Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-06-16
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training She has learned very littl,
from her work OF meeting expenses,
like most OF us she knew how 10 saw
before she came TO college. and nrof-
cheney in pressing skirts and mcndin.s
clothes viii probably not be ~ very
material value - her in years 10 come.
! do not think that she has acquired
any moral virtues nor strength -
character from pressing skirts. lc
anything, Eleanor has become litiis
bitter
have come 10 conclusion that tall
lies with my high school instructors
advice for the girl who cont emplate'
earning her way through college. %
ii only IL there is no other way.
The trouble Is that most - Us are
too quick 10 decide that there is NJ
other way. Now | will admit that manv
girl cannot wait year or two 90
earn the equivalent of her college edu-
cation Money may he needed in ths
family to send younger brothers and
sisters to school, II may be absolutely
imperative that the girl he earning
something definite in four years after
she leaves high school But many or
the girls who were working their way
through college in my generation nj
mitted that they could have waited =
year or two; most of them wished that
they had.
There is work for the high school
graduate There is social settlement
work. taking care OF children. teach
ing in summer schools. in night
schools. tutoring, playground work
selling books. typewriting. \ girl can
do these things about as well befor"
going to college az she can the sum-
mer OF her freshman year.
I should say TO every girl who con-
suited my opinion: Earn $1,000 be
fore you go to college. when you get
there do not sap your strength and
energy by the sweatshop work Of the
odd job.
And to that advice must always he
added. IF possible
For many girls. the earning Of $1,000
on the strength of their high school
education is an absolute impossibility.
The girl who lives in the small town
is almost helpless Villagers do not
spend a great deal OF money. the girls
circle of influential acquaintances Is
not large. there is practically nothing
that she can do without leaving home
and then her living expenses would
take about all that she could earn.
To this girl I should say. borrow all
you can and start for college resolved
to spend as much intelligence. but a.
little time as possible earning money
when you get there.
The very essence Of a college educa-
tion-of any education-is. believe,
leisure. Not righteousness that i'm
plies doing you choose, working de-
sultorily. playing much. but fine leis-
ure of thought which lays deep founda-
tons and builds method. Because our
colleges must reflect the tendencies or
the day that leisure is becoming impos-
sible. We are deploring the many ac-
tivities that are crowding in upon the
college curriculum which is alrsady self
incumbered with too many subjects.
ctr Anyaf hn= "a linn
hurry and multiplicity of interests to
meet at the very start.
Consider the actual time at a students
disposal. girl at Wellesley carries six
teen hours of academic work a week: two
hours preparation for each hour Of her
classroom work makes an average of
seven hours a day. Sunday included. To
earn 40 cents a day she works two hours
every day.
Does the business man who puts In
an eight-hour day for six days out OF
the seven think he has much time left?
The girl. still growing. still unframed
in the ways Of systematizing her time
and her work. Is working nine hours
day. She has left TO her very little time
to meet the demands of the very close
ly bound community in which she lives,
to look out for her health and her
amusement. to save her would-be edu-
cation from being swamped in the pro-
cess
Education cannot mean this frenzied
fitting of moment into moment, this
absurd fashion Of making a picture puz-
zle of the hours of the day. The very
word means a slow process and a growth.
1t is an impossibility for our colleges
to let us be shot through four years OF
confusion at forty knots an hour and call
the result education.
The girl who goes to college has 10
fight against horde OF tendencies that
disorganize and scatter her work and.
unless 1t is absolutely necessary. IL is
unspeakably unwise for her TO add an
other factor that will consume time and
energy. The strength Of her fight against
the harmful multiplicity of four years at
college means in most cases her efficiency
after she has been graduated.
1t is for this reason, then. that i, for
one, would say to the girl who is con-
templating heavier investment in cul-
ture and lacks the necessary funds:
Go to collegel But, as for earning
your way through, do 1T only IL there
is no other Way"