Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1864-11-10

We believe they will be resorted TO by
multltudes who now get their highest
culture at our small academies, and |
therefore fail to get the culture they |
want No doubt Yale and Dartmouth
would be reluctant TO part with their
scientific departments and why Main
ly, no doubt because these departments
seemingly add so muck TO the dignity
and greatness of the college and Trey
are therefore more attractive, Not long
since we heard the President Of college
that has no such department remark in
substance, that he would not be unwil-
ling to have scientific school endowed
in connection with his college, Because 1t
would give the college greater name
abroad and more students would come
to it. Observe that it was for the sake
of the college especially that he would
have such school. And there is
some reason for this. Boys, especially
those who care more for the name than
the substance, are very much fascinated
by these great institutions; and If 1t Is
| desirable-we do not believe 1t is-that
college classes should number their hun
dreds instead of their fifties each, then
| 1t is not useless to add departments and
cabinets, and observatories, which shall
render them famous but which shall be
| of no possible use to the students in the
college course except to impart to them
| the inflated feeling that they are in a
great institution. But we feel sure that
the scientific schools will, in compari-
son, never attain to great consideration
or value so long as they are made to
serve the simple purpose OF making
something else greater. The professors
of the Chandler school at Hanover, we
are told, are petitioning the trustees of
Dartmouth to make this an equivalent
department with the college, and to give
to the classes the college names, " Sen
ior," JUNIOR" etc. 1t is not difficult
to see In this movement natural SEN
sitiveness to this subordinate position in
which the scientific department stands.
But In advocating the separation of
the scientific or polytechnic department
from the college proper and combining
them in a unique institution, we GER
tainly do not recommend that the insti-
tuition should aim to be, or claim to be,
q substitute for college. 1t would not
be in any proper sense a rival of the
college. There are some who want the
discipline and culture of the college
course as foundation for larger attain
ments or professional career and they
would 60 to the college. There are
| others who have not the time to go
through the college course and after that
| take another, who require peculiar
courses Of stndy to fit them for peculiar
trades and occupations. Let them go
to the Polytechnic university.
In our former communication we ven
tured the suggestion that the Vermont
University might transform itself into
such an institution, and having received
the $4,000 that is now at the disposal
ofthe State, and still further endowment
from the State, it might be prepared to
offer facilities and inducements, such as
| no mere scientific school in the country
now presents; and then high, an hon
orable and surely successful career
would be open before it. The Burling-
ton Free Press characterizes this as an
"absurd arrangement" and says the
corporation of the University is not
stolid enough to think of coming into
| it." We presume not Perhaps then
that Norwich University, which already
possesses good deal of the genius Of the
scientific university we need, Is more
"stolid and would think of it. At
| all events If the present or subsequent
Legislature should pass an enabling act,
it is not altogether improbable that Nor
witch University Cf not Burlington)
would eventually accept the endowment
and would henceforth become the Uni
versity of the State and besides would
receive the patronage which has hither-
to been given to Burlington college, and
more besides. This would certainly be
better than the creation of separate
institution, as it would concentrate
more funds, and would besides diminish
by one the number Of colleges in the
State.
But we will not pursue the subject
further, though we would be glad to
bring out more distinctly than we have
thus far been able, the main features Of
the new institution which we should be
glad to see created. We have already
trespassed too much upon your columns,
and perhaps the patience of your read
ers. And though we do not think our
discussion has amounted to much more
than skirmish"," still we have no
idea of becoming involved In more
serious conflict" on this question
with M. b. or any one else.
/ EDUCATOR.