1838] 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



295 



bits, will not prevent the general conduct of the stu- 

 dents being considered in a remarkable degree free 

 from the otfenccs of disorder and vicious habits so usu- 

 al in colleges. Far otherwise was the state of tilings 

 in former times ; and much prejudice still remains 

 against this college in the minds of many who know 

 and believe nothing of the true condition and higli va- 

 lue of this institution, and who, as erroneously, in re- 

 gard to this and to all other colleges, charge the vicious 

 propensities of every student, which are generally 

 caused by the improper indulgence of his own father, 

 to the college which has in vain struggled to prevent 

 the evils thus caused by more powerful counteracting 

 influences. There is no cause to fear detriment to the 

 virtues or good habits of any youth who may be now- 

 sent to this college, unless caused by the fault either 

 of his incurable evil propensities, or otherwise, as is 

 most usual, by the error of his previous training and 

 the continued improper indulgence of his parent. Al- 

 most every case of a student proving either extrava- 

 gant in expenditure, dissipated, or vicious, is caused 

 by his being furnished with too much money. If a 

 youth receives even $20 more than a sufficiently liberal 

 allowance, the excess must do injury to his habits ; and 

 when that excess is carried to $300, merely because 

 the father is rich enough to afford the expense, he al- 

 most invariably and greatly injures, and perhaps ruins 

 his son, by such unjustifiable indulgence. The mo- 

 ney thus annually wasted at most colleges of high 

 grade, to the injury of all parties, is usually as large as 

 all required for the necessary and proper expenses. 

 The parent, who, in spite of all warning from the col- 

 lege authorities, will commit this common error, has 

 no right to charge the vices or idleness of his son to 

 any other than himself. The necessary collegiate ex- 

 penses of a junior student at William and Mary Col- 

 lege, for professors' and other college fees, (and as 

 many as can be usefully paid,) board, books, and eve- 

 ry other necessary expense, amount to $228, if the 

 student boards in college, or $248, if in a private fami- 

 ly. Add to this what is safe and proper for pocket- 

 money, (and that certainly ought not to exceed $50, 

 for a young and new student,) and every expense for 

 the junior course is provided for, except the purchase 

 of clothing, and that is not a collegiate expense. The 

 necessary college expenses of the senior course are 

 still less than those of the first year. Few boys, just 

 freed from the restrictions of a school, or their fathers' 

 guidance, can be safely trusted at one time with even 

 $50, to be retained and used as pocket money for the 

 coming time of nine months. To their inexperience 

 it would seem a sum so large that they will scarcely 

 get through it ; and in a month, perhaps, they find that 

 it has slipped through their fingers, and left a newly 

 created appetite for ten times as much. In such cases, 

 it is the father, much more than the son, who is to be 

 blamed. What then is to be said of the parent, 

 who, merely because he is rich and purse-proud, 

 sends far from home an inexperienced youth, totally 

 unused to the ways of the world, with several hundred 

 dollars in hand more than needed for early expenses ? 

 It is almost a miracle when it does not do great injury 



to the student ; and often it corrupts and destroys the 

 man for ever. The sons of the richest parents are ge- 

 nerally the least worthy or profitable students — and of- 

 ten, their attendance is a loss, even in a pecuniary 

 point of view, to the colicgo which they enter. 



The propensity of students to contract debts is en- 

 couraged, first, by the extravagance engendered by pa- 

 rental indulgence, in giving too much money, and next, 

 by the seductions and enticements of the rapacious 

 harpies and sharpers among the shopkeepers, tavern- 

 keepers, and others, some of whom are as sure to be 

 found about every college, as vultures will be seen 

 flocking to a carcass. An excellent regulation of the 

 visitors of this college, which has now been two years 

 in operation, has already done much good in restrain- 

 ing this abuse ; and it would have been effectual, if 

 parents had properly seconded and sustained the law, 

 and the authorities of the college. At the last session 

 of the legislature a general law was passed for this 

 purpose ; and it is hoped that this infamous practice 

 will be more effectually checked. It is a fraud of the 

 worst kind ; for it preys upon the sufferers' precious 

 time, morals, and future prospects of usefulness and 

 happiness, as well as upon their money, which alone is 

 the object sought by these tempters and destroyers of 

 heedless youths. 



The regular course of study, here necessary to ob- 

 tain the degree of A. B. (Bachelor of Arts,) is of two- 

 years' continuance. This does not include instruction 

 in the Latin and Greek languages; which, it is presumed 

 that the student has acquired at school, more cheaply, 

 and far more profitably, than he would at college. To 

 obtain the degree of A. M. (Master of Arts,) a more 

 extended course of study, and higher attainments, both 

 classical and scientific, are requisite; and to this end, 

 profitable employment is furnished for one or for two 

 years longer. Thus, although the scientific course 

 proper of the college may be and ought to be passed 

 through, and its honors obtained, by every properly 

 prepared and diligent student, in two years, (which is a 

 great advantage, and economy of time and money to 

 those who can better prepare at lower schools,) still, if 

 such classical preparation as makes part of the regu- 

 lar course at most other colleges, be added to the ac- 

 count, it would add one or tv^'o years to the beginning 

 of this; and for the course necessary for A. M. one or 

 two years more must be added at the end. Thus, the 

 course of study maybe two years, or it may be four, or 

 even six, and all well and fully occupied, according to 

 the circumstances and attainments of the student. The 

 diplomas are conferred only for a proper degree of pro- 

 ficiency, to be shown upon strict examination; and in 

 no case upon the ground of having merely passed 

 through the whole time of the college course, and paid 

 all the fees; which will entitle every student at most 

 or all northern colleges to a diploma, as a matter of 

 course. Honors thus conferred, no matter how exalt- 

 ed in reputation and merit may be the college confer- 

 ring them, are in most cases awarded without being 

 deserved; and any institution thus granting them, is 

 guilty of a despicable fraud upon the public. The 

 same and only correct and honest mode of conferring 



