Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 7.pdf/32

26 Our Oregon colleges have thus far written no mean records. You may find on any campus in the State a pure democracy. The standard is merit, not wealth or influence. What a man is establishes his position. Large members of the students are self-supporting and from humble homes. The idle spending of money is rare. It sounds strange indeed to say, in these days of college extravagance, that at our State University $350 will provide all the needs for a college year, for a man or woman, comfortably. I know of but one student who spends as much as $500, though he is not limited. He is a lover of books, and too busy to desire luxuries.

I plead that the women of our State visit our colleges and enter into the sacrifices, purposes, and longings of the students, and so fill those students with their own ideals and larger faith and aspirations.

Emerson says: "The youth who surrenders himself to a great ideal himself becomes great." How to bring the youth into the presence of great ideals,—this is a work for our federations. What better way is there for our far-seeing women and our organizations to meet the new opportunity now confronting us than by aiding young women of the State to grow into nobler ideals? There are daughters everywhere in Oregon who are longing for a glimpse into the beauties of art, the heavenly fields of larger thought. One earnest, devoted woman who has secured efficiency through higher education is of untold value to a community in her influence for character and for all that refines and purifies. There is no surer way for the clubs to contribute to the welfare and steadiness and loftiness of our larger State life than by aiding our women to secure increased powers and deepened spirituality. It seems most fitting that every club select, in its community, some young woman of promise who could not hope unaided to secure a higher education, and through some