Evening star., 1911-06-04
LIFE AT STAMFORD UNIVERSITY
BY WILLIAM e. CURTIS
respondence and the Chicago Record-Herald

I q. CURTIS
ar and the Chicago Record-Herald.
, before leaving the bleachers at q ball
game, for example. to rise en- masse, un-
hymn with solemnity and earnestness
that Is very impressive. witnessed
scene Of this kind at the close Of base
ball game with the University of CaNfor-
MIA. Until the result was announced the
entire student body seemed to have lost
its senses as well az Its self-respect, out
when the game was over the members OF
the team that had been playing took their
places in front Of the stand occupied by
emily in the singing OF the college hymn.
And after they had finished they con-
tinuued to stand in respectful silence
while their opponents. who occupied the
other stand. sang the hymn OF the Uni
versity OF California Then bedlam broke
loose again. But for the moment 1t was
an impressive spectacle.
The students Of Stanford are given TO
parades and outdoor aTnusements. some
OF which are unique and admirable.
In the United States which does not
boast of Its numbers, but. on the con-
trary, g1ories in being small ana seiect
compared with other great universities.
It does nothing to induce young men
or women to come there. but being In
dependent Of the fees of students. gives
them everything free of charge and re-
quires in return standing whicn
would empty the dormitOries OF most
institutions. The aim OF President
Jordon and his associates Is to get the
best quality rather than the largest
quantity Of students, and for that rea-
son the requirements for admission are
original. Stanford has practically dis
small per cent of the students are re-
quired to take them. No particular sub
ject or correlation Of subjects need
have been followed by candidates. Any
high school certificate showing four
years of preparatory work with good
records is accepted. but the admission
committee requires from the principal
details OF the character. habits. dis
position. ability and Intentions Of the
applicant
terrible ordeal for a poorly prepared
young man or woman. Before he can
go up into the sophomore class fresh
man must demonstrate his worthiness.
What is called "the flunking out sys-
lem" usually reduces the freshman
class from thirty to so per cent before
the end OF the first year. Stanford has
no use for a boy or a girl who goes to
college to have a good time and Gull
tfvate congenial social relations. It is
and the student who gets through his
freshman year without being ''hunked
out" Is likely to stay to the end His
endurance as we'll as his ability will be
thoroughly demonstrated.
II
The rules Of admission exclude four
classes which usually are tolerated in
other universities. but
Excluded there is no room for them
n,.. here.
S~0' l. Persons Of mediocre
ability. who give no positive promise
of becoming genuine students.
2. Persons Of good ability. but not
mature or serious minded. and not
likely to make good university stu
dents.
8. Persons Of doubtful character or
frivolous disposition, whose interests
are likely to be absorbed by society.
athletics, etc.
4. Persons who use Intoxicating
liquor.
The application Of those conditions
Is SO strict that the student population
has been reduced to earnest. hardwork-
ing, ambitious young people, most OF
towns Of California. and very few from
the cities. The women are chiefly
preparing themselves for teaching; the
men for professional life. and.
while there is great deal Of good
athletic work, there Is less social life
and less dissipation than in correspond
ing institutions. The men take to
law. engineering and medicine: the
women to literature and languages,
choosing their studies as they would
choose their occupations in the indus
trial world. not because they are
easy and agreeable. but because they
are the most profitable. The courses
are more thorough and longer than
those in other institutions. The med
ical department, for example. requires
seven years. three OF collegiate and
four Of professional; the engineering
courses require five years to do what
other institutions crowd into three.
The total number Of students by tho
latest report is 1.747. OF whom i.142
are men and 60b are
Women Work women. although the
r.-a. charter limits tn .
number Of women to
500. a suggestion made by Mrs. Stan
ford herself. During the year 1873 per
cent of the men and 2.5 per cent Of the
women were dropped for failure to
keep up to the standard. And that is
the usual proportion.
The reason women stand higher than
men is because they work harder The
number OF women Is limited, and there
Is long waiting list OF eager ambiti-
Gus girls. who believe that their fu-
ture happiness and success depend upon
course at Stanford. and when thew
are once admitted 1t Is not their fault
that they do not go through.
1t is a significant fact, also. that the
average scholarship Of the women is con-
siderably higher than that of the men.
TWenty-eight per cent Of the men who
were dropped last year belonged to Greek
letter fraternities. but only 3.2 per cent
OF the women belonged to sororities
This is explained on the theory that the
members of the sororities encourage and
sustain each other in high scholarship.
while the social diversions of the fra.
terntties have kept men from study. The
fraternity men. one would suppose would
encourage scholarship, but IL Is explained
that the Greek letter societies pick their
men for social qualities and athletic
achievements. and they are more apt to
come from wealthy and cultured homes.
while digs" and "grinds" who make
nifty.
The fraternity houses line two sides of
an attractive street on the campus. and
there Is great deal Of rivalry between
them In architectural display and social
tr1umphs. Six sororities occupy com
portable and picturesque villas, each in
charge OF chaperon, who acts as
housekeeper. Members Of fraternities
room and take their meals In the chap
not so fortunate. or unfortunate. as Soma
would put It. live In regular dormitories.
or board IN private houses in the vii.
Iages or Pal0 Alto and Mayf1eld