Baltimore City College - Green Bag Yearbook (Baltimore, MD)

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THE GREEN BAG LARES ET PENATES. I1 1- Y,-jj qv E-I LL mankind is divided into three parts, 0116 of which has never been to college, another is at college, and a third has left college. Caesar in fication a division based upon geographical lines. In fact, he ignored h .74-gf 5, it altogether the question of college training. He published no statistics 1-Qi. flfxh , ' f'4 -fi-P-.ZW . 'r ll f ,.',f-,- ' . ' , .,' ..N describing the inhabitants of Gaul seems to have preferred to this classi- 'lzyvfiffilsgi - L 1 lr- I in regard to it, nor cited any instances of self-taught or college-bred men from among the doughty warriors of Gaul. Possibly Dumnorix and Divitiacus were materially aided on the road to fame by the training they had received in their Alma Mater. Possibly Ariovistus and Vercingetorix, leaving early in life classic shades, had been educated in the school of practical affairs only. The author of the Commentaries is silent on these points. Can it be that he wanted to avoid the neces- sity of discussing the question of the respective advantages and disadvantages of spending four or more years in getting a college education, or of deciding when and at what age a boy should leave school and go into business? Was he afraid to venture an opinion as to value of the changes made upon tl1e old method of devoting the college courses entirely to languages and the study of abstract subjects? What success had the Gauls met by introducing into their curriculums bookkeeping, manual training, cooking, sewing and such subjects? Caesar drew no conclusions. These questions are very interesting ones, but, however, so perplexing that for the most of us it is better to be not among those who rush in where Caesar, from fear or other reasons, has not seen fit to tread. Those who have not had a college training can hardly be said to differ from those who have had in language, manners and customs, as did the inhabitants of one part of Gaul from those of another part. We do not care to draw conclusions as to the advantages of a college educated man over one who is not, or vice versa. The fact remains, however, that there are things growing out of, and connected with, a college training which are unique. I have refer- ence especially to what is known generally as college spirit-an indefinite quantity, almost impossible of description, but easily recognizable when seen or felt. That a college spirit is a good thing no one disputes. The college is benefitted by it along every line of activity. We are constantly told that this spirit, carrying along as it does the 15

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The Faculty. PRI? Sl DI5 N F FRANCIS A. SOPER, A.M., Professor of Higher Mathematics VICI5-PRl?Sllllf.V7l SE C CHARLES F. RADDATZ, Professor of German. 'RI5 7?l R V. JOSEPH H. ELLIOTT, Professor of Cmnnlerce. PowHA'rAN CLARKE, M.D., Professor OfCi1CllliSf.l'3'. ALFRED Z. PIARTMAN, A.M., Professor of Greek and Latin. STEPHEN F. NORRIS, Professor of Mathematics. ALI-:XANDIQR HAMII,'1'ON, Professor of Mathernntics. GERARD E. MORGAN, Professor of Lntin. PHILIP H. FRIBLQE, Professor of Physics and Biology. JULIUS G. MILLER. Professor of Mnthenmtics. JOHN F. ARTHUR, Professor of English. B. WHIf:ELI-:R SWEANV, Professor of Druwiniz. WILBUR F. SMITH, B. L., Professor of English. x RoIzI1:R'I' H. WRIGH'P, B. S., Professor of History, Iflconomics and Civics ARISTOG'N M.m:LLA ToLos SOHO, , PH.D Professor of Romance l,zlln.t11mzes. RICHARD C. WII,I,IAMS, A.B., Professor of Latin. CHARLES M. SMITH, Professor of '1'ynewriti1n.r and Stenoirraplly ERN1-:ST J. BECKER, A.B., PH.D., Professor of Enxzlish :intl German. DAVID E. YVEGLEIN, A.B., Professor of Peclzuroxzy. PERCY L. KAYE, A.B., A.M., Ph.D., Professor of History. LHSTI-:R W. BOARDMAN, A.B,, A.M., Professor of English. MAX Swr'r'roN, PH.D., Professor of French, Gernmn and Latin. ANDRIQW J. PIIQTSCH, Professor of English mul History. PHILIP L. Roma, ILS., Instructor of Chemistry. CHARLI+:s G. I'Lrr'r, PH.G., Instructor of Physics und Biology. CHARLIQS F. E. SCHULTZ, Director uf Physical Cnltnre. JOHN F. LORETT, Instrnetor of Physical Culture.

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THE GREEN BAG enthusiastic devotion of the students to the college, makes constantly for advancement in the mental and physical conditions of tl1e students, and in a steadily widening scope of usefulness for the college. Not only is the college bettered, but people at large know that it is making progress. Is it not strange how much we are influenced in forming opinions as to the value of what someone else has by what that person thinks of it? Our opinions as to the standing of a college are very much the result of what we believe the students think of it. Hearty enthusiasm and strong devotion on their part are sure to create a favorable impression of the college in the outside world. The students of a college are by all odds its best advertisers. A college spirit presupposes a college man, and it should be that being a college man presupposes the possession of a college spirit. The fallacy of this conclusion is unfortunately only too true. Many a man goes through college winning honor and distinction not only along academic lines, but also in other phases of 'college activity, even in athletics, without ever having felt tl1e impulses which a college spirit would have prompted. Not only has the college failed to get from l1i1n the best of what he was capable, but he also has missed from his life a force which he really neededg though it is possible, of course, that the void was filled in other ways, College'spirit shows itself in a high sense of honor. For instance, the ostracism and practical expulsion by the student body of any one of its members who has been detected cheating in examinations, illustrates oneof its highest phases. A proper col- lege spirit requires in many things that a man shall not be selfish. He must sink l1is self- interest in the common interest of all, and especially must he subserve his own wishes and desires to the good of the college. A form of patriotism results, all the more effective because constant play for its activities is given. His tenacity of purpose is strengthened, especially if he is an athlete. His enthusiasm to his college makes him stick wl1en frequently he would give up. His desire to win is something more than the enthusiasm of the moment, the eager- ness for success wl1iel1 rivalry naturally prompts, or the seeking of self-glory calls for. It is the practical forgetfulness of self in the intensity of his desire for the good of the college which draws from him the last effort of which he is capable. Since the child is father to the man it follows that the college student is father to the college alumnus. It ought to follow also that the college spirit of a student should be a sort of progenitor to a healthy and lusty college spirit in the college alunmus. This is another conclusion which does not hold true in the majority of eases. The average alunmus gradually but surely loses much of his interest in his college. He looks back, it is true, with pleasure upon his college days, continues to feel attached to his Alma Mater, but it ceases to receive from him the whole-souled disinterested devotion of his college days. . Aside from the good which an alumnus, imbued with the spirit of l1is college days may do for his Alma Mater, the benefit which results to tl1e alumnus himself is after all the most important. I refer to tl1e development and the following out in his life of those ideals which college spirit l1ad done so much to foster in his student days. Of course, as the years go by, a man finds that his tastes and inclinations change very materially. His plans when he was 16