TTTT? RTTPTDA Y CVRTCOCVNTAX. POTJTLAND. MAY' 30, 1915.
WEEK TO MARK FIRST COMMENCEMENT AT REED COLLEGE
: " ' . ., . .
Accomplishments of Four Years Show Unique System Adopted by Institution of Higher Learning Is Grounded on Right, Though Advanced, Principles.
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UNIQUK among American colleges
Qf the highest class. Reed College,
Portland's distinctively educa
tional institution, will hold Its first
commencement, sraduaatins its first
senior class, this week. The event
marks the passsagre of four years of
work along distinct educational lines.
Many Ideas entirely new have been fol
lowed with success.
At the time of its first commence
ment a retrospect shows that Reed, a
college of liberal arts, which does not
provide Bhort courses, technical or spe
cial training of any sort, has been
grounded on right, though advanced,
principles. Its founders have gone
ahead of former institutions of learn
ing in seeklnjr to bring about the best
development of youth and the first four
years have proved the soundness of
their plans.
Other Colleees Copy.
Reed does many things that the old
er colleges do not. Some of these
new educational principles have been
Incorporated in the courses of numer
oo3 other institutions eioce, Ree4 was
started. Others, it is believed, will
be adopted, more generally as time
passes.
Reed College was made possible in
1904 through the provisions of the will
of the late Amanda Wood Reed, of
Portland, who had planned benefactions
for the establishment of a university
of high standard for Portland, to
gether with her husband. Simeon Q.
Reed, who died in the city in 1896. Mr.
and Mrs. Reed came to Oregon from
Masachusetts in 1851.
The endowment consists chiefly of 42
pieces of real estate, centrally located
in Portland. The campus covers 84
acres in Eastmoreland. three miles
from the center of the city. Forty acres
were the gift of the Ladd Instate Com
pany. About $700,000, all the accum
lated income from the endowment, ex
cept appropriations for the current
budget of the collegre, has been expend
ed on grounds, buildings and equip
ment. No additional funds are avail
able for buildings, since the will forbids
the use of any part of the present en
dowment for that purpose.
It Is hoped, thaj the coming year will
see the erection of a women's building,
plans for which have been prepared.
This structure is the next unit which
it is planned to erect.' Drawingi show
this will be a model building for the
purposes to which itSviU be given.-
Reed College had its beginning In
temporary quarters in 1911 and moved
into its permanent buildings on the
beautiful campus on the East Side in
the following year. The school is an
undenominational one, the will of- Mr.
Reed providing that it forever remain
free from sectarian Influence or con
trol. There is a distinct religious
Bide, however, there being daily chapel
services, Bible study classes and Chris,
tian association activities.
Reed was the first college to adopt
simplified spelling.- Useless letters are
dropped from English words. Dr. "Will
iam Trufant Foster, who has . been
president of the institution since its
founding, holds that its system of spell
ing is logical and is but the elimination
of errors that have crept into the lan
guage. -
Following the lead ot Reed College
about JOO universities, solicit 4
state normal schools have adopted the
use of simplified spelling and news
papers with a combined circulation of
6,000,000 a day have adopted it ancr
lately.
In athletics Reed College staor.a sJenr
In that there are no intercollegiate so
tivities. There are. however,, wide ath
letio activities in the student body. Dr.
Foster holds that the primary aim of
athletics is education; the development
of the body and the maintenance of
health. Intercollegiate athletics, he
says, are antagonistic to this idea, the
tendency being to make a business of
athletics and center physical training
on a few. He said:
"The aims of intercollegiate athletics
are such that they do not. in them
selves, encourage clean sport. There
are many kinds of foul play that help
to win games, thus bringing group and
individual fame and making money.
"Where these are the objects, not
playing foul but getting caught is the
' Xamoiu intercollegiate
coach Is right: anything that a player
can 'get away with' meets its rewards.
"Precisely the opposite condition pre
vails when athletics are conducted for
education. Clean sport on either side
receives approbation from both sides,
no matter which side wins, and foul
play is not condoned because it brings
victory."
Reed College has no fraternities nor
sororities. Instead, the college prefers
a wholesome, sensible social life. De
mocracy is marked at the institution.
Rooms and privileges are the same for
all.
"Money cannot purchase for any stu
dent better board, better living accom
modations, or instruction than is pro
vided for all students," said Dr. Foster.
"This is one of the minor conditions
that has made Reed College a social
democracy.
Mur Students Self-Supporting;.
"Another is respect for productive
labor: a larse eajoritjr studcats
are self-supporting. From the outset
most of the work in connection with
the care of grounds, building.- dining
hall, gymnasium, laundry, book store,
laboratories, electric plant, carpenter
work, and most of the typewriting and
other-clerical work has been performed
by the students as means of self-support.
. - .
"This has given the whole student
body a fine sense of proprietorship and
responsibility. For this work, 70 per
cent of the men students at the college
throughout the year 1913-14 received
Income from the college. Various loan
funds have been established through
generous gifts of friends. There aru no
free scholarships: all students are ex
actly on the tame basis.".
Large F.nrollmrnt Mot Sought'.
Reed College makes no attempt to
enroll a large student body; numbers,
in themselves, make no appeal to It!
The college desires only as many stu
dents m its eauipjaeiit nd resource
can care for thoroughly. From its
beginning it has had more applicants
than it could admit. Before a tempo
rary building could be erected there
were 263 applicants. Admission is
based on good character, scholarship,
earnestness of purpose and other qual
ities that make for a student body with
ideals.
The institution is the first in the
country that lias required physical ex
aminations for botli men and women
preliminary to admlsion. Other col
leges give physical tests after entrance,
but a certain standard is required hero
before matriculation. The fitness ot
candidates is tested in other ways that
differ from the JradiHonal require
ments insisted upon by colleges gen
erally. o Special Courses .lvr.
No special courses or preparatory
courses are offered at Tteed. Nor are
students ever admitted upon condition;:.
Only those are accepted who are con-
. ACobgluaed on Pajo'a.J.