College 'Rah-Rah' Spirit Fades, Author Finds in 'U.S.A.' Story

"Rah-rah" exuberance is giving way to solemn purposefulness on the college campus, according to Robert Stein, editor and author, in a article on "How Wild Are College Students?" in the May issue of "U.S.A."

The new college student is more mature, responsible, and studious than his predecessors, says Stein. He cites the decline of hazing and prank playing in favor of such acts as putting up student dormitories, painting and repairing homes of needy families, and performing various community services. As an example, he points to Wilmington College in Ohio, where students put in up to 400 hours each in building a new dormitory.

College authorities are in general agreement, Stein found, that despite lurid headlines, today's college students are more serious than earlier undergraduates. "Unfortunately, an account of several dozen brawling, rioting students makes more dramatic reading than the story of two and one-half million young men and women quietly and efficiently going about the business of learning," he concludes.