Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1845-02-14

HARyARp CoLLEGE.--This institution, with all
its wealth, does not seem to be in condition en-
tirelv satisfactory 10 lis friends. The number OF
students from without the State, and from the
State, away from the vicinity of Boston, is not as
great as formerly large number Of the students
are from Boston and its appendages, and are OF a
much younger and less manly class than are nsu-
ally found at our country Colleges. An article in
the January number of the North American Re-
view laments over this degeneracy, and gives as
the principal reasons, list, That general impress
sion has gone abroad that il is sectaran, an Uni
tartan institution. I'd, that Notwithstanding its
great wealth, its charges for tuition and other ex-
penses higher than at other institutions. We
see that Mr. Bancroft, in recent report TO the
Board of Visitors, points out The same causes. He
says;
"The present year, the students from Mossachu-
sets are but one bundled and eighty. four. or
these, one hundred and four from Boston and
its three suburbs of Roxbury, Cambridge and
Chsrlesiown and but eighty from the rest of the
Commonwealth. Leaving out of the account the
three counties Of Suffolk. Middesex and Essex, and
all Massachusetts sends bul twenty-nne pupils TO
Harvard College. Yet the constitution OF this State
makes il the duty of the Legislature to cherish the
University at Cambridge, in order that knowledge
may be dffused generally among the body OF the
people.
Two causes conspire to diminish the throng to
Harvard College. An apprehension exists, that
sectarian character attaches TO lis government
Harvard College belongs 10 sect II is the child
of the Commonwealth. II is the House OF learn
ing which the people have erected, and which they
have founded on the Constitution itself No sect
has a right to the possession of it No party, re-
gous political, should control il. In the selec-
ton of its teachers a single eye should be had 10
ON md in fha af fhQ cle
cal part OF the permanent board of its overseers
tendency should be given 10 no one religious de-
nomination. Were every apprehension on this sub
ject dispelled, it would 60 far towards winning for
the College universal confidence.
The second cause Of the diminnton Of public ia
vor is the increasing expense Of education at Cam
bridge. The habits of economy at place Of edu-
cation, affected by the character of the collect
i've body of the pupils. As expenses increase, the
OF the less atluent begin 10 remain away, and
the absence of their influence aggravates the ten
dency to expensive qualifications But the old
fashioned lrugality and rustic simplicity the
best allies Of discipline. The undersigned, one
of the Board of VISITORS is not prepared TO confirm
the remark that Sin point Of disposition 10 good
der, and assduy in study, little more is 10 be ho-
ped or even 10 be wished There remains great
room for desirable improvement, which would be
permitted by the greater influx Of recruits from the
country, and from the families of the less wealthy
The expenses of tuition have been increased at
least hily per cent beyond what they formerly
were aud for some of the casses thirty three and
a third per cent beyond what they were when the
undersigned was n student. Yet the College has
all the time been growing more opulent. The
charge for tuition is greater at Cambridge than at
those institutions where there endowme nts,
and where the professors depend, for their whole
livelihood their success in attracting pupils Ii
is preposterous to say that this is necessary"
Al meeting OF the Board Of Visitors on the Ilth
inst, Hon. s. II. Valley, Speaker of the House of
Representatives offered the following order, propo
sing dissolution between the College and the D-
vinty School. The article in the North American
already alluded to, urged this policy with much
force
"Ordered, That - be a committee with in
structions TO consider the expediency Of discon-
Meeting, entirely, the theological department from
this college and of providing that there shall be no
TO the students in the chapel, or religious
exercises, other than morning and evening prayers
also, that if said committee shall be of opinion that
il is expedent To sunder the relation subsisting
between the College and the Divinity School, they
be farther instructed TO report what arrangement
ought TO he made, to separate the funds which have
been contributed in aid of the theological depart
ment, from the other funds of the College, as at
once to render the College a State Literary InStitu-
tan free from any UNCONVENTIONAL bias or control
and TO do ample and entire justice to each and all
of those, who have contributed towards the endow-
ment and support Of the Divinity School"