why go to college-第4节

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ways。　　As　yet；　fortunately；　few　men　among　us　have　so　little
self…respect　as　to　idle　about　our　streets　and　drawing…rooms　because
their　fathers　are　rich　enough　to　support　them。　　We　are　not　without
our　unemployed　poor；　but　roving　tramps　and　idle　clubmen　are　after
all　not　of　large　consequence。　　Our　serious；　non…producing　classes
are　chiefly　women。　　It　is　the　regular　ambition　of　the　chivalrous
American　to　make　all　the　women　who　depend　on　him　so　comfortable
that　they　need　do　nothing　for　themselves。　　Machinery　has　taken
nearly　all　the　former　occupations　of　women　out　of　the　home　into
the　shop　and　factory。　　Widespread　wealth　and　comfort；　and　the
inherited　theory　that　it　is　not　well　for　the　woman　to　earn　money
so　long　as　father　or　brothers　can　support　her；　have　brought　about
a　condition　of　things　in　which　there　is　social　danger；　unless　with
the　larger　leisure　are　given　high　and　enduring　interests。　　To　health
especially　there　is　great　danger；　for　nothing　breaks　down　a　woman's
health　like　idleness　and　its　resulting　ennui。　　More　people；　I　am
sure；　are　broken　down　nervously　because　they　are　bored；　than
because　they　are　overworked；　and　more　still　go　to　pieces　through
fussiness；　unwholesome　living；　worry　over　petty　details；　and　the
daily　disappointments　which　result　from　small　and　superficial
training。　　And　then；　besides　the　danger　to　health；　there　is　the
danger　to　character。　　I　need　not　dwell　on　the　undermining　influence
which　men　also　feel　when　occupation　is　taken　away　and　no　absorbing
private　interest　fills　the　vacancy。　　The　vices　of　luxurious　city
life　are　perhaps　hardly　more　destructive　to　character　than　is　the
slow　deterioration　of　barren　country　life。　　Though　the　conditions
in　the　two　cases　are　exactly　opposite；　the　trouble　is　often　the
same；absence　of　noble　interests。　　In　the　city　restless　idleness
organizes　amusement；　in　the　country　deadly　dulness　succeeds
daily　toil。

But　there　is　a　second　reason　why　a　girl　should　acquire　for　herself
strong　and　worthy　interests。　　The　regular　occupations　of　women
in　their　homes　are　generally　disconnected　and　of　little　educational
value；　at　least　as　those　homes　are　at　present　conducted。　　Given
the　best　will　in　the　world；　the　daily　doing　of　household　details
becomes　a　wearisome　monotony　if　the　mere　performance　of　them
is　all。　　To　make　drudgery　divine　a　woman　must　have　a　brain　to　plan
and　eyes　to　see　how　to　〃sweep　a　room　as　to　God's　laws。〃　　Imagination
and　knowledge　should　be　the　hourly　companions　of　her　who　would
make　a　fine　art　of　each　detail　in　kitchen　and　nursery。　　Too　long
has　the　pin　been　the　appropriate　symbol　of　the　average　woman's
lifethe　pin；　which　only　temporarily　holds　together　things　which
may　or　may　not　have　any　organic　connection　with　one　another。　　While
undoubtedly　most　women　must　spend　the　larger　part　of　life　in　this
modest　pin…work；　holding　together　the　little　things　of　home　and
school　and　society　and　church；　it　is　also　true；　that　cohesive　work
itself　cannot　be　done　well；　even　in　humble　circumstances；　except
by　the　refined；　the　trained；　the　growing　woman。　　The　smallest
village；　the　plainest　home；　give　ample　space　for　the　resources
of　the　trained　college　woman。　　And　the　reason　why　such　homes　and
such　villages　are　so　often　barren　of　grace　and　variety　is　just
because　these　fine　qualities　have　not　ruled　them。　　The　higher
graces　of　civilization　halt　among　us；　dainty　and　finished　ways　of
living　give　place　to　common　ways；　while　vulgar　tastes；　slatternly
habits；　clouds　and　despondency　reign　in　the　house。　　Little　children
under　five　years　of　age　die　in　needless　thousands　because　of　the
dull；　unimaginative　women　on　whom　they　depend。　　Such　women　have
been　satisfied　with　just　getting　along；　instead　of　packing　everything
they　do　with　brains；　instead　of　studying　the　best　possible　way　of
doing　everything　small　or　large；　for　there　is　always　a　best　way；
whether　of　setting　a　table；　of　trimming　a　hat；　or　teaching　a　child
to　read。　　And　this　taste　for　perfection　can　be　cultivated；　indeed；
it　must　be　cultivated；　if　our　standards　of　living　are　to　be　raised。
There　is　now　scientific　knowledge　enough；　there　is　money　enough；
to　prevent　the　vast　majority　of　the　evils　which　afflict　our　social
organism；　if　mere　knowledge　or　wealth　could　avail；　but　the　greater
difficulty　is　to　make　intelligence；　character；　good　taste；
unselfishness　prevail。

What；　then；　are　the　interests　which　powerfully　appeal　to　mind
and　heart；　and　so　are　fitted　to　become　the　strengthening　companions
of　a　woman's　life？　　I　shall　mention　only　three；　all　of　them　such
as　are　elaborately　fostered　by　college　life。　　The　first　is　the　love
of　great　literature。　　I　do　not　mean　that　use　of　books　by　which　a
man　may　get　what　is　called　a　good　education　and　so　be　better
qualified　for　the　battle　of　life；　nor　do　I　mention　books　in　their
character　as　reservoirs　of　knowledge；　books　which　we　need　for
special　purposes；　and　which　are　no　longer　of　consequence　when
our　purpose　with　them　is　served。　　I　have　in　mind　the　great　books；
especially　the　great　poets；　books　to　be　adopted　as　a　resource　and
a　solace。　　The　chief　reason　why　so　many　people　do　not　know　how
to　make　comrades　of　such　books　is　because　they　have　come　to　them
too　late。　　We　have　in　this　country　enormous　numbers　of　readers；
probably　a　larger　number　who　read；　and　who　read　many　hours　in　the
week；　than　has　ever　been　known　elsewhere　in　the　world。　　But　what
do　these　millions　read　besides　the　newspapers？　　Possibly　a
denominational　religious　weekly　and　another　journal　of　fashion
or　business。　　Then　come　the　thousands　who　read　the　best　magazines；
and　whatever　else　is　for　the　moment　popular　in　novels　and　poetry
the　last　dialect　story；　the　fashionable　poem；　the　questionable　but
talked…of　novel。　　Let　a　violent　attack　be　made　on　the　decency
of　a　new　story　and　instantly；　if　only　it　is　clever；　its　author
becomes　famous。

But　the　fashions　in　reading　of　a　restless　racethe　women　too　idle；
the　men　too　heavily　workedI　will　not　discuss　here。　　Let　light
literature　be　devourered　by　our　populace　as　his　drug　is　taken
by　the　opium…eater；　and　with　a　similar　narcotic　effect。　　We　can
only　seek　out　the　children；　and　hope　by　giving　them　from　babyhood
bits　of　the　noblest　literature；　to　prepare　them　for　the　great
opportunities　of　mature　life。　　I　urge；　therefore；　reading　as　a
mental　stimulus；　as　a　solace　in　trouble；　a　perpetual　source　of
delight；　and　I　would　point　out　that　we　must　not　delay　to　make
the　great　friendships　that　await　us　on　the　library　shelves　until
sickness　shuts　the　door　on　the　outer　world；　or　death　enters　the
home　and　silences　the　voices　that　once　helped　to　make　these
friendships　sweet。　　If　Homer　and　Shakespeare　and　Wordsworth　and
Browning　are　to　have　meaning　for　us　when　we　need　them　most；　it
will　be　because　they　come　to　us　as　old　familiar　friends　whose
influences　have　permeated　the　glad　and　busy　days　before。　　The
last　time　I　heard　James　Russell　Lowell　talk　to　college　girls；　he
said；for　he　was　too　ill　to　say　many　words〃I　have　only　this　one
message　to　leave　with　you。　　In　all　your　work　in　college　never
lose　sight　of　the　reason　why　you　have　come　here。　　It　is　not　that
you　may　get　something　by　which　to　earn　your　bread；　but　that　every
mouthful　of　bread　may　be　the　sweeter　to　your　taste。〃

And　this　is　the　power　possessed　by　the　mighty　dead；men　of　every
time　and　nation；　whose　voices　death　cannot　silence；　who　are　waiting
even　at　the　poor　man's　elbow；　whose　illuminating　words　may　be
had　for　the　price　of　a　day's　work　in　the　kitchen　or　the　street；
for　lack　of　love　of　whom　many　a　luxurious　home　is　a　dull　and
solitary　spot；　breeding　misery　and　vice。　　Now　the　modern　college
is　especially　equipped　to　introduce　its　students　to　such　literature。
The　library　is　at　last　understood　to　be　the　heart　of　the　college。
The　modern　librarian　is　not　the　keeper　of　books；　as　was　his
predecessor；　but　the　distributer　of　them；　and　the　guide　to　their
resources；　proud　when　he　increases　the　use　of　his　treasures。　　Every
language；　ancient　or　modern；　which　contains　a　literature　is　now
taught　in　college。　　Its　history　is　examined；　its　philology；　its
masterpieces；　and　more　than　ever　is　English　literature　studied
and　loved。　　There　is　now　every　opportunity　for　the　college　student
to　become　an　expert　in　the　use　of　his　own　tongue　and　pen。　　What
other　men　painfully　strive　for　he　can　enjoy　to　the　full　with
comparatively　little　effort。

But　there　is　a　second　invigorating　interest　to　which　college
training　introduces　its　student。　　I　mean　the　study　of　nature；
intimacy　with　the　strange　and　beautiful　world　in　which　we　live。
〃Nature　never　did　betray　the　heart　that　loved　her；〃　sang　her
poet　high　priest。　　When　the　world　has　been　too　much　with　us；
nothing　else　is　so　refreshing　to　tired　eyes　and　mind　as　woods
and　water；　and　an　intelligent　knowledge　of　the　life　within　them。
For　a　generation　past　there　has　been　a　well…nigh　universal　turning
of　the　population　toward　the　cities。　　In　1840　only　nine　per　cent
of　our　people　lived　in　cities　of　8；000　inhabitants　or　more。　　Now
more　than　a　third　of　us　are　found　in　cities。　　But　the　electric…car；
the　telephone；　the　bicycle；　still　keep　avenues　to　the　country　open。
Certain　it　is　that　city　people　feel　a　growing　hunger　for　t