The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-07-22

IL 3 II tom ry Win look upon every
tn America witt a fay b Q eye, and to
indulge Their frequently i, pr Use Of our own
superior excel nee Us people over all Others.
We dec y comparisons at ar mad with
viewt our isparagement, in any and every thing
which we possess, and claim to be far in ad-
vance oft rest of the world in all that makes
q nat on great nd prosperou 1t is true we
are not alone in th respect; butwe are inclined
in some alters to carry W a. m ght otherwise
be considered a true and justiffaele national
pride, to excess. There are many things in
which we wouli do well to take lessons from
the Old World and in which nations that we re-
gard as behind the age in every respect are far
in advance of US. We might adduce many
proofs of what we say, but one will suffice for
our pre- sent purpose While our common school
system is equal, if not superior, to that of any
country, the higher institutions Of learning-the
colleges and uDiversties-cannot, as general
thing, be favorably compared with those of Eu-
rope. In that thorough discipline which is
so requisite for the complete education
of the student in the various depart
ments of learning and science, we are
very deficient, and as consequence our
Greek and Latin and superficial knowledge
of even the ordinary rudimeBts of education.
1t is supposed that term OF five or seven years
is--as it certainly should be-suficient to enti-
tie them to all the honorary distinctions which
are conferred upon them at its expiration. Men
who have become suddenly rich by speculation
and who have themselves risen from state of
poverty, conceive the ambitious idea of quail
flying their sons for the Presidency, the COVER
norship of State, the first position at the bar
or in some Of the learned professions; and forth
with send them to some Of our first rate col
leges or universities Richard-who is looked
upon as the promise Of the family, and who it
is expected will carry off all the laurels, is
going to study the classics, French Italian and
score of languages, besides all the branches
Of mathematics, natural philosophy, science
and host of other things too numerous to
mention--fnds. when he enters college that h.
has got among such a set Of jolly, rollicking,
devil-may care, good-for-nothing fellows, that
he will not have such laborious time as he at
first supposed, and eventually comes to the
conclusion--which his new associates did be-
fore him-that it is all nonsense to be
overtaying ones brains, especially when
the old governor at home has fortune ready
made for him. He learns in good time to re-
gard his professors as old fogies, who are he
meath the notice Of fast men; and his professors
too frequently give him reason for entertaining
such an opinion Of them. A whole class rcvolts
for some real or supposed act Of injustice COM
mitted by the faculty, and the faculty, after eN-
postulating with them, finally consents to COM
promise, although it had been proved that GER
singing negro melodies and discharging fire.
crackers during recitation hours
Such exhibitions rs that we have Just alluded
to have the effect of turning college education
into farce, and it has already arrived at that
point in the opinion Of many. Young men
who are utterly devoid of those aspirations for
learning and the respect and position which it
should command in a free country like ours,
are sent to college, as we have said, in the ex-
pectation that they will there acquire know
ledge of whatever is considered necessary to
qualify them for the highest positions in socie-
ty. Their time while there is spent more in
amusements than in study, so that at the end of
their term they are, so far as their mental and
neral Improvement is concerned, in worse
condition than when they entered. As Burns
says =
They gang in stirks and come ont asses
Plain truth to speak,
And syne they think to climb Parnassus
BY dint Of Greek
Those who are inclined to doubt what we
say should attend some of the com mencemeats
and judge by the performances of the acquire
ments of the graduates and the proficiency
which they have attained after so long a pro-
baton. We have had many opportunities of wit
Messing the literary exercises which take place
on such occasions, and have listened to some
young men who devoted themselves for five
and seven years to study of Greek aud Latin,
make use of grammar that would put one of
our ward school pupils to the blush At these
anniversaries it is the custom for about a dozen
or more of the graduates to deliver an "oi 4
tion," the dignifed title by which mass of
words, without connection, il called and this is
always submitted to one OF the professors be.
fore it is recited in public.
II would be we'll for the character Of our
colleges if the inefficient discipline and the dc.
fective system Of education which prevail in
them were the only causes Of complaint; but
there is one more, which we cannot pass over
without censure. We refer to the ridiculous
assumption Of superiority ard the aristocratic
pretcnsions which characterize the majority of
the graduates, and which, We need hardly say !,
can never be too strongly condemned in q re-
public like ours. They affect to look with con
tempt upon those who have never studied
Greek or Latin, ignorant or forgetful Of the
fact that many of the greatest men who have
shed distinction upon our country were self
made. Nc would have our colleges aud our
universities equal, if not superior, to those of
mi