The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1909-05-29
FARGO COLLEGE NEWS

Guy F. Vowles, has written an ex-
cellent and most interesting paper on
American colleges and which he COM
pares with European lleges and uni
yersities. This he read before an inn
portant gathering at the oxford uni
versity, and later, by request, it was
published in The Tuesday Review, an
Oxford undergrad paper. He says
that one of the reasons Oxford has
been receiving mu III attention from
American educators is on account Of
the unwillingness of the great number
of students in the larger institutions.
In order to have pupils become better
acquainted with professors and each
other. Princeton and other colleges
have adopted the tutorial system
modelled on that of Oxford American
students specialize later than in Eng
land. Graduate couT-es compare
favorably with those Of Europe. This
Is evidenced by the coming to our
country Of English educators to see
what conditions were responsible for
the experts which we have sent into
the worlds work. There Is a demo-
cracy in American education unheard
of in conservative Oxford, indeed, l
doubt If any one who is familiar only
with the Oxford system can form any
conception of it. Fees are in most
cases made low in order to further
the cause Of higher education, not ex-
orbitant in order to insure exclusive
ness. An utter absence of cast, in the
English sense of the word, makes it
1 sell IL -
from whatever social stratum they
come. 1t would, doubtless, be reve-
lation to many in England who believe
that there is an essential and funda-
mental difference between the classes,
to see what the sons of laborers ac-
complish. One factor in their rapid
advancement is that they are not
looked down upon as mSeriors, but
received as equals. 1t is, of course,
true that the lower classes with us
are in general better paid and more
intelligent than in Europe-social
CULTS are not so wide. While we, in
many ways, must acknowledge the
leadership of Europe educationally,
We rank first in the standard of living
and intelligence amo~rs the lower
classes, as well as in the percentage
of the whole population enjoying the
advantages of University training.
America has over $50 degree granting
colleges and universities, at least seven
having over 1000 students and two
more than 5000. Every foreigner who
learns to know oxford admires her
athletic system. Barring Cambridge,
! it is doubtful if here is any other
university in the world where so large
proportion of the students indulge
in some healthful outdoor sport. We
Americans envy Oxford her true
sportsmanship which puts the game
above the victory. Americans train
harder and produce very fine teams,
which by reason of t:lesr professional
coaching, often work better together
than VSose here. But the relative
number of men participating is vastly
smaller. Only the promising material,
the men who are likely TO bring honor
to the college. are given any atten-
ton, and many who especially need
physical training do not receive the
encouragement they should. Univer-
sity teams are so anxrous to win
matches that professionalism at times
creeps in.
The American graduate may not
have quite such a definite store OF
facts as his Oxford cousin. but he is
certainly versatile. The broadness of
grasp our more comprehensive curri-
culum affords, together with the prac-
tical participation in student activities,
furnish the equipment needed by the
man who Is to be daily confronted by
new problems in the evolution of a
new civilization.
Miss Bestor's brother was college
visitor Saturday.
DR.. KnowIton attended a meeting
OF the Committee Of Seven Tuesday
and his classes were taught by Or.
Leonard.
Mrs. True recently received the sad
Missouri. and a sister in Maine.
Miss Nina Pollock will go on leave
OF absence to Berlin where she will
study German. She expects to start
In the autumn and be away for at
least year.
The second team this week played
concordia's second and won by a
score OFF, to 4. Tss.ey also won from
the Fargo high school sophomores by
a score Of 9 10 3.
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