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Ideal Democracy in Education.
HE present month marks the beginning
of a new year in the work of many col
leges throughout the country, and the
increased enrollment of students in each
institution would seem to indicate both
a growing desire for educational advan
tages and an increased determina
tion on the part of students and their
guardians to acquire all that is offered
T
by these seats of learning.
Even the most casual glance at the field of South
ern educational work must at once embrace that ac
complished at Monroe College, Forsyth, Ga., which
institution was formally opened on Sept. 12, for the
term of 1906-07.
For many reasons this institution has a history
of peculiar interest and significance, and the work
done within its walls is of a character so high and
a purpose so pure that it seems almost impossible
to adequately convey within this limited space much
more than an outline of the most salient features
of this remarkable institution, whose avowed object
is to furnish “the highest possible education, under
the best possible conditions, at the least possible
cost,” and it may be added, “to the greatest pos
sible number.” Certainly this latter interpretation
is the one which seems to have been given to it by
the vast army of earnest young women who have
gathered within the spacious halls of Monroe Col
lege in order to seek there the knowledge which is
to fit each one for her special place in life and in
the world.
Student Characteristics.
The writer, who has carefully observed the per
sonnel of the student body at Monroe College, with
a view to first of all gaining an impression, as it
were, of the desires and objects and interests of
these young women, was impressed primarily by two
things—first of all by the earnestness and eager
ness with which all assembled and with which the
coming year’s work was anticipated, and then by the
atmosphere of perfect democracy which prevailed
among the students. In any assemblage of more
than four hundred girls, there is almost invariably
established what may be termed a sort of uncon
scious aristocracy—a separating of one social class
from another by just such subtle lines as are used
in the world beyond the college walls. With col
lege students, too, as in the citizens of a common
wealth, the first distinguishing mark is wealth. In
Wall Street it may be stocks and bonds, but in
college it is merely “clothes.” Let the cynic de
cry this as he may, yet it is an undeniable fact that
it requires a certain loftiness of soul and purpose
for college girls to ignore every possible difference
of social cast and to stand together, shoulder to
shoulder, hand in hand, with not the faintest varia
tion of manner to the humblest or the highest, un
less indeed there be an increased cordiality to the
girl who “works her way through college,” and a
certain respectful dignity in the bearing of others
toward her rather than toward her more prosperous
neighbor. To further illustrate this point a bit of
conversation overheard on the campus may be quot
ed. The group were discussing a student who had
been graduated the year before: “Did yon know
M— had a fortune in her own right?” said one.
“Impossible!” exclaimed another girl. “Why we
were close friends for two years and I never dream
ed it—but, maybe,” and the speaker looked grave
a minute—“it was because M.— knew my own
condition,’’ and she turned from her companions
with a little sigh, while each one recalled the hard
struggle it had been for this girl to make her way
through college.
An Inspiring Sentiment,
I have said these underlying principles or motives
impressed me much—democratic equality in its
truest sense, which even conceals the very existence
of wealth for fear it would seem a reflection on an
other’s poverty, and an overweening desire to “get
Distinguishing Features of Monroe College For Women.
The Golden Age for September 20, 1906.
an education” despile all odds and in the face of
all difficulties. Never, perhaps, did one sentiment
contribute more toward the success of a college than
does this. It has been for years the inspiration of
those who have financially helped Monroe—it
has served as a beacon light to encourage the found
ers of the institution in the beginning and has guid
ed them out of the darkness of struggle, uncertain
ty and unrest into the brilliant daylight of the pres
ent outlook, and it furnishes inspiration for future
effort.
Monroe’s Claims to Consideration.
For many years the Editor of The Golden Age
has been deeply and actively concerned for the
proper education of the young people of the South
—especially for the young women in humble homes
who have craved just the chance to learn, and who
have often been surrounded by the most adverse cir
cumstances. The opportunity to aid such girls has
come to him through his profound interest in and
his connection with Monroe College with which his
very name has become closely identified. For this
reason he has hesitated to give to this institution the
prominent place in the columns of his paper that the
college itself demands. But there are conditions
and circumstances which transcend all personal feel
ing and when these have been more fully explained
it will be seen that The Golden Age would be truant
to its avowed purpose of exciting interest in South
ern educational work if it did not give to Monroe
College a most prominent place.
The History of the College.
There are few institutions anywhere whose history
reads more like a fabled romance than does that of
Monroe. First of all, it can substantiate its claim
to being the “second oldest chartered college for
women in the world,” and it has withstood the va
rious vicissitudes of war, living through the grim
period of Reconstruction in the South, surviving
even the devastating hand of fire, and weathering
times of financial stress which again and again
would have daunted less consecrated hearts
than those of the founders of Monroe. As
early as 1849 the citizens of Forsyth,
Monroe County, Ga., deemed it imperative to
supply better educational advantages for their
daughters than were offered at the time. They
therefore met together for the purpose of estab
lishing some such needed institution and as a result
of this meeting a college seminary was incorporated
during the same year and was called “Forsyth Col
legiate Institute.” The first Board of Trustees
were seven in number and were composed of three
Methodists, three Baptists and one Presbyterian.
The first principal of the Institute was Rev. E. C.
J. B. Thomas. This scholarly gentleman was suc
ceeded by the Rev. W. C. Wilkes, who was most
ambitious for the success of the institute and dur
ing two years time the attendance increased so great
ly that in 1852 larger accommodations were needed.
A catalogue published about this time announced
that a new building was completed which was large
enough “to accommodate the teachers and thirty
young ladies’” Compared to the nearly half thous
and now enrolled this seems small enough even as
a beginning, but considering the conditions sur
rounding female education at that time it was no
small number. Certain it is that from this time
on the school became an object of special interest
and attention to the people of Forsyth and when in
1856 it was, through financial arrangements,conveyed
to the direction and control of the Baptists the real
life of the institute may be said to have begun. Its
name was changed to Monroe Female College and
for a brief time prosperity was the portion of the
school. But with the beginning of the sixties and
the coming of the Civil War the school was closed
for a time, the building it had occupied being used
for a hospital. Debts accumulated on the prop
erty and the condition of the buildings at the close
(Continued on page 3.)
Items of General Interest.
In Samoa nearly all babies are taught to swim
before they are two years old.
The British Museum in London has had as many
as 954,551 visitors in one year.
A* 7
The number of marriages in London last year
was 39,586.
The money value of the Vatican, the Pope’s pal
ace in Rome, and its treasures, is estimated at
$150,000,000.
It is estimated that the city of New York spends
about one million dollars on each baseball season.
At a recent big game held at the Polo Grounds near
New York City there were thirty-four thousand per
sons present and the occasion was not considered
in any way remarkable.
In China there are no pins—the use of them is
considered un-neat and the Chinaman assures you
that the use of the pin encourages slovenly habits
as the light way to fasten things is with buttons
and loops! Foreign manufacturers have shipped
millions of pins to China only to have them re
turned by dealers almost invariably.
King Edward has recently issued a command that
a splendid Book of Common Prayer be printed. In
this book there is included a prayer for the Presi
dent of the United States. This is deemed a special
mark of friendship on the part of the British mon
arch. The prayer is printed around an illuminated
picture of President Roosevelt, the face appearing
within the circle of the “O” with which the prayer
begins.
A piece of engineering work which promises to
excel almost anything of the kind in America is
the road between Chili and Argentine, S. A., on
which work has recently been begun. This road
leads across the Andes Mountains and the highest
part of the line through which tunnels are to be
built is estimated at 10,000 feet. The largest of
these tunnels will be 3,405 yards long. By the use
of this hue the journey between Valparaiso and
Buenos Ayres will be considerably shortened.
It has long been maintained that music is both
an inspiration to renewed effort and a stim
ulus toward accomplishment, and the principle is
now being put into active practice by the fact that
several leaders of work gangs engaged in digging
along the Panama Canal route lead the men in song,
and so inspiring has the music proven that these
gangs accomplish considerably more work per day
than do those unenlivened by those “charms which
soothe the savage breast.”
Political conditions in Russia do not improve—
the Terrorist outrages are on the increase rather
than otherwise. On Aug. 25th, thirty-two persons
were killed and as many were seriously hurt by a
bomb which was exploded at the house of the Rus
sian Premier during a public reception. The dead
ly mstiument was concealed in a gilded vase carried
b\ one of the “guests,” and although the premier
himself was but slightly wounded, his daughter, his
son and members of Ins staff and household were
killed or seriously wounded.
President Roosevelt seems to be heartily in earnest
in regard to the Simplified Spelling, for he has di
rected that all the annual messages issued by him
as well as all other documents emanating from the
AVhite House shall be written in the form of spell
ing determined on by the Spelling Board which is
working* under the leadership of Prof. Brander Mat
thews and which was liberally financed by Andrew
Carnegie. In the 300 words which the Board’s list
contains the words are simplified by the dropping of
letters which are not sounded, the substituting of
t lor “ed” and many other similar reforms.