Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-10
Students at Manual Labor.

On Labor day every student, according
to his ability, is expected to take OF his
coat and work for the improvement of
the campus In grading roads, cutting new
paths, planting and trimming trees and
shrubbery and doing a general clearing
up. A luncheon Is served these wageless
workers by the women students, In the
gymnasium, and the evening IL spent In
merrymaking. It Is estimated that the
value of the work done last Labor day is
81, 800.
Race prejudice, which has been SO in
tense among the labor unions and politi-
clans on the Pacific coast. does not ap-
pear among the students to any great de-
gree. The fact is that employers of Ia
Dor and sensible people generally on the
Pacific coast are not unfriendly to either
the Chinese or the Japanese, and q ma
jority of the students come from that
class.
with violent prejudices. They are rapid
ly modified under the influence of the
other students and after contact with the
foreigners among the undergraduates.
Last year there were ten students from
China, twelve from Japan and fourteen
from India. who are known as "skimes,
and are treated with the respect that
their conduct and attachments command.
No Dormitortes at Berkeley.
There are no dormitories at Berkeley.
About 80 per cent Of the students live In
boarding houses. the remainder in fra.
ternity and house clubs. There are TWEEN.
ty-one Greek-letter fraternities, nine So
rorities, fourteen house clubs for men
and six for women. Both fraternities and
house clubs are encouraged by the faculty
because they take the students away from
the responsibility Of clearinghouse life
and the isolation of doing their own
housekeeping. and organizes them with
definite responsible relations to the uni
versity and definite standards to main
tain.
The advisory system also prevails.
and is considered q great success. A ma
jority of freshmen arrive at Berkeley
without the slightest experience. and are
suddenly thrust into an environment with
which they are totally unfamiliar. Their
bonds have become loosened. their obliga-
tons are rather vague their course Of
study is largely chosen by themselves,
and there is no supervision of their con-
duet
They have troubles and embarrass-
ments they are confronted with problems
to which they have no key, they may be
incompetent In judgment and may seek
counsel from bad or equally incompetent
advisers. Hencethe practice has grown
up for every student OF the freshman
class to select or ask to to be assigned to
some member of the faculty who will act
as his adviser. who will always be ac-
ceseible and ready to give counsel and
assistance.
The advisers keep themselves Informed
as to the college work and the personal
conduct Of their students, and when they
require attention the advisers are ex-
pected to act They seek to establish
friendly relations, invite their groups Of
students to their homes. and give them
social as well as moral support.
This relation continues as long as it is
agreeable. for 1t Is entirely voluntary on
both sides. Between forty and fifty mem.
bers CT the faculty perform these duties
voluntarily in addition to their regular
instruction.
Each has from twelve to eighteen fresh
men on his list. as well as from ten to
fifteen sophomores. More than 80 per
cent Of the two lower classes avail them
selves of the benefits Of the system