Too Good a Copy

Opinions differ as to the real cause for the increased disrespect in which a college degree is held in the business world. Some with considerable justification look to the curriculum; others look to the faculty. Now and then some daring soul points out that the student himself may be to blame. At any rate it is the student who suffers when he steps into the outside world, and it is the student who should take it upon himself to look hardest for remedies, even when he has to shove them down his own throat.

In a few well-chosen words, Kirby Page pointed out to the readers of yesterday morning's. Sun that the student devotes too much time to the winning of glory in his own little college world and too little to the development of interests which will serve him when he leaves the halls of learning. This, it seems to us, is an excellent analysis of a big trouble.

While it is our opinion that the students of some European countries carry their interest in politics to an extreme where it conflicts with the accomplishment of any real educational purpose, it is certain that the American campus has not even a serious political interest to its credit. As long as all of the student's time is not going to be devoted to academic pursuits, he would do better to develop some sound outside interests which he can carry on in later life.

The main trouble with the college world is that its activity suffers from much of the over-organization which afflicts the world outside without developing any outside interest in itself. The world beyond the academic walls has trouble enough weltering through its rotary meetings, its committee sessions, its talkfests, and its elections, without bothering itself with the same things in the colleges. There are a few notable exceptions to this rule such as the great athletic spectacles in which the heroes attract a lot of attention. But the athlete is not let alone to capitalize on his glory; the college, anxious to do him homage, piles upon him committee appointments, society honors and the like until he can notice that his real athletic activity occupies but a small proportion of his time.

Outside of a pat on the back from friends of the family and perhaps some recognition from other colleges whose praise means as little as that of his own, what does the campus king get when he leaves school? Usually the men for whom he wants to work have never heard of the Green Look Society, of the Back to the Campus Committee, or of the Alpha Kappa Beta Fraternity upon which he has lavished his time. The numerous council meetings which had to be attended on the nights that reports fell due, to the detriment of reports, are things of the past to the graduate. They are pleasant memories, perhaps, if the student happens to fancy brilliant harangues as to the merit of his fellows as dance-committeemen. But it is reasonable to expect the acquisition of more than pleasant memories from the men who are spending four important years of their lives as dependents on society.

If the extra-curricular activity presented something new, something that had a place of its own in the scheme of things, there might be some excuse for the existence of so much ponderous organization. But as it stands today this energy-consuming phenomenon is just a copy of the one outside. If the student cannot resist the lure of the committee, the rotary and the ballot box he might at least wait until he gets to a place where his progress will mean something. CornellSun.