University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1908-10-07
SHOULD A BOY
GO TO COLLEGE?

part; but it is only a part, and this
fact should be recognized. For after
all, the college life as whole is what
makes or unmakes the boys who are
in the midst of it for four impression
able years. Or rather, it is the attitude
of the boy toward the college life about
him that usually determines his future
Ones environment never is the supreme
factor; what one does with ones en-
yironment settles the case.
So the question to answer is really
this: Should a boy have college life
for four years? And that question can
no more be answered than the question,
What kind of woman should a man
marry?" 1t is necessary to know your
man; and it is necessary to know your
boy. However, it is possible to answer
intelligently the question, "Shall my
boy have four years of college life!"
or. if the boy himself is TO decide the
matter, "Shall l enter upon four years
of college life?"
A general truth that it would seem
safe to assume, in considering the bear
ing of this question upon any particular
boy, is that college life does not trans
form, but it develops, those who are
in the midst of it. The reason for this
is that almost any boy will find, in
college, strong inducements to give full
swing to his chief tendencies or ambi
tions, no matter what they are. If he
is a student, there is plenty of slim
ulus to the development of student
habits and scholarly achievement. If
he is socially inclined, there is social
life in full measure, inviting him to
give that his chief attention. The ath
letically inclined of the young genera
ton need not to be told where they can
get athletic encouragement likely to sat
isfy the most extreme. The youth who
longs to get out from under parental
sight into life where he can sample
wild oats to the full, having no ques-
tions asked when he comes in late OF
nights, finds that college life filings the
door wide open for this, and that there
is no lack of companions to go to the
limit with him, or to show him how to
go farther than he would ever have
learned alone.
, For the boy whose Christian ideals
are high and clean, whose mother has
thrilled his bOyish heart with true stO
ries of character heroism i'm the fellows
Of fathers day, when chap who wore
the blue, or the crimson, or the orange
md black, stood out single handed
against his whole class for what he be-
ieved was right until by sheer force
,f manhood he broke down their opposi
ion to him and they cheereG him to
,he echo and hOnOred him as one who
vas made Of better stuff than they
hat boy will find. to his surprise per
laps. that Christian character is at a /
premium today among college men: |
hat it is no longer bad form to be
Christian lit was actually said to be
considered so in well-knOwn eastern
ollege about the time that the writer
vas an UNDERGRADUATE that the lead
ng men in fratcrnities. eating clubs, ath
etic teams. musical organizations, and
are as likely as not to be
he leaders in the religious activities of
he college; that there is large Oppor-
unity for thorough going Bible study
nd organized Christian work; and that
ollege Christianity is Christianity at
IS best and truest, because college life
, such a merciless enemy to sham and
and lukewarmness of any
Ort. He will find that the spirit of
uch masculine Christianity as Mott and
peer stand for is inspiring and control
ng the best that is in college life. and
hat that best is Il larger part of col
'ge life today than ever before, and
rowing larger every year. He will
nd, in some colleges, that choice
rOup of the undergraduates is kcenly
lterested in home and foreign missions.
,me supporting and conducting city
ettlement work, Others with their own -,
visionary institutions. bearing the col
ge name and waving the college colors.
the foreign field.
All this. college life offers in the way
opportunity to develop ones better :
ones worse side. There are bows \
no leave college great deal lower
,wn in the scale of manhood and char
ter than when they entered. and who
ould have been the gamer, by the
'essure of rigid business life and dis
pline, with less freedom until they
ere older. They have chosen to let a
e temptations of college life develop II
cir worst tendencies. There are many L
a large ma ajority-who 2
I'VE been helped by the hi CHER impulse NJ
COLLEGE life to dpyplon their brains