why go to college(为什么上大学)-第2章
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college comrades； even if unseen for more than a generation。
Yet a girl should go to college not merely to obtain four happy years
but to make a second gain； which is often overlooked； and is little
understood even when perceived； I mean a gain in health。 The old notion
that low vitality is a matter of course with women； that to be delicate is a
mark of superior refinement； especially in well…to…do families； that
sickness is a dispensation of Providence；these notions meet with no
acceptance in college。 Years ago I saw in the mirror frame of a college
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freshman's room this little formula： 〃Sickness is carelessness； carelessness
is selfishness； and selfishness is sin。〃 And I have often noticed among
college girls an air of humiliation and shame when obliged to confess a
lack of physical vigor； as if they were convicted of managing life with bad
judgment； or of some moral delinquency。 With the spreading scientific
conviction that health is a matter largely under each person's control； that
even inherited tendencies to disease need not be allowed to run their
riotous course unchecked； there comes an earnest purpose to be strong and
free。 Fascinating fields of knowledge are waiting to be explored；
possibilities of doing； as well as of knowing； are on every side； new and
dear friendships enlarge and sweeten dreams of future study and work； and
the young student cannot afford quivering nerves or small lungs or an
aching head any more than bad taste； rough manners； or a weak will。
Handicapped by inheritance or bad training； she finds the plan of college
life itself her supporter and friend。 The steady； long…continued routine of
mental work； physical exercise； recreation； and sleep； the simple and
wholesome food； in place of irregular and unstudied diet； work out
salvation for her。 Instead of being left to go out…of…doors when she feels
like it； the regular training of the gymnasium； the boats on lake and river；
the tennis court； the golf links； the basket ball； the bicycle； the long walk
among the woods in search of botanical or geological specimens；all
these and many more call to the busy student； until she realizes that they
have their rightful place in every well…ordered day of every month。 So she
learns； little by little； that buoyant health is a precious possession to be
won and kept。
It is significant that already statistical investigation in this country and
in England shows that the standard of health is higher among the women
who hold college degrees than among any other equal number of the same
age and class。 And it is interesting also to observe to what sort of questions
our recent girl graduates have been inclined to devote attention。 They have
been largely the neglected problems of little children and their health； of
home sanitation； of food and its choice and preparation； of domestic
service； of the cleanliness of schools and public buildings。 Colleges for
girls are pledged by their very constitution to make persistent war on the
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water cure； the nervine retreat； the insane asylum； the hospital；those
bitter fruits of the emotional lives of thousands of women。 〃I can never
afford a sick headache again； life is so interesting and there is so much to
do；〃 a delicate girl said to me at the end of her first college year。 And
while her mother was in a far…off invalid retreat； she undertook the battle
against fate with the same intelligence and courage which she put into her
calculus problems and her translations of Sophocles。 Her beautiful home
and her rosy and happy children prove the measure of her hard…won
success。 Formerly the majority of physicians had but one question for the
mother of the nervous and delicate girl； 〃Does she go to school？〃 And only
one prescription； 〃Take her out of school。〃 Never a suggestion as to
suppers of pickles and pound…cake； never a hint about midnight dancing
and hurried day…time ways。 But now the sensible doctor asks； 〃What are
her interests？ What are her tastes？ What are her habits？〃 And he finds new
interests for her； and urges the formation of out…of…door tastes and steady
occupation for the mind； in order to draw the morbid girl from herself into
the invigorating world outside。 This the college does largely through its
third gift of friendship。
Until a girl goes away from home to school or college； her friends are
chiefly chosen for her by circumstances。 Her young relatives； her
neighbors in the same street； those who happen to go to the same school or
church；these she makes her girlish intimates。 She goes to college with
the entire conviction； half unknown to herself； that her father's political
party contains all the honest men； her mother's social circle all the true
ladies； her church all the real saints of the community。 And the smaller the
town； the more absolute is her belief。 But in college she finds that the girl
who earned her scholarship in the village school sits beside the banker's
daughter； the New England farmer's child rooms next the heiress of a
Hawaiian sugar plantation； the daughters of the opposing candidates in a
sharply fought election have grown great friends in college boats and
laboratories； and before her diploma is won she realizes how much richer
a world she lives in than she ever dreamed of at home。 The wealth that lies
in differences has dawned upon her vision。 It is only when the rich and
poor sit down together that either can understand how the Lord is the
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Maker of them all。
To…day above all things we need the influence of men and women of
friendliness； of generous nature； of hospitality to new ideas； in short； of
social imagination。 But instead； we find each political party bitterly calling
the other dishonest； each class suspicious of the intentions of the other；
and in social life the pettiest standards of conduct。 Is it not well for us that
the colleges all over the country still offer to their fortunate students a
society of the most democratic sort；one in which a father's money； a
mother's social position； can assure no distinction and make no close
friends？ Here capacity of every kind counts for its full value。 Here
enthusiasm waits to make heroes of those who can lead。 Here charming
manners； noble character； amiable temper； scholarly power； find their full
opportunity and inspire such friendships as are seldom made afterward。 I
have forgotten my chemistry； and my classical philology cannot bear
examination； but all round the world there are men and women at work；
my intimates of college days； who have made the wide earth a friendly
place to me。 Of every creed； of every party； in far…away places and in near；
the thought of them makes me more courageous in duty and more faithful
to opportunity； though for many years we may not have had time to write
each other a letter。 The basis of all valuable and enduring friendships is not
accident or juxtaposition； but tastes； interests； habits； work； ambitions。 It is
for this reason that to college friendship clings a romance entirely its own。
One of the friends may spend her days in the laboratory； eagerly chasing
the shy facts that hide beyond the microscope's fine vision； and the other
may fill her hours and her heart with the poets and the philosophers； one
may steadfastly pursue her way toward the command of a hospital； and the
other towards the world of letters and of art； these divergences constitute
no barrier； but rather an aid to the fulness of friendship。 And the fact that
one goes in a simple gown which she has earned and made herself； and the
other lives when at home in a merchant's modern palacewhat has that to
do with the things the girls care about and the dreams they talk over in the
walk by the river or the bicycle ride through country roads？ If any young
man to…day goes through Harvard lonely； neglected； unfriended； if any girl
lives solitary and wretched in her life at Wellesley； it is their own fault。 It
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must be because they are suspicious； unfriendly or disagreeable
themselves。 Certainly it is true that in the associations of college life； more
than in any other that the country can show； what is extraneous； artificial；
and temporary falls away； and the every…day relations of life and work
take on a character that is simple； natural； genuine。 And so it comes about
that the fourth gift of college life is ideals of personal character。
To some people the shaping ideals of what character should be； often
held unconsciously； come from the books they are given by the persons
whom they most admire before they are twenty years old。 The greatest
thing any friend or teacher； either in school or college； can do for a student
is to furnish him with a personal ideal。 The college professors who
transformed me through my acquaintance with themah； they were few；
and I am sure I did not have a dozen conversations with them outside their
class roomsgave me； each in his different way； an ideal of character； of
conduct； of the scholar； the leader； of which they and I were totally
unconscious at the time。 For many years I have known that my study with
them； no matter whether of philosophy or of Greek； of mathematics or
history or English； enlarged my notions of life； uplifted my standards of
culture； and so in
