Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-27
BY FREDERICK c. RUSSELL.

"UTURE biographers of great
l. men now in the making may
be subject to criticism If they
Il repeat the hackneyed line
HE worked his way through
college" An investigation just com
pleted by one of the largest unlver
sites in America makes plain the fact
that there are very few students who
are able to be entirely self-support
ing.
The investigation covered conditions
at the University of Pennsylvania
and was made with a view TO decld'
ing certain points in connection with
the feasibility of moving the Ben
Franklin institution from West Phiia-
delphia to historic Valley Forge. AS
step in consideration of the offer of
Henry n. Woolman, a. philanthroplc
alumnus of the university, to give his
farm of 17S acres at Valley Forge for
this purpose, the trustees of the Penn
sylvania institution appointed special
committee to ascertain to what extent
such an egress from the city would
affect the earnings of students.
Nearly $1,000, 900 would have to be
sacrificed by students if the move
were made, the report indicates. The
picture is somewhat changed, now
ever. when it is explained that tins
would affect but LIS students, so
per cent of whom are only partially
self-supporting.
Few Self-Supporting.
Though the investigation was made
primarily with a view to ascertalnlnS
whether or not acceptance OF the
alumnus' offer would be hardship
for students who depend upon proX-
unity to city business life for live
lihood and education, it revealed the
unexpected in the fact that even with
all the part-time employment oppor-
tunities of the day, few students can
nav their way. The average earnings
of the students who are endeaVoring
to be self-supporting is but slightly
over $500 annually, including earnings
through Summer vacations. In
Princeton the average earnings are
slightly higher than at Pennsylvania,
being $562.15.
Despite the fact that Yale draws a
larger percentage OF out-oi-toWn
youths and does not occupy the same
position as a metropolitan college like
Pennsylvania or Columbia, the same
conditions with respect to student
earnings is said to exist. About 90
per cent of those who are trying to
work their way through earn from
$500 to $500 yearly. The greater per-
centage of this income is derived from
Summertime activities rather than
during the college semesters.
University of Pennsylvania students
earned $500, 1882 during the Summer of
1926. For the present school year,
1926-1927, they are earning $476, 515.96.
While for the LIS employed stu
dents, the total earnings will reach
1882, 497.96, the average earnings per
student will be Inadequate. The aver
age cost of a student at Pennsylvania
is more than three times the average
earnings of these industrious young
men who are working their way
through college"
OF the employed students at
Pennsylvania, only 10 are earning
over $500 a year. Seven are earn
ing over $4,000, while three have the
distinction of earning over $500.
These three may be subjects for the
biographers, for their combined earn
ings will be $4,000 for the fiscal year;
S16,475 of this total is being earned
during the school term.
Jobs Are Varied.
Many varieties of jobs are held by
Pennsylvania men who are trying~to
pay their way. The most unusual
college occupation unearthed by Prof.
Clarence T.. clewell. director of the
University Placement Service, is that
of trapping and dealing in furs Most
of the employed students are en-
gagged in conventional pursuits such
as cierking or manual labor, but the
list includes many specialties. One
student defrays his expenses as a
tree surgeon, while another picks w
many dollars as an expert on berry
f.4rifgrc