Of such q
system has long been urged by the facul-
ties. The reluctance TO build dormitorles Is
partly owing to the feeling Of the regents
that the state has nothing to do with tn,
private and domestic life of the students
and partly, also. to the political and socia
influence OF the people in the towns where
the universities are located who derive
their income from letting rooms and fur.
nishing board to students. The beginninI
OF dormitory system has this year beer