1905-06 Volume 30 No 1–5 - Phi Delta Theta Scroll Archive

THE SCROLL. 31very existence of small colleges near them. Another reasonfor them is that a large number of parents will send theirchildren only to schools of decided moral or religious tone,such as is fostered in the denominational schools. It is undeniablethat many of them have been narrow and sectarian,but the growth out of this spirit is an existing process as wellas a solemn duty. It is no reason for abandoning these institutionsbut rather for devoting more money and attention tothem for the sake of their other and better purposes. A finalreason for them is that they are already firmly implanted,will continue to live and form, after all, a large part of theeducational interests of the country.It is no wonder that the wise Mr. Carnegie is now devotinghis beneficence to small colleges, and that Dr. Pearson hasgiven to them this very year Siooo for every day in it, thatin every state are being conducted systematic and intelligentmovements for better endowment and equipment of them.The weakness of too many colleges in a given locality and toomany fostered by a given denomination is becoming moreapparent and in the great re-adjustment of all conditions thesedays this weakness will be overcome. Very small ones willbe federated into worthy and self-reliant ones. Others willbe reduced to mere training schools. But there will stillremain of them a healthy, stable and thorough class of collegesmore intensive than extensive, whose mission to trainmen to work well at the forge of life will be ever appreciatedby the world outside. For all of these reasons, we think itvery appropriate to publish once in a while the truth aboutsome of the worthiest of these institutions in order that theymay not fail of our esteem.THE splendid work of civic reform in process this yearaffords a greatly desired relief from the depression consequentupon the revelations of alarming disease in our commercialand political affairs. There is no place for pessimism underthe sturdy and valiant leadership of many of our public servantswhose efforts are being bent with such heroic determin-