Judge — June 21, 1924 — page 17: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Tue Thine about an American college that seems to contribute most to crushing the individi. ality of its students is not the education it purports to hand out but the “cs spirit” complex. This is the thing that makes rah. rah boys out) of otherwise normal youths, that makes sophomores out of alumni, that in Ipon paying coaches as much as college presidents and grades college presidents. according to their ability to advertise and expand the organization. Bertrand Russell said re cently that in his talks with college presi dents in this country he found them more interested in new buildings than in any- thing else. This observation fits into the picture quite perfectly. The heads of our colleges and universities have the factory mind. A few years i they were lamoring for ri material. — Now that this is being offered in quantities beyond their wildest dreams their main interest has shifted to equipment. It centers in the physical expansion of the plant to take care of the demand. Lf the individual figures in their calculations it is only by accident and incidentally But—just by way of a silver lining when the growth of a university reaches acertain point it usually becomes too big for college spirit. Thus the very thing that stimulated the bloat is destroyed in the end by the ereature of its efforts. Already in some of the largest: of our institutions it is possible for a student to cultivate his intellect without saying sood-by to his personality. ‘The alumni. of course. uys make a great to-do about this decay of college spirit and way their heads and repeat that the “old place isnt what it once was.” and “no wonder they cant turn out a winning team.” But one original genius to an Alma Mater’s credit is worth a cycle of football victories. Fulton Fish Market points the way NEVERTHELESS it is not safe to be dogmatic even about original genius and college spirit. Ut is conceivable, for instance, that somewhat less origin: nius and: somewhat morc ge spirit. would have improved that THE FORD distinguished Chicago team known as Leopold and Loch. The thing that impresses one about the story of these amiable collegian cut-ups. aside from their too pretation of the dle, is the monstrous ego, particularly of Leopoid, the ringleader. that shows through their diabolical pranks. All crime very likely is the product of an abnormal ego diverted into destructive channels. But hitherto even the most hardened criminal has. at least in theory, required lust or revenge or greed as an incentive for his murders. An ego that deliberately plans capital crimes as a mere diversion, that con- siders its de for amusement or adventure more important than another's right to life, must chalk up a new record in criminology. SYSTEM APPLIED TO COLLEGE EDUCATION “Ask the man who owns one.” Tt may be. of course, that some form of perversion will be found to be the final explanation. Otherwise it is just barely possible that if these boys had been caught as freshmen and flattened out under the steam roller of college spirit they might now be pursuing their anatomical adventures in some respect able laboratory, honored for their contributions to. science. College spirit. is undoubtedly a good thing for embryo criminals. But that doesn't alter the fact that a college diploma is @ sheepskin W. M. H. comicbooks.com