130 THE COLLEGE 



ent reflection. The attractiveness and charm of this intense life of 

 the college group tends to become an end in itself; so that the very 

 power which wholesomely takes the student out of himself into the 

 group invites him to stop in the group instead of going on into those 

 intellectual and social interests which the college is supposed to serve. 

 This devotion to college rather than to learning; to the fellows 

 rather than to humanity; to fraternities and teams rather than to 

 church and state, is a real danger to all students, and a very serious 

 danger to the exceptional individuals who have the spark of original- 

 ity hidden within their souls. The same forces that expand small, 

 and even average men, may tend to repress and stunt these souls 

 of larger endowment. To guard against this; to make sure that the 

 man of latent genius is protected against this deadening influence 

 of social compulsion toward mediocrity, is one of the great duties of 

 the wise college professor. He must show the student of unusual 

 gifts that he is appreciated and understood; and encourage him to 

 live in the college atmosphere as one w r ho is at the same time apart 

 from it and above it. The formation of little groups, temporary or 

 permanent, among the more earnest students for mutual recognition 

 and support, groups which actually do for a student while in college 

 what Phi Beta Kappa attempts to do in a merely formal and honorary 

 way afterwards, may help these choice minds to stem this tide of 

 gregarious mediocrity. Wherever the faculty is alert to detect its 

 presence, even genius can thrive and flourish in a college atmosphere. 



Such is the college. It is an institution where young men and 

 young women study great subjects, under broad teachers, in a liberty 

 w r hich is not license, and a leisure which is not idleness; with un- 

 selfish participation in a common life and intense devotion to minor 

 groups within the larger body and special interests inside the general 

 aim; conscious that they are critically watched by friendly eyes; 

 too kind ever to take unfair advantage of their weaknesses and 

 errors, yet too keen ever to be deceived. 



The function of the college follows so obviously from the concept 

 that it requires but a word to draw the inference. It makes its gradu- 

 ates the heirs of all the wisdom and experience of the ages; placing, 

 if not within their actual memories, at least within the reach of their 

 developed powers and trained methods any great aspect of nature 

 or humanity they may hereafter wish to acquire. It gives each one 

 of them a sense of achievement and mastery in some one subject of 

 his choice, giving him, in that one department at least, the impulse 

 to read its books and study its problems as long as he shall live. It 

 places its alumnus on a plane of social equajity with the best people 

 he will ever meet, and gives him a spirit of helpfulness toward the 

 lowliest with whom he will ever come in contact. It makes him the 

 servant of the state in wise counsel and effective leadership. It 



