THE FIRST DAY AT COLLEGE
years. They ought to be quite distinct from all other years before and after, whatever else they are or are not. The chances are you'll be influenced quite enough by conventionality and what people think when you get away from here; besides, if four years of rollicking freedom such as you get at college can spoil you, the chances are that you aren't much good anyhow.
Look at them from away back there by the gate, big fellows and little fellows, dark ones and light ones, fine-looking lads and young men who are very otherwise, provincial city youths from New York and green jays from the West. Here comes a matured-looking young man who has knocked about the big world a bit before coming to this little world to get what the big one could not give him. And look, here comes a mere child, so young that his body has not grown up to his colt-like legs and his features haven't found themselves. And they all have something to teach you, Dickie, every one of them. Who was it—Emerson?—who said a boy comes to teachers for his education,
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