The sun., 1919-08-31
ny KENNETH

dom and Williams In New England,
Hamilton and Hobart in New York,
Hayerford In Pennsylvania and Grim
nell In the middle West, Is thoroughly
American In origin and policy. In
fact a good case could be made for the
thesis that the small college Is the
most American Of our higher educa-
tional institutions. There Is nothing
exactly like It in England or on the
Continent: it has developed to meet
distinctly American needs and It can
claim pure American lineage. Founded
as. many OF our small colleges were
under the patronage of some religious
body, almost all Of them are now free
from UNCONVENTIONAL control although
they preserve their Christian charac-
ter. But as the past is always part
of the present, something of the quail
ity Of the early United States Is still
preserved. 1t is not an exaggeration,
1 think, to assert that there Is no more
Observance anywhere in the country
than in these small colleges of the
principles, of old fashioned American
democracy which disdained caste and
privilege, treated every man on his
own merits but had q distinct place
for leadership and always valued the
individual and his rights. But with
institutions, as with individuals, good
ancestry Is only valuable in being an
earnest Of future usefulness and prom
Use. The more important question Is:
What may we expect of the small col
lege In the years to come?
Before answering It may be well to
say that the pioneer stage Of Ameri
can higher institutions Of learning is
apparently at an end. We have estab-
lished universities and technical
schools and colleges of all sorts and
conditions; we have furnished them
with buildings and equipment. The
claims are staked. Doubtless to meet
new needs new halls of learning will
be opened from time to time, but II we
are wise very rarely. In the main we
ought to avoid the setting up Of new
colleges and the duplication of work
already well done. Our energies as a
nation should be directed to developing
and improving what we now have.
1t will be the part of wisdom to plan
not extensively but intensively. The
public is well aware that It will take
as much money and skill TO meet the
needs OF the next twenty five years as
it has to found and develop our col
leges in the past. But the public has
a right to demand that funds be not
wasted and that every institution ask
ing for support justify its existence
and show signs o future usefulness.
1t is inconceivable that interest in
education in America will wane. Be
cause State and individuals are gen.
crcus Il I'll the more bchooves these
who are in position of educational
leadership to see that such generosity
is not abused.
Twenty-Five years ago there was
much discussion about the survival of
the small college; we still hear echoes
of that discussion to-day. But, I
think, it will be generally admitted
that the position of the college is
stronger to-day than ever before, at
least in popular estimation. The COL
lege, as nearly every one knows, is
neither university nor a technical
school. 1t does not deal with all
phases Of knowledge, nor does 1t equip
a student directly for profession. It's
aim is not vocational; it's goal is not
resourceful mind in a strong Christian
character. 1t takes boys from II to 22
years of age, at critical and inter-
esting period OF life, and acquaints
them with the BEST that literature and
science and history have to offer. 1t
gives its students liberal and general
training, with opportunity to develop
to a reasonable degree specialization
: in their chosen field. BY training
them also in the elements of politics
and government it strives to make
Them better citizens. Indeed the
education given in citizenship and in
the problems now before the Ameri-
can body polite in all our colleges
would be a rev(ta ton to the man in
the street and even to many a metro
politan journalist. The small en-
dowed colleges realize their obliga-
tons to the State; they feel that. like
the larger State supported institutions,
they owe their existence to the State,
and / believe it is no exaggeration to
add that In the future they will be as
closely in touch with popular move
ments as in the past and perhaps
able through their very independence
TO present the proper solutions, pro-
vided they are free from control OF
reactisnary boards or overconser-
vative alumni, for such control can
be as dangerous as domination by
State legislatures.
college consists primarily of those
who teach and those who study there
In discussion of the future of the
small endowed college something must
then be said about professors and
undergraduates. AS for students the
college depends partly upon its
alumni, partly upon It's local constitu-
eney and partly upon the kind OF In
tellectual and social training that IL
gives. Il use the word social in lite
widest meaning) The percentage OF
the student body made up of the sons
OF alumni, contrary to popular con-
ception, Is in all our colleges rela-
lively small. although many students
are sent by interested graduates. The
undergraduate Is a far more infiuen-
tial agent. OF course many students
are attracted by athletics and other
side issues; but that the number OF
students depends upon winning ath-
letic teams Is another popular fallacy
long since exploded. Despite the facts
that a great many boys make the
choice Of a college In a very hap
hazard fashion and that parents SEEM
ingly have less and less to do with
that choice 1t still remains true that
very many students base their decision