Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1851-10-04
Cleveland University,

President Mahan, formerly of Oberlin is
now a, the head of a young but promising
institution at Cleveland, which has assumed
the above title. The features of the institu-
ton Distinguishing it from other colleges are
set forth in the following article from the
Western Agriculturolst. Its object aud its
plan cannot fail to commend it TO the good
sense of our everyday practical community.
We wish Mr.. Mahan aud his co-adjutors
abundant success. We hope they may be
able to explode the false idea that has been
transmitted TO us, that liberal education"
consists in n knowledge of Greek and Latin
The idea belongs TO the nge when ccclesas-
tics monopolized all spiritual
and secular. But for our democratic age,
the people who justly aspire TO control their
own destiny, should be made acquainted
with the laws of the universe with which
they have to do. In this the syntax aud
prpsods of the Greeks and Romans will af.
ford small comparative aid The language
and the men have passed away. But nature,
in all her power in beauty and variety re-
mains. With her is the poures business of
life. Acquaintance with the laws by which
she governs in all things is the knowledge
we pre-eminen.y need.
An experiment is about TO be tried in
which all those who arc concerned for good
practical education will take an interest. II
has long been thought 10y those who partoke
of the spirit of progress that distinguishes
these times, that the time honored mode Of
conducting colleges needed reform - that
something of the old rules respecting the
course prescribed, the length Of time to be
spent, the dead languages TO he poured over
the dormilores, chapels, and commons,
might with great benefit be dispensed with.
The GermaIls make institutions consist of
good corps of lecturers, a good npparnts
aud library, with few lecture rooms that
perhaps are hired, and not of piles of brick
and mortar, large halls, and spacious grounds.
The consequence Is that education is cheap,
popular poetical, and not 10 abundant.
In the early settlement tofthis.courtry, per-
haps it was necessary to endow professor
ships, and erect immense piles of buildings,
but this is not the case now.
With the exception of cergymen, aud those
destined for literature, long course of Ian
guages is certainly not indispensable. But
for every day life, for merchants, lawyers,
and farmers, the natural aud exact sciences
are necessary, in order to make intelligent
citizens. Natural philosophy, natural histo-
ry. chemistry, aud geology, have a daily and
almost hourly application in life.
How often does a farmer mechanic, or
even an attorney, find il necessary to refer to
his Greek or his Latin?
The Cleaveand University proposes to
make the studies of exact and natural science
the Characteristic of the institution. 1t will
he devoted TO no sect or set of opinions--wil
be prepared TO go through all these sciences,
but will prescribe no length Of time to be
employed, and leave the subject of study
open 10 the student or his guardians.
The diplomas, or certificates of progress,
will conform to the actual proficiency and ad-
vance made by the student, be the same more
or less.
The difference between this plan and the
old system is very marked, and we think u
great improvement. knowledge is convey
ed principally by lectures as in medical in
stitutioBs, and not so much by text books.
II is not necessary here, before young man
eau reach natural philosophy, that he should
conlugate n given number of Latin words,
nor before he can learn chemistry that he
must translate the Greek testament. II
farmers son wishes to understand those
parts of chemistry applicable to agriculture,
the composition of soils, the theory of vege-
tntion, or the application Of mnnures, he can
do so without spending years time and
much money on subject which neither he
or his friends consider applicable to his fu-
lure life.