The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-10-05
When the Colleges
Went to War
New Programme Produced Reaction Against Military
Ideals and Control-Chief Result of the Great
q Experiment Has Been Deeper Conception
of Relation of Learning to Life


AhieriSd nave quietly opened
their doors for the peaceful
pursuit OF knowledge. 1t is hard to
realize that one year ago they were
opening for the study of the arts of
war. One year ago nearly every cam
pus was renovating buildings, turning
dormitories into barracks, laboratories
into experiment stations. engaging
military instructors, studying the pro-
grafhme laid down by the War Depart
ment, and sailing out into an unknown
sea. Every college for men knew that
the year was to be one of high adyen-
ture. unprecedented experiment. of
financial loss, but of glad devotion to
the common good. The colleges went
to war, as well as their students and
their alumni Not only those who
marched away from the campus, but
those who remained behind, devoted
every hour of every day to the winning
OF the war. 1t was a vast experiment
in nationalized education, conducted in
600 institutions scattered from Allan
tic to Pacific. With what result?
Certainly the colleges demonstrated
1ustment. In ten days they overthrow
all the presidents and programmes of
a hundred years. Many a morning in
October 1 stood on the campus in the
frosty air to see the students tumble
out of the dormitories when reveille
sounded at 6 A. M.-the very students
who used to think that A. NJ. was an
unreasonably early hour for chapell
At $50 they lined up on the campus
in the morning twilight. At 6:15 came
roll call; at $3.50 mess was served in
the big dining hall; at ISIS the morn
ing lectures began. Then followed a
set programme which filed every hour
of day and evening until taps" was
sounded at 10 p. NJ. The faithful night
Waterman, who in time of peace was
never quite easy in mind until the last
student had gone to rest in the ''wee
sma' hours" cried: Greatest sight
the college ever saw last night" How
is that?" asked. "Why, at five min
ntes before 10 light was burning in
every window, and at one minute past
10 not q light could be seen in any
buildingi" The revolution in student
life was complete. Athletics, dramat-
Of student activities" went to the
scrap heap without the slightest COM
plant All the old college life" disap-
peared as trivial when compared with
the winning Of the war.
And what of the professors? The
professor Of philosophy was teaching
navigation. A professor of the fine
arts gave himself to teaching mathe-
mates. A professor of Latin ao-
knowledged that he had almost equal
interest in French, and we had classes
waiting for him Teachers Of history
devoted themselves to a course in
the "Aims of the War" Chemistry
became an adjunct of gas defence;
mathematics was preparation for
service in the artillery or In the navy.
The cultural subjects receded into the
background, and all courses were TO-
cussed directly on the gigantic task
Of the nation. No institutions In the
land proved more adjustable, more Inn
mediately responsive to the national
demand, than the colleges, which were
supposed to be, like Matthew Arnold's
oxford, "the home of lost causes and
Impossible ideals" But with what re-
suit?
The new programme certainly did not
result In any development Of the spiri,
Of militarism. On the contrary II
produced a reaction against military
ideals and military control The ex-
pertinent was too short-less than
three months-to afford any complies
demonstration. Before we were fairly
ha 10 a
stice was signed, and the reaction
which was felt In every camp. wa:
obvious in every college. But the In
herent opposition between the AGA
demic ideal of life and the military
ideal was manifest in the first month
In some institutions where a young
officer with little general education
vas clothed with an authority above
that Of the college president the sit
uation was both comic and tragic
In many institutions the officers. quit
unused to academic atmosphere
plunged into difficulties from which
only the good sense of the Faculty re
1ieved them. 1t was discovered tina
the old fashioned methods Of a col
Iege dean, who ruled by consultation
and conference, could secure obedienc'
far more easily than the new officer
could secure It by threat of the guard
house Military authority could com
mand mems bodies and make then
stand "at attention." but accidents
authority could far more quickly reacl
their minds and secure assent ant
cooperation. We discovered what
vast amount of obedience is each yea
secured In American colleges by tn
direct approach TO the conscience an
loyalty of American youth, and tina
without such approach outward obedi
ence has no educational meaning an
no national significance. The caree
of the professional soldier is far les
attractive to our college graduate
tkan a year ago.
But the word discipline" has beel
rescued from its old meaning an
been rehabilitated in public favor
The attacks on formal discipline
made at every teachers convention !
the last twenty years had made
=.-c=. shy shcrt enforcing the old
fashioned virtues of obedtenc<
promptness, submission to drill, recog
milton Of authority. and subordinate
OF self to the larger good. Now TN
Ole virtues have come back with
rush to their former place In educa
ton, and we have seen that withou
them liberty means license and sell
determination spells anarchy. 1t wi
rar,t,ira cnpaa assurance hanrafOrth 4