New-York daily tribune., 1854-03-27
EDUCATION IN BROHY UNIVERSITY


throughout them ell that an account of any college
with changes of names and statistics would answer sub
stsniiay for any other But the position which Brown Uni
veisiy has for few years assumed before ~ public as
he representative Of principle in college education,
seems to justify more extended notice.
Il may be well enough - refer to the circumstances
which led to the changes OF which we speak Ia
d inc 20 we shall derive information chiefly from the
pert made by President Wa land to the Corporation oethe
University IN The condition of the College was then
as follows The number of undergraduates and OF annual
admissions had been for several years steadily diminishing
the annual expenditures Of the College exceeded its annual
receipts by the sum of $780, and the additional officers
required for the discipline Of the College apPoined
the annual deficiency would be increased 10 $780, pro
ctodnc at this the fund must be exhausted and
the institution become bankrupt
There seemed no reason ascrbe this unfortunate
don 70 anv suf in the means of instruction The Facnly
wtra ACKNOWLEDGED in ry way qualified for her
stations and many of them were widely known, both in
Ills country ard abroad Tor their a,tainmens in tleir sew
oral delarmens The scientific apparatus large and
continually increasing The library was acknowledged to
be second to none in NewEngland as a working library
That The fault whatever was not peculiar to Brown
University seemed yet further evident since the aggregate
number Of students IN al the New England colleges
dimnishing while those which attracted the fullest NUN
Der id 20 simply b. lowering the price Of tuition 10
fraction Of IT, cost in many instances making it entirely
eratuioLs end in giving further pccuniary aid to
ctndida'os f,r e ministry thus virtually giving bounty
on every men who would consent TO receive college
education.
Nor did this fwness Of students indicate that the mum
Der was small of those who rightly estimated the sdyln
aeos Of education The demand all over the country for
agricultural corgcs and scientific schools showed that
th,r. were mCn enough who desired and wiling TO
D. II anita N fhair ant nd
Which should aid th N 10 their calling without the encum
trauce OF suiies which were to them Indifferent and
ss If net nositvoy dsasteful II seemed obvious that
lie kfd Of education offered aid not meet the demar ds Of
IA. publi, ave have produced article for which the
demand diminishing sell it at less than cost and
The deficiency is made up by charity we give i. away
AID sti the demand dminhes
The deects in the character Of the education offered
.wih detc;s were shared by al tie Colleges in the
county, were two: The education Offered was suited
only 10 he demands Of small and rroportionaly dilnn
sing class the learned profession and especially the
ministry While for the productive class Of the community
n clsss most entitled by their numbers snd importance to
sk that heir wants should be consulted provision what
ever wes msde The education thus offered sought to
include too large number Of studies in the cOurse OF four
yesls and was essentially superficial 1t was proposed
10 remedy these defects /. BY providing adequate
IN ruction in the branches Of knowledge most useful
TO non professional men .. By so opening and moli
fy ng the organization Of classes as to enable h 20 OF
cyuv calling to pursue tho branches likely TO prove
useful TO them and to such sn extent as they d.
BY sboshng the four years course and By giving to
every study such proportion Of time should be saif
eent to insure thorough acquaintance with it, and
sIoud be in degree prOPOrOncd to is practical i'm
poftanoe.
The of the report were adopted and the
New system began in 1850 ProfessorshipI Of diiac
.cs OF civil engineering Of chemistry applied to the arts
a1d Of agriculture we're established Arrangements were
made for extending the benefits of the College to those
aged in the various industrial pursuits by opening courSe5
a lectures adapted to their cangs and their wants The
regular four years abandoned students might
study lor any period they chose ard degoee # attainment
rather than h1eA of resdpee required for degree
degree vas slso established accessible TO thoso who
should no, study the casscs Thus the opportunity
offered ell OF every class acquire any species Of know
ledge taught in the University without being burdened
WITH studies US Ices 10 them in ther calng and foreign
70 their Indications.
Wien this new orgsniz stion was frt proposed there
wcIe not wanting obectors both to the theory Of the plan
and to rs pract, ability Sone said by allowing men to
study what they please and what Is going to be Of service
ato them YOU viii dlinah the study Of the classics" To
ih the eply was made admitting Of rejonder II By
arlaciro Latin and Greek on their mert, itey are
.lai
zed and chTsiaEized man, theH G them give place 10
something batter Others ~ You are going to break
IN en- de regular college ourse the perfection Of edaca
toaal dlcp-ne b rtsuli OF the gathered wisdom " cen.
turits Tbs eply to tbs was lot lees easy 1.-THE eol
ese ccDrse ust Is stand. rhe psrfs lion Of
d"rre for fcrmer centuries i. my be supposed ha,
msnh nd has requirements and new wants in ths
"copEs d few generations But in real 50 fer from
'tere the re nj oi accumulated wisdom AID 60 u5ed il
ca N celebration ior tie ants coming nc the college
course s de result Of the present Gccdsn. We F no.
now top 10 low It's but vii simply illustrate our mesa
rg one intcnce Does any pretend that IL the a.
trrent Of some eight weeks 10 political economy and Of
ar almost uninterrupted Of four years 10 Latin and
Greek tesdes preliminary expend ure Of one, two, or
.tree vesr ere s truly represented the comparative in
rorance Of these two stadies to an American edzen.
Tie objections on the mound ofimpraetcabiIy Of
sred By the actual working ofthe syse Ofthishe pres
CIT catalogue furnishes sn indication. The n.sdirecty
corrected With the unvey who four years ego Numbered
sLout hundred ard fifty row two hundred and
erhybrse and these prpa.ng ro' FOX the prof
nsIfy bur or every calling IN lie l. edition % This
1uter actually connected With tie college soas three hun
Eunded and twenty i've OF ths swebrs OF he e asoded
tie course Of lectures on the Chemistry Of tie Asta &c
r,.i.d tor her egpe-al benefit during tie pasi year
TIE degree o. caInssea ard saocts N ss-ay o. INC
n Of tic students esnno 50 readily d eLaaSa fon
catalogue ye, # + not deuto suPPOss that inersa.aa
elrrestness IN study would be the result OF the suus
fIIlgrg fon 50 srge an increase 0f numbers and ihsfs
hre Of eoupettcn IN study and tEs an aa.uJn where
eyery student wss pursung tie sudes which be hmsch
had cbeseu n With be specially interested and which
be- t1ps c.sd to make the OF b. livelihood, would b.
tkey 70 BE free Tcm much Of The teEsness, and gohty
and waste Of tine Of which esges are 60 oen the abode