St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1911-03-01
THOUGHTS Upon Education.


cation was the most likely to sue
coed in certain lines of practical
business. The statement was made
that, college educated men were less
likly to succeed as retail merchants
or as newspaper men than those who
fore they went to college. Opposed
to this was the statement of the
professional men that college edu-
cation was good thing for man
no matter what line of business he
was to follow. Still they had to
face the assertions of those who had
tried both kinds that the college
educated man did not in actual
experience give as satisfactory ser
vice as men with less education but
with greater willingness to concen-
trate themselves on the minor duties
that always come to the beginner
of any business. After some debate
there seemed to be a disposition to
agree that education itself was no
detriment to a man but the boys
were getting so much besides edu-
cation in their college life that it
reduced their efficiency.
Even put in that way it is a serious
matter. To every father and mother
to whom the expense of sending
their child through college is a diff
ficulty the question why they should
maIzo tho caarifoo to furp ont q
child with reduced efficiency will
surely come if present tendencies
continue. To a certain extent the
colleges themselves are responsible
for the ideas and tastes the boys get
outside of the college course. In
the Encouragement and prominence
that has been given to expert athletics
the colleges have been developing in
the young men and women a taste
for luxury and pleasure that impairs
the youths ability to concentrate
himself on more serious matters. To
flock to ball games and shout and
yell in gangs to show college
spirit" develops no faculty that will
be useful in actual life. 1t does re-
| duce the ability to apply oneself per-
sistently to actual duties. Colleges
cannot continue to develop this
feature without reducing the eff
cheney of those placed under their
care.
But the whole blame cannot be
placed on the colleges. Parents
themselves are very largely respon-
sible for the kind of college gradu-
ates we are getting. All admit that
college instruction for young men
who are in college for serious pur-
poses is beneficial but when there
are enough present without serious
purpose to become the controlling
| force in the life and work of the
college the development of efficiency
becomes an incidental result. That
too large a proportion of young men
and women are sent (they do not
| go) to college without serious pur-
pose is quite evident. Their col
Gus sacrifice on the part of their
wealthy parents and they are sent
to college and provided with funds
for whatever purpose they may
fancy. This class is largely respon-
sible for the eXpensiveness of social
life in college communities. They
do not need to be serious and they
drift into things that simply please
rather than develop and the parents
are satisfied. If the boy or girl get
into the habit of simply squeezing
through" instead of doing really
efficient or creditable work it follows
feature of college life the parents
are defeating the best efforts of col
lege faculties and in so far as col
lege management encourages specta-
cular or expert athletics it is crafty
ing expensive and pleasure loving
traits in the students.
There is very serious work ahead
on the part of parents and faculties
if American colleges are to produce
men who can succeed as we'll Oh
better than the uneducated but
practically trained young man OF
woman in the successful business
undertakings.
The Waterbury Record in com
menting on the article written by T
Vail in The Vermonter hints that
there may be political ambition be