The Washington herald., 1916-06-30
Shall | Go to College?
ny ORIsON SWEET MARDEN,


asking these questions in one form another:
Shall go to college? Does a college education
pay3 Can I afford it? Young people are con-
stantly asking my advice as to how they shall
answer the question.
Many high-schoo1 graduates all over the
country wrestling with this great life
question whether not they shall continue their
education in college or university. l have be-
fore me of several letters recently received,
typical of the many that come to me on the
subject.
The writer, who is country boy, says:
Il farmers son, but want to become
a lawyer. l am healthy and strong, but my
folks cannot afford to send me through college.
have heard lots Of stories about boys who
have worked their way through college, but my
folks think that most of these stories yarns,
and they think it would be almost impossible
for fellow like me to work his way l wish
you would tell me just what you think about
this matter"
All sorts of opinions prevail regarding this
problem of higher education, consequently va
rious kinds of advice will be given to those
seeking it according to the different viewpoints
Of the advisers. Some will talk scornfully about
"college-bred failures" and "book-learncd fools"
Others will speak boastfully of the successful
men whose only course of study has been in
the University of Hard Knocks.
On the other hand, some cxaggerate the
value and importance of college education,
claiming that no have thorough ap
probation of lfe's values unless he spends four
years in some college or university.
Others again will quote statistics to show that
the college-bred has superior chances for
success.
Each class of advisers will find examples a
plenty to support their views. Many college
graduates have been miserable failures So have
multitudes OF men who never saw the inside
of a college. What man takes out of college
with him will depend very largely on what he
took with him when he entered. In other words
whether college education pays or not depends
altogether the man.
Having started life as poor boy, and worked
my way through school and college, and hav-
ing had lot of all kinds OF experience since
my graduation from personal viewpoint, l
have no hesitation in saying that provided a
boy or girl is determined to get the most pos
sible out of it, nothing else in life will pay
better than college education.
The purpose of education is twofold-to
train for life making and for living making
While its highest aim is to enable one to make
more Of his life to live the abundant life of the
spirit, college training is no less calculated to
1T youth lot the practical and vital work OF
making living.
AS the athlete trains his muscles in order to
make them act more quickly and accurately and
to respond automatically to the will, so four
years college course trains the mental muscles,
disciplines the intellect quickens the reasoning
power, sharpens and intensifes all the faculties,
and makes them responsive to the will
There is doubt said Francis L. Pat
ton, that college training prepares man for
the big things Of life better than any home
training or plain business experience, all other
things being equal. 1t gives him broader view
and enables him to see the nter-relation of
things-to understand that nothing stands by
itself"
Every unprejudiced person admits that ones
mental power is favored by larger schooling
Whether or not the methods of higher education
are peculiarly adapted to every individual case,
they are being constantly adapted to the average
man. and they will pay him well for the invest
ment of the time and labor necessary to utilize
them.
knowledge is one of the secret KEYS which
unlock the hidden mysteries of n successful life.
You should therefore get the best and most
complete education that it is possible for YOU
to obtain.
Our civilization is becoming 50 complicated
that narrow, ignorant man stands very moor
chance compared with broad, literally edu-
Gated, many-sidcd man. There never was a
time in the history of the world when liberal