The morning journal-courier., 1908-03-02
WRITES OF OXFORD Berkeley Blackman, Rhodes Scholar, Formerly of
 This City. TALKS OF DAYS ROUTINE Interesting Account of English Uni versity as Seen Through
 American Eyes.
TALKS OF DAYS ROUTINE

seat of learning The writer, Berke- ley Blackman, lived in New Haven for some time and for the most part prepared for college at the Hillhouse High school. Berkeley is the son of W. F. Blackman, the president of Rollins college, Winter Park, Flori- da, from which State he was appoint ed to one of the Rhodes scholarships.
 The letter in full follows:a
 At last have time to give you the letter you asked on our life here at Oxford. There is much that might be written in the way of comparing English and American customs and institutions, but I have not been over here long enough to feel qualified to discuss these matters. So 1 will con- fine myself to an account of our life here as it is, and allow others to draw their conclusions from the facts.
 Of course Oxford is entirely differ ent in every way from the American colleges, and most of the all from the smaller coeducational schools which are found throughout the eoun- try. and to which my remarks would naturally apply, There is not the s)- cial life to which have been 2 GUS tomde at home; the social lite here is of an entirely different sort. The methods of instruction and study are different, the athletics are different, the whole mental and moral tone is different. To compare the two forms of instruction on such short aC- quaintance would be Impossible, though I have, of course, my own ideas on the subject The differences are evident, each one must 1ecile fer himself whether the general difference is for better or for worse.
 The days here run very much along same plan, so that an account of one day would give far idea of my life. We rise about 730 o'clock. and have breakfast at S. Breakfast IS brought to my own room oy my scout or servant and consists gener ,l'v of coffee or cocoa, bread and butter, and jam of some kind It s possible to have anything else I desire brought from the kitchen in case wish o have friends in to breakfast. Break fast is one of the social occasions, when it is possible to have tT) or three friends in, or sometimes to be invited out. After breakfast it is usual to sit around few moments; shen we leave for the labratory or ltctuf e room, where we work ua.il I o'clock. At one l take a quick lunch in my room. consisting of the inevitable bread and jam or fruit, and dress i'm mediately for the river. Luncheon is of necessity light and hurried re- past. for almost everybody in the mi versity has to be at some athletic fiel by o'clock, and it is impossible to eat much before such immediate ex- ercise. I myself am engaged In the rowing, which is probably the most distinctive feature of Oxford life. From the athletic fields we ret lrn about 4:3o o'clock. and the slsnih- canoe of the Englis,, o'clock tea be- comes at once apparent. Alter the light luncheon and the heavy work it Is no longer the luxury it Is generally considered. but necessity. Tel is the second social occasion of the days work, three or four generally taking 1t together, and discussing the days sport and other topics of interest Af- ter tea there is q braa6 until dinner, which is generally used for study or writing. Dinner comes rt ! and is eaten Tn the big hal. It c1rsis s q soup, fish, meat md vegetables, and dessert. The rest CT the evening 's at my disposal. and may be put in by studying. walking around ;ne quad rangles, going to the theaser, or any way I please.
 This would repres ant our life here very well. and from this acH punt soma of the main differences are eas.ly seen. The first difference 10 be no- ticed is the very arrangement of the life itself. The college is run on plaN which makes 1t seem half college and half a private hotel On each .staircas are rooms for about eight men. and each stair is in charge of a servant or scout. who does all the work. Each man has two rooms, a be1-rn nm and sitting room. which are large an' roomy, or small and cozy. according to the college and part of the build- ing in which they are Doa'ei The Idea seems to be to save .ne sudden
 all the work possible, an1 a man l! considered rather out Of form If h'
 carries a bundle to a shop IT back The scout builds the fires, serves th'
 meals. makes the beds, sweeps, dusts and offers paternal advice to those ii
 his stair. They are intensely loya to the college. and have their owr athletic organizations, In all thi, Oxford is entirely different from oul own colleges.
 Then the athletics are different Almost every student takes some par in some athletic event. Rowing, foot ball. and cricket are the sports mos cultivated. and. lacrosse. hocey, track and field work. and other kindred sports. are generally played by those who are unable to get into the flrs' three. The rowing is the sport of OK ford. almost of England. in the schools. Generally speaking, nearly half the men. perhaps more. whC come up. try for the crew. and onl, go into the other sports as they art shredded out from the rowing squad The first term, the men are put into wooden boats like long narrow row boat in which they learn the form tC be used in the eights. It is during this term that the college fours race' come off. in which the squad. divided into fours. TOW against the other four. of their own college. In the second term the men from the fours art picked in February against the torpid
 of the other colleges And finally il the summer term. the vacancies in tn,
 eight are filled from the torpid. ant
 the eight is developed to rCH in Ma.