Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-07-28
ATHENS OF AMERICA
intellectual Boston Aspires to
Deserve the Name.
MANY PLACES OF LEARNING
Number and Prominence of Institu-
tons Credit to City.
FINE COLLEGES FOR WOMEN
Radcliffe. Wellesley and Others Con-
sidered by Many Best
in the Country.
FINE COLLEGES FOR WOMEN
BY WILLIAM +. CURTIS.
Correspondence OF The Star an
Chicago Record Herald.

Special Corres pondepce of The Star and the
Chicago Record Herald.
BOSTON, July 26, 1911
The pretensions of Boston to be the
Athens of America are based upon the
intellectual and esthetic culture of its
population. the number and prominence
of it's institutions of learning. science
and art; the dissemination Of knowledge
from these old fountains. the influence
exerted from its pulpits and platforms
and the study Of it's authors, poets and
philosophers and the appreciation of the
inhabitants for whatever is good in archi-
lecture, painting, sculpture, music and
morals
There is no one to question that Har-
ward is the oldest and most celebrated
Of American universities 1t is also one
Of the wealthiest and ranks among the
three or four which have the largest
number of students. 1t has recently re-
ceived large sums of money as requests;
it has recently erected a group of build
ings for its medical department which
cost S5,oOO.OCO and are supposed to be as
perfect as any of their kind. But the
architecture of Harvard. with the excep-
ton Of three or four buildings, is infe
rior to that Of Princeton or Chicago. and
have no doubt several other universe
ties would claim superiority also Har-
ward has a stadium that surpasSes every
thing OF the kind Mat was ever con-
structed. 1t is not so sumptuous or
elaborate as the Coliseum at Rome, but
II IS larger and more convenient. 1t
Will seat more people and they can see
what is going on in the arena much bet
ter than the guests OF the Roman en-
perors. Already $1,000 spectators have
been accommodated in comfort, and 3.O0O
more could have been provided for.
There is no question as to the charac-
ter or standing of Harvard or it's value
as factor in the fame of the Athens of
America.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
stands quite as high in its important
field and is recognized as the greatest
school of its kind in the world. There
was movement some years ago to ANAL
gamate Harvard and Boston Tech, and it
would have been done but for the ear
nest protests of the graduates of the
latter institution, who objected to sub
merging it's character and reputation by
making it a department of a university
instead OF maintaining its individuality
and independence, as It always has done.
Colleges for Women.
Radcliffe College for women, which is
practically part Of Harvard University,
was named in honor Of Anne Radcliffe
Q1ady Monlson), who, in 1910. was the
first woman to found scholarship IN
an American institution. The students
of Radcliffe receive their instructions
from Harvard professors and their di-
plomas from the Harvard president
Wellesley College for Women is en-
tirely independent and one OF the most
institutions in the world. 1t
has about twelve hundred students. its
standard OF scholarship Is high, and it.
too. has an individuality that Is very
PSfoamp6 nd
friends.
Tufts College belongs to Boston, al
though situated in a suburb. Boston
University and Boston College. the State
School. the Normal Art school, the
Academy of Arts, the Conservatory Of
Music and numerous other institutions
are all factors with Harvard in MAIN
literature and learning.
Boston stands very high as musical
center; 1t has the best orchestra in the
United States-although that will be
disputed in at least two cities; 1t has a
symphony concert hall in which this or
chestra gives regular courses of concerts,
but Chicago has a better one. I should
like TO have some one make a COMPARE
son between the Chicago College of
Music and the Boston Conservatory of
Music. which is usually quoted as the
greatest institution of the kind in the
country 1t would be interesting also
to see comparison of the attendance
upon the concerts of the Thomas Or
chestra in Chicago and the Boston Sym
phony concerts. The programs are of
equal merit from every point of view,
and there is no difference in the nation
atty Of the musicians. Almost every
member Of both orchestras is a foreigner.
But that fact should not be mentioned
as a disparagement of the taste of the
audiences and the guarantors of the
funds.
More lectures are given annually in
Boston than in any other city in the
country, not excepting New York, and
they cover every variety Of subjects that
arrest the attention Of human beings.
The free lectures Of the DWELL Institute
are o great source of satisfac tion as we'll
as knowledge, and mum erous schools and
classes are supported by the same foun-
dalton.