why go to college-第4章

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long　her　own；　and　growing　with　her　growth？　　Indeed；　in　that　respect
the　condition　of　men　is　almost　the　same　as　that　of　women。　　It　would
be　quite　the　same　were　it　not　for　the　fact　that　a　man's　business
or　profession　is　generally　in　itself　a　means　of　growth；　of　education；
of　dignity。　　He　leans　his　life　against　it。　　He　builds　his　home　in
the　shadow　of　it。　　It　binds　his　days　together　in　a　kind　of　natural
piety　and　makes　him　advance　in　strength　and　nobility　as　he　〃fulfils
the　common　round；　the　daily　task。〃　　And　that　is　the　reason　why
men　in　the　past；　if　they　have　been　honorable　men；　have　grown　old
better　than　women。　　Men　usually　retain　their　ability　longer；　their
mental　alertness　and　hospitality。　　They　add　fine　quality　to　fine
quality；　passing　from　strength　to　strength　and　preserving　in　old
age　whatever　has　been　best　in　youth。　　It　was　a　sudden　recognition
of　this　fact　which　made　a　young　friend　of　mine　say　last　winter；
〃I　am　not　going　to　parties　any　more；　the　men　best　worth　talking
with　are　too　old　to　dance。〃

Even　with　the　help　of　a　permanent　business　or　profession；　however；
the　most　interesting　men　I　know　are　those　who　have　an　avocation
as　well　as　a　vocation。　　I　mean　a　taste　or　work　quite　apart　from　the
business　of　life。　　This　revives；　inspires；　and　cultivates　them
perpetually。　　It　matters　little　what　it　is；　if　only　it　is　real　and
personal；　is　large　enough　to　last；　and　possesses　the　power　of
growth。　　。A　young　sea…captain　from　a　New　England　village　on　a　long
and　lonely　voyage　falls　upon　a　copy　of　Shelley。　　Appeal　is　made
to　his　fine　but　untrained　mind；　and　the　book　of　the　boy　poet
becomes　the　seaman's　university。　　The　wide　world　of　poetry　and
of　the　other　fine　arts　is　opened；　and　the　Shelleyian　specialist
becomes　a　cultivated；　original；　and　charming　man。　　A　busy　merchant
loves　flowers；　and　in　all　his　free　hours　studies　them。　　Each　new
spring　adds　knowledge　to　his　knowledge；　and　his　friends　continually
bring　him　their　strange　discoveries。　　With　growing　wealth　he
cultivates　rare　and　beautiful　plants；　and　shares　them　with　his
fortunate　acquaintances。　　Happy　the　companion　invited　to　a　walk
or　a　drive　with　such　observant　eyes；　such　vivid　talk！　　Because　of
this　cheerful　interest　in　flowers；　and　this　ingenious　skill　in
dealing　with　them；　the　man　himself　is　interesting。　　All　his　powers
are　alert；　and　his　judgment　is　valued　in　public　life　and　in　private
business。　　Or　is　it　more　exact　to　say　that　because　he　is　the　kind
of　man　who　would　insist　upon　having　such　interests　outside　his
daily　work；　he　is　still　fresh　and　young　and　capable　of　growth
at　an　age　when　many　other　men　are　dull　and　old　and　certain　that
the　time　of　decay　is　at　hand？

There　are　two　reasons　why　women　need　to　cultivate　these　large
and　abiding　interests　even　more　persistently　than　men。　　In　the
first　place；　they　have　more　leisure。　　They　are　indeed　the　only
leisure　class　in　the　country；　the　only　large　body　of　persons　who
are　not　called　upon　to　win　their　daily　bread　in　direct　wage…earning
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