Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-08-18
NsP1RAT1oN

Ill and the whole system OF MARKS
Thu proposition is to advance the require
mepts for admission, so as to make them
A, leas. equal to those demanded Tor soph-
omore standing at Princeton. Harvard or
Vale. But when thus admitted, let there
be the liberty Of a university, as distinct
from the compulsory course Of exercises
belonging to a mere college life. Liberty,
it is said. is essential to the best intellec-
tual growth. and imposed tasks diminish
first.class men. Perhaps it is not unfair
TO claim Carlyle as indorsing that view to
some extent. Those who read for honors
diminish into very secondary men when
the honors are obtained, for then they
have their reward. OF frst-class students
in college, how few become men oil dis
nnction in after life! One Of the changes
proposed is a four years residence with
opportunities for the highest culture, and
examinations and honors for those who
distinguish themselves, to prove their pro-
fciency ; these four years to commence
after an examination equivalent to about
a sophomore standing, and then the law,
medical and divinity schools be made in
tegral parts Of the university system, and
all the professors not mere coercive agents,
with the President for a Chief Of Police,
but filling seats of learning, as in Ger
many, many Of whose most famous uni
y~ersities have been founded far more re-
Gently than some Of ours.
There are, it is said, two things and
only two that a university can do to pro-
mote learning: one is to give opportunity,
and the other Inspiration. But even the
pursuit of the ancient languages, beyond
such an examination as might be fairly
expected at the close Of the freshmen year
in a frst-class college. ought not to be
compulsory. The argument in favor OF
more than this cannot be established on
fair literary grounds. Every opportunity
ought to be afforded for the most search
ing study Of the languages, ancient and
| modern. But at the time when learning
was revived, and the study of Greek and
Latin made the basis Of literary culture,
modern literature had hardly produced a
work of merit beyond Dante's Inferno,
and the Oriental literature was unknown
to most. Now we have the translations
Of all the classics, and in the Eng
lish tongue alone a superior literature to
that Of Greece or Rome. Beyond, there
fore. what is required for the study Of
roots Of words used in English, classical
study. it is thought, should not be enforc-
ed for students once matriculated. Nor,
beyond a certain point, should there be
the enforced study Of mathematics. Ex-
~cessive knowledge in this department, il
is ever said, does not tend to discipline
the mind, while the knowledge Of the nat
ural sciences, and especially Of history,
are commonly sighted for 1t. Easy and
natural relations should be established be-
tween teacher and taught, as the best
means of inspiring enthusiasm for learn
ing. Where there are two opposing class
es of governors and governed, all alumni
will recollec, the a~ntagonisms. and conse.
quent evils arising.
These are some of the ideas and changes
now in the minds Of the foremost men en-
gagged in the work OF American education
The object and tendency OF the whole is
to make education much more practical
and useful by leaving the courses Of studies
more optional. 1t. will encounter, nc
doubt, much opposition. It will not dc
for boys; and there are many young men
who will find it advantageous still to 60
through the ordinary course, where they
can begin study early enough before en-
tering upon this sort Of university life.
But there can be no doubt that for q large
number Of young men. Of a certain ma
turity of life and purpose, a change like
this, gradually and carefully made, will
be found in the highest degree beneficial.
Most Of our young men want to turn their
learning to practical account-some as
lawyers. some as physicians, others in en-
cheering, surveying, operating mines, SC.
Chemistry, botany, rhetoric can all be
utilized directly by many men who have
no use and no taste for the profound study
Of the classics and mathematics, beyond
what is necessary to impart discipline and
concentration of mind. We have no
doubt that in twenty years American edu-
cation will he vastly improved by thus
importing some ideas from the German
university system.