Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1864-11-03
tied only in the case Of those who en-
tered for degrees, by the necessity OF
completing certain course before the
49, ...t,,kt Ia cnnfarrad The Glasses

freshmen, sophomore Junior anu soh-
lor, were consequently broken up, and |
their names stricken from the catalogue |
and students OF one, two, three and four
years substituted, so that there were
and could be no classes. II two stu
dents took the same study, 1t might be
in different years. Only those who en-
tered for A. NJ. took all the studies that
are usually included in a four years col
lege course. A three years course with
but one ancient language, the student
having his choice of this, suillcea FOR
the degree of A. b., which, previously,
there as in every college was given only
after the student had passed through
the four years course. If the candidate
for A. B. chose Greek instead Of Latin,
as was sometimes the case, he could not
read his own diploma. This system
was in operation four or five years. 1t
had fair trial and signaily failed. DIR.
Wayland resigned in 1866, and DR.. Sears,
who, as an. b." says correctly, sis in
some respects almost the antipode of
DR.. wayland," was appoi-ted to his
place. When he was appointed Presi-
dent his views were known to be radi-
cally opposed to those OF DR.. W., and
there is not the least reason to doubt
that this was the prominent reason why
he was selected for the place, eff any
executive officer" says an. B." "could
be supposed to turn aside from the foot
steps of his predecessor, Dr. S. would
be the very man." Doubtless the trust
ees of the University understood that
very well. The simple fact that such
man was selected to succeed DR.. W. is
proof in itself that the trustees and
friends of the University felt the neces-
sity of decided change. Besides the
| better part of the students were deeply
dissatisfied with the workings of this
/ new system. When, therefore, DR.. S.
| assumed the presidency, he did not need
to use any arbitrary power or influence
in order to secure gradual and there
fore safe return to the former system.
The executive board We're assured that
he did not come to his new office as
partisan, and whatever there was that
worked well in the new system he would
willingly retain, while he should seek
to modify what did not work well in
| the most quiet way. He was opposed to
sudden revolutionary changes. These
| facts should be borne in mind, in order
that the right estimate may be put upon
the changes which have been made. 1t
is not simply or mainly because of DR..
Sears peculiar predictions for the old
system that Dr.. Wayland's system has
been abandoned. He simply led the
movement.
But here we are met by m. B., who
says with great positiveness, 1--WE h,'0a0
that the course Of study adopted by DR..
WayIand has not been abandoned or
radically changed" Well, to be sure he
ought to know" for he applied to the
best source for information, the ge,,y same
source indeed (as we happen to know
from which we learn directly and dis
tinctly that soon after Pres Sears in
auguration, examinations of those who
wished to enter for the shorter courses
were instituted by the unanimous vote
of the faculty. that not long after at his
recommendation the schols new system of
degrees soas a5olished by vote OF the cor
poration, and the old system restored,
except that the B. P. was still retained;
that afterwards the voluntary system
the grand popularity OF Or. Wayland's
scheme. e., the free ctoice of studies,
was abolished, and the order Of the sue
cession of studies in each course was
fixed; that optional studies were res
tricted about as in other colleges shat
the names of the classes, las we'll as the
classes themselves, which hadsbeen dis
integrated and broken up by the new
SYSTEM Freshmen, Sophomore Junior
and Senior were restored in snort that
the old college system including full
proportion of ancient languages has been
brought back that the college is-main~
ly on the old ground of liberal educa-
tien in which languages and mathemat-
les are the ground work. And yet an. |
B." "knows" that DR.. Wayland's system
''has not been abandoned or radically |
Changed"!! 1t is true there still re-
mains scientific course much modified |
and systematized, mere nciaentag-thing |
for the benefit of small number,
course which is deemed desirable. says 7
our informant "pnder present circumstances,
there being no scientific school IN the state !
Besides there are few select course"
students, but the entrance of such is dis
couraged and their number is diappear
ing. The faculty exert their combined
influence for the full college coarse. In
the last year of DR.. Wayland's admin
istration there were 252 students in the
college. OF these more than half were
pursuing the shorter courses and the
Ill;