University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1909-03-01

| the Traveller, ulake u tIiP A'NA
esting, and the girl who is really eager
to know and to see all there is to be
learned or seen of a country through
which she is touring will derive more
lasting benefit and enjoyment from
weeks or a months sojourn in the one
foreign city than will she who in half
hearted, scarcely interested manner
makes tour of the globe.
True enjoyment in travelling is i'm
possible without fairly clear knowl-
edge of the countries visited, the peo-
pie, their history, their art and their
language.
The girl who makes her first visit to
the Old World soon after her gradua-
ton from school or college is indeed to
be envied. Her knowledge of facts and
dates, of painting and of architecture
is still fresh and sure, and she cannot
fail to be enthusiastic at visiting those
places made familiar to her by history
or in viewing for herself the beautiful
buildings and the famous works of art
which hitherto she has known only by
means of blue prints or none too sat
isfying copies.
Preparation for the Trip.
Lenten sewing circles, bridge classes,
matinee clubs and private theatricals
are already being organized for the
eight weeks, more or less, before Eas-
ter, but the girl who has been prom
ised summer trip to Europe will do
well this year to devote all her spare
time in preparation for the fun that is
to come. A language class can be ev-
cry bit as en- jOyable as any bridge
class, and it is always possible for a
band of girls to meet together two or
three times a week and study the art
of conversation in French, German or
Spanish or Italian, even if all the men,
bers are not so fortunate as to be con-
templating a foreign trip. Almost ev-
cry girl who has been to school has
been drilled in the rudiments of both
French and German and feels that she
has certain acquaintance with those /
languages, the people and their litera
ture. Yet she will be astonished to
find how very helpless. she is in the
ordinary everyday conversation of
that tongue when she tries to make
herself understood by one who knows
nothing of her English. Just little
practice is necessary, and by the time
she is leaving a country she will, per-
haps, find herself at last becoming pro-
icient in that tongue.
For girl who can speak French or
has studied even the rudiments of Lat
n both Italian and Spanish are easily
and if the trip contemplated
includes either a visit to Italy or a
motor tour in Spain knowledge of
wen the barest forms of conversation
will add enormously to the pleasure
md the profit of the trip.
1t is all very well to say that English
S now so universally spoken that she
an get about without inconvenience in
my civilized country, or that every
where some person can be found who
an converse in French if not in Eng
ish, but this is great fallacy.
Old World Treasures.
In Paris, perhaps, or any of the great t
European centers knowledge of the
anguage of the country is not obliga- a
ory for the tourist, but everywhere a {
nowledge of the native tongue will be /
ound a great time and money saver if
othing else, while there will be MANY d
its of interesting information that can O
e gathered only from some old inhab- q
ant who knows no language but his d
wn. 6
If the course in school has not in f.
uded study of the history of paint O
lg, sculpture or architecture, then ev r
" spare moment can well be spent in O
ones self with these three
reat arts-fOr without some knowl- Fl
ige on these subjects the treasures of Il
ally are a closed book, while there is v
'arcely town of the meanest size in {.
u the Old World which cannot boast
at least one wOndrOus church or II
'thedral or some few far famed paint Fl
gs that tourists find it worth while E,
travel hundreds of miles to view. d.
18th a brief but comprehensive book Ia
the history of architecture, includ- $,
g clearly stated outline of the diff +,
rent periods and their sequence, from OF
lrly Greek to late Renaissance. as M
ell as dictionary or table of the ar II
litectural terms for the component
'rts of building, student can gath "
sufficiently good idea of the sub II,
ct to be able to acquire keen ap-
eciation of this great art. And with D,
e first lessons will come an under 4,
anding of the gradual growth of an
ca OF beauty in stone from it's begin a,
ng in the colossal pyramids of an d
mt Egypt down through the ages to
.-N