THE WIDENING OF COLLEGE INFLUENCE.

The recent dinner of the Harvard Club at Chicago moves the Weekly Magazine of that city to indulge in observations on the widening of college influence.

"Not venerable years, nor traditions, nor the fame of its learning, nor all these together," says the Magazine, "give name and character to our noblest and best institutions of learning so much as the influence of the men who have gone out from their walls, carrying with them deep and lasting veneration and love for the alma mater. If they have the impress from the college on their characters and manners of generous and elevating instruction, and possess some peculiar, fine flavoring of life, derivable from its distinctive qualities, they will prove living epistles in its behalf and interest known and read of all men; and, if it has bound them to it in vital bonds of affection, they will be very much given to holding themselves out to attract frequent reading. That is, they will report the college often, attractively and thoroughly. If the college has sent out worthy sons to speak of it, its reputation is safe and its fame certain."

In regard to the kind of influence exerted by the various clubs of alumni, the Magazine says: "The life and influence of the college is thus set to radiating continuously throughout the country in a new and powerful way heretofore unknown. Reunions are held, reinforced and vitalized anew by visits of committees of genial and eloquent professors. Bright and promising young students in the community are made the subjects of a splendid college missionary interest. The charm of the spirit of this particular college or that is made to enter delightfully into their minds. They begin to grow to the college and feel a real and vital union with it long before they have looked upon its halls or been within scores of leagues of its central habitation. At stated times committees of the professors go forth and hold examinations - in other words, the college thus goes forth to meet the studious and ambitious youths, who are under the remoter training, and lead them home to it. And not only in this particular way does the college extend its power but in the more general radiation of its influence socially, through the press, by the flashing out of the college spirit and interest in a thousand ways and on innumerable occasions."

"At the dinner of the Harvard Club," the writer continues, "the genuine college spirit shone out. Harvard was really there. One saw it, sensed it, distinguished the flavor of it. Some seventy of the alumni were present, besides a few invited guests. They were mostly of the younger generation, but not all. All, however, had the glow and freshness of the student's life still bright upon them. A finer company of gentlemen could probably not be found anywhere in the world. A company of brighter, fresher and purer faces we never saw, and shall probably never see. There were present, direct from home and the common mother, Professors Palmer and McVane."

After an enthusiastically appreciative review of the proceedings at the dinner, especially of the remarks of Professors McVane and Palmer, the writer concludes: "And thus it is, as we started out among other things to note, that colleges are now spreading themselves - most prominently and distinctly among them, here in Chicago at least, the venerable but ever youthful school of learning at Cambridge."