The Cap and Gown

"The Cap and Gown" by Charles Reynolds Brown is a collection of essays and addresses written in the early 20th century. The book focuses on the experiences and challenges faced by college students, particularly during their formative years in university life. It aims to guide young men entering college, emphasizing the importance of wise choices, personal responsibility, and the overall purpose of education in shaping character and career paths. The opening of the book sets a reflective tone, discussing the significance of a student's first year in college. It compares this crucial period to the first inning in a baseball game, highlighting the nervousness and potential for both success and failure. The author introduces themes of freedom, responsibility, and the ability to form good habits, warning against the temptations and distractions that college life can present. Brown encourages students to consider their choices carefully, whether in academic pursuits, friendships, or moral standards, as these early decisions will greatly impact their future. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Charles Reynolds Brown was an American Congregational clergyman and educator, born in Bethany, W. Va. He graduated at the University of Iowa in 1883 and studied theology in Boston University. He lectured at various times at Leland Stanford, Yale, Cornell, and Columbia universities, and was pastor of the First Congregational Church at Oakland, Cal., from 1896 to 1911. In the latter year he became dean of the Yale Divinity School.