In fact, through the influence of modern biological and psycho
logical ideas, education is coming to be the field upon which the.
struggle for existence is carried on, If " nature's pluck," as
Huxley puts it, " means extermination," not less will the pluck
of ignorance work its deadly results in coming struggles for sur
vival.
But a request for me to answer the query, Is the cost of col
lege education increasing is very like the demand to make bricks
without straw. I have neither original statistics nor the inclina
tion to gather them, and he who attempts to write without figures
in this statistical age is no less reckless than old Promethers who,
stole fire from the gods. But disregarding consequences, and
taking fate in our hands, there may be something of interest said
upon the subject, even though it be upon the level of description
and review. As some one has said—" figures never lie, but the
figurer does "—we shall at least by our method steer clear of the
charybdis of untruthful and false influence even if we do fall into
the Scylla of mere " arm-chair " or theoretical reasoning.
In discussion then we shall treat, first, of the facts; second, of
their meaning. It has been a matter of frequent remark that
the extravagance of college life is increasing, and that it is be
coming a menace to its mission. The physically ascetic type of
the " howler " has paused long enough in his denunciation of
college athletics in general, football in particular, to raise his
voice against the manifest tendency to prodigality. Newspaper
and magazine have taken up the straw, and high, education stands
condemned of an " increasing luxuriousness " as Leslie's Weekly
terms it, " the third characteristic of our college life." The far
off straws have penetrated the popular convention, and the echo
comes that the conditions of Hades are so rigidly reproduced at
one of our principal universities that between the two there is
scarcely a choice. 0 tempore mores!
Again, we are told, " the most evident reason which prevents
worthy men who desire a college training from getting it is the
cost. 4 " 1 " 4 The average cost to the student per year at the
better college is larger than the total income of the average Amer
ican family. The cost, too, has greatly increased." Quoting
further from Dr. Thwing, we have these figures as to the cost of
students, including, of course tuition, board, and necessary in
cidentals:
The Free Lance
[JANUARY,.