But we thought it well to set down our interview as a
guide to others.
IX. The New Education
"So you're going back to college in a fortnight," I said
to the Bright Young Thing on the veranda of the summer
hotel. "Aren't you sorry?"
"In a way I am," she said, "but in another sense I'm glad
to go back. One can't loaf all the time."
She looked up from her rocking-chair over her Red Cross
knitting with great earnestness.
How full of purpose these modern students are, I thought
to myself. In my time we used to go back to college as
to a treadmill.
"I know that," I said, "but what I mean is that college,
after all, is a pretty hard grind. Things like mathematics
and Greek are no joke, are they? In my day, as I remember
it, we used to think spherical trigonometry about the
hardest stuff of the lot."
She looked dubious.
"I didn't _elect_ mathematics," she said.
"Oh," I said, "I see. So you don't have to take it. And
what _have_ you elected?"
"For this coming half semester--that's six weeks, you
know--I've elected Social Endeavour."
"Ah," I said, "that's since my day, what is it?"
"Oh, it's _awfully_ interesting. It's the study of
conditions."
"What kind of conditions?" I asked.
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