Question

why does helen says that college is not the universal athens ,i thought it was?

Answer 1

In Helen's opinion, her experiences at Radcliffe College showed that college was not the universal Athens that she thought it would be. It means that college was not the idealized place for education that she thought of initially but a completely different place. There one did not meet the great and wise face to face or even feel their living touch. They were there but they seemed to be mummified and one had to extract them from the crannied wall of learning. Then one would have to dissect and analyze them before one could be sure they had the real work at hand and not a mere imitation of Milton or an Isaiah. Many scholars forgot that the enjoyment of the great works of literature depended more upon the depth of the readers' sympathy than their understanding. The trouble was that very few of their laborious explanations were memorable and the mind drops them as a branch would drop overripe fruit. In Helen's opinion, concerning oneself with these explanations and hypotheses were ineffectual in the study of literature. She did not object to a thorough knowledge of the famous works that were read in college but only to the interminable comments and bewildering criticisms that one was taught. There were many opinions as there were men but one ought to be able to breathe new life into old works.

Answer 2

The first day at Radcliffe was very exciting. She had looked forward to it for years. She  started her studies with eagerness and hope. She felt within her the capacity to know all things. The lecture-halls seemed filled with the spirit of the great and the wise. The professors were the embodiment of wisdom. But soon Helen Keller realised that ‘college was not quite the romantic lyceum’ she had imagined. Many of her dreams ‘‘faded into the light of common day.’’ Gradually she began to realise that there were disadvantages in going to college.

Helen soon realised that one goes to college to ‘learn’ and not to ‘think’. In the college, there was no time to communicate with one’s thoughts. In the classroom she was practically alone. The professors were as remote as they were speaking through a telephone. The lectures were spelled in her hand as rapidly as possible. The significance and meaning of the lecturer got lost in her effort to keep in the race. Very few of the books required in the various courses were printed for the blind. She was obliged to have them spelled into her hand. As a result, she took more time to prepare her lessons than other girls. But there were exceptions too. Scholar like Kittredge woulThe first day at Radcliffe was very exciting. She had looked forward to it for years. She  started her studies with eagerness and hope. She felt within her the capacity to know all things. The lecture-halls seemed filled with the spirit of the great and the wise. The professors were the embodiment of wisdom. But soon Helen Keller realised that ‘college was not quite the romantic lyceum’ she had imagined. Many of her dreams ‘‘faded into the light of common day.’’ Gradually she began to realise that there were disadvantages in going to college.

Helen soon realised that one goes to college to ‘learn’ and not to ‘think’. In the college, there was no time to communicate with one’s thoughts. In the classroom she was practically alone. The professors were as remote as they were speaking through a telephone. The lectures were spelled in her hand as rapidly as possible. The significance and meaning of the lecturer got lost in her effort to keep in the race. Very few of the books required in the various courses were printed for the blind. She was obliged to have them spelled into her hand. As a result, she took more time to prepare her lessons than other girls. But there were exceptions too. Scholar like Kittredge would loving back Shakespeare ‘‘as if new sight were given to the blind.’’ She felt like the proverbial bull in the china shop. ‘A thousand odds and ends of knowledge came crashing about her head like hailstones.’ Helen discovered that ‘college is not the universal Athens’ she thought it was. There one doesn’t meet the great and wise face to face. One does not even feel their living touch. They seem mummified. But Helen never gave up the precious science of patience. She took her education as she would take a walk in the country, leisurely.d loving back Shakespeare ‘‘as if new sight were given to the blind.’’ She felt like the proverbial bull in the china shop. ‘A thousand odds and ends of knowledge came crashing about her head like hailstones.’ Helen discovered that ‘college is not the universal Athens’ she thought it was. There one doesn’t meet the great and wise face to face. One does not even feel their living touch. They seem mummified. But Helen never gave up the precious science of patience. She took her education as she would take a walk in the country, leisurely.