Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1916-07-14

DAY imam any OLner boy IN COlleS0
Rather remarkable statement for college
president to make concerning a college student,
yet hardly remarkable than the institution
which the student is attending Blackburn col
| lege at Carnville, Ill.
Blackburn, as matter of fact occupies posi-
ton unique among institutions of learning In this
country No other college, perhaps, is conducted
along exactly the same lines It's aim is to train
young men to be not only scientific, but practical
farmers intoxicating in them at the same time
love Of the soil, and to make of girls and young
women practical housewives who will be able to
cook and sew. and to take care of home Also,
and this is where the unique feature in, it is
conducted upon a plan of self-help, whereby young
and of the most limited means are af-
forded an opportunity to avail themselves of
standard college education.
The plan has been tAted only year. but during
this period it has proved SO successful, literally
knocking the high cost of living all to pieces that
the great problem next fall will be what to do with
the students.
The charges for the year at Blackburn have
been placed at 500, and three hours work per
day at some sort of manual labor. This pays for
furnished room with steam heat and electric
light board and tuition.
The first thing one is likely to say on hearing
this IS Its too cheap; it can't be DONE" That
was exactly what the college trustees said when,
after calling DR.. William NJ Hudson to the pres-
dency, they listened to his revolutionary scheme
for rejuvenating Blackburn.
But Doctor Hudson had some convincing figures
out of his past experience. He was optimistic and
persistent. So finally the trustees agreed they
might as well try it for year. 1T may blow us
up they said "but better that than rotting down.
At any rate an explosion will attract more atten-
ton"
It nearing the noon hour when l reached
the little group of college buildings nesting in
grove of fine old elm and oak trees the outskirts
he suggested
would better go down and see the girls getting
dinner
Here was something new. In the present age
when the average college girl spends goodly por-
ton of her time in social amenities and athletics
the idea of students preparing their meals
was decidedly novel; Yet there they were, dozen
of them, in school dresses covered with long
white aprons, busily engaged in preparing menu
which had been written blackboard in the
kitchen-a kitchen, by the way, immaculate as
the most exacting housewife could desire.
This combination of earning and learning is one
of the unique features of Doctor Hudson's plan.
The young get the theory of domestic
science in the classroom and then put it into prac-
tce in the kitchen. They do all the cooking, with
the exception of certain amount of help from
some of the young men students That they also
do it scientifically and well was attested by the
meal that followed little later. This meal con-
sisted of cream of tomato soup, roast beef, baked
potatoes, creamed celery bread and butter, tapi-
and cake, and there abundance of each.
I made bold to ask if dinners like that
served every day.
Certainly" replied Doctor Hudson Its not
visitors menu by any means. We didn't know you>
were coming, and if we had would have gone
along just the same"
"And the costa? inquired
For answer Doctor Hudson beckoned to Miss
Sparks, the capable head of the domestic science
department, who not only teaches the subject, but
xyoriO o11d fhn
to quarter of cent, not emitting such small
things as the flour in the gravy and the salt the
potatoes and repeated my query.
1.-THE cost per capita for the materials" said
Miss Sparks, twas fraction under eight cents
BY way of making the lesson more impressive, she
added that the only other expense, since the stu
dents do all the cooking and serving, was for the
fuel consumed in the range, an amount small
that it could hardly be figured out as much per