It makes a vast difference whether college is conceived of as a place:

(1) For fitting oneself to cut a larger figure, in whatever terms of social standing or whatnot of that sort; or to make money with the idea that a reputation for having "been to college" affords a running start in business.

(2) For fun; for nearly grown up play; for the enjoyment of a pleasant status in late adolescence with a minimum of toil and discipline, delaying the serious work of life; for participation in an enchanting variety of congenial activities--athletics in particular--and the making of "desirable" contacts and friendships.

(3) For the expression and perpetuation of a sentimental loyalty or a family tradition, involving the assumption as a matter of course that son shall go to "father's old college" regardless of what the college may be now.

(4) For the continuation of solicitous supervision in a kind of adult nursery, where the young person will still be under espionage; a sort of "glorified prep-school".

(5) For the shelter, treatment, and discipline of physical, mental, and moral "lame ducks"; a species of sanatorium or reform school for young people who are "too much" for busy, lazy, or incompetent parents or guardians.

(6) For the equipment of a caste; for the polishing off and certification of members of an elite, an intellectual aristocracy, or some vaguely differentiated cult of "leaders" in the body politic.

(7) For the learning of a trade or profession, civil or military; or even of the details of cookery, dress-making or millitary; or of agriculture, music or art.

(8) For propaganda; i. e., the inculcation, substantiation, and fastening on of some particular creed, social, political, economic, or religious, and the confirmation of prejudices of class, sect, or race.

(9) For scholarly research in science, economics, history, literature, and the training of specialists, experts, or teachers of particular subjects.

(10) For the normal rounding out of the formal education of the intelligent citizen, in an atmosphere of intellectual freedom and under adequate instructional inspiration and guidance; in preparation for effective participation as a responsible adult in the world in which he lives, in all ways as an intelligent active member in his community, his nation and the fellowship of nations. For going on with the task of self-understanding, self government, and self-development in the life that now is, and for the life that is to come. --John Palmer Gavit, "College."