New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-24
WORKING THEIR WAY.
Many Students Mahe Their Ovcn
LiUing at HarUard.


can you tell me where Harvard is:' The
question came from travel stained youth who
had Just aiighted from the electric car at Har-
ward Square, and seemed anxious. though it was
unnecessary. to announce that he hailed from
Polk County Missouri The transfer man had
answered this question many times before He
nodded his head to big gate across the street.
replying mechanically without change of
countenance That's Harvard. right over
there" The slender Westerrer thanked him
kindly and entered the yard somewhat be-
vudered at finding Harvard composite article
made up of many more or less Insignificant
buildings. crowded in by commonplace streets.
IIo had expected to find it, no doubt, The typical
American college. a few imposing edifices sur
rounded with glorious country, a great campus
and the Charles River. The few rcd buildings
forming a 1cctaaglc looked like something out
OF the ordinary. it is true. but stilI he half
doubted the transfer mans directions. and TO
make sure lie hailed the first who looked
like a student with, Say is this Harvard"
sure" replied the student with a gr!n slow
ing up as is the coed uatured way of Harvard
men,
Glad of this reinsurance the new arrival went
on to ask Can you ten where 70 find Mr.
EIiot?"
MIR. Eliot? What MIR. Elliott"
why. amt he the president Of this here uni
versity?"
"Oh. President Eliot, Well really. I don't
think you want 20 see him. Anyway. l guess
he's out of town just now"
The stranger looked concerned. why, l got
to see him." he said Il come here from Polk
County Missouri, to go to Harvard. and
want to see about it."
The student was tempted to direct him to
President Elio,'s cottage. but he remembered
that he had once been new az Harvard himself
Resides the strangers honest blue eyes had
something IikahIe about them; he was not
fresh" he simply didn't know You go over
to that stone building in the middle OF the
yard.' said he, and they can tell you what
you'd better do"
The stranger did as directed and was soon
lost in the gray walls of University Hail. dis
cussing ways and means" with the dean as
sistant and the appointments clerk
The man from Polk County was going 70 work
his way-and he going TO find 1t hard
Hundreds Of such men SO to Harvard every
wear. from North East. South and West The
big university. curiously. attracts this sort in
greater numbers perhaps. than does any other
and it is ind ed, only a comparatively small
proportion of the student body that upholds
the fame or Harvards aristocTacy- Men who
have begun their careers In high schools local
and church colleges men who have taught
themselves and taught school-es we'll as men
fronl Grotcn. St Paurs and &iddlesex-2H
como to Harvard The difficulties and distance
through which they come make them varied
lot. bur generally select Each man is. perhaps
a prodigy in his own town. and comes with
proud recuri-kroWn Only 70 himself Re Is
rather startled when lie discovers that he is
among host ~ Ike celebrities. The Phi Beta
Kappa man from Quluimo college in the South
west where ne VAS valedictorian and leader
Of his class, is only one of n hundred such men
AT Harvard The specialist I'm psychology finds
many psychologists as learned and logical
he 1t was an easy thing for these men TO get
through their preparatory schools and win tho
scholarships, but here at Harvard there are
twenty candidates for every prize, and these
men mus, get living they are sure Of.
Now they all dc it is a strange story. An
idea Of some of the things they 20 may DE
cleaned from visit To The appointments Office.
whore vacancies are registered and positions al
lotte3 Tho list of Jobs foy which the student
may apply covers almost the whole category
of human activities. Here are some selections:
BcIlhcy. singer secretary, StenoGrapher. sales
man. nurse Waterman, ca0rasser. reader,
tutor farmland, companion. guide. supervisor
OF study waiter and man TO Kill tree pests. The
student who works MS way does no, lack for
variety Of employment The great trouble with
1t all is that the work is apt To take too much
Of the students time and keep him from the
fun enjoyment Of college life and good fellow
ship and it may prevent the full pursuit of his
studies. Nevertheless. many man who works ,
his way finds time for college life and interests
as weli and II is not infrequeut that the cap
tain of an athletic team earns all his own ex-
penses. The president and first marshal Of his /
class a few wears ago was a man from the West