Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-10-01
IS COLLEGE EDUCATION DE-

such, is greatly on the decline in the Uni
ted States, so that whereas one in forty
one used to take a college course, now
not above one in sixty does so. Perhaps
hardly any more competent or consider
ate educator Of youth could write on this
subject. He is himself a graduate Of Yale,
a teacher nearly all his life. distinguished
as a professor both in the North and in
the South, and in several distinct profess
sorships, especially the higher walks Of
mathematical and astronomical science,
chemistry and mineralogy. Is i, SO, then,
that the proportion Of college students is
declining And. if so, what does it indi-
cate: \ decline in the love Of high schol-
arship, or simply the conviction that there
are other and better ways Of practically
securing the best education: There are
many things that appear to favor different
conclusions from those of President Bar
nard. Thus, where do we find a college
once we'll established that has had to be
shu. up for want Of students, or even from
a diminished numbers Yet new colleges
are continually being established all over
the land, and are raising both their price
Of tuition and their standard Of scholar
ship. Never, perhaps, in the history Of
the country have such large and addition
al endowments been secured for these in
situations as within the last FIVE years.
Many of our colleges seemed to be
threatened with decay by the late war,
but they generally appear to exceed all
former prosperity now that peace has
been restored. In hard times the number
Of students diminishes, while in flush
times, like the present, students flock
largely to college. All these things must
be taken into the account That the num-
Der Of graduates is increasing absolutely
would seem TO be certain, but whether in
proportion to our population, the statis-
tics Of DR.. Barnard will be most valuable
aids in determining.
Surprising, however, that the number
Of college graduates is declining relatively
to population, what is the cause? In
par, it is the higher standard Of education
required for beginning on such a course.
At Princeton, Harvard and Yale, the
amount of classical preparation to enter
is practically far higher than used to be
necessary to gradustion-higher than is
really necessary now for graduation in
many Of our younger colleges. DR..
Hedge gave an accurate description OF
all this a short time ago as far as it per-
tanned TO Cambridge. He showed that in
its early history, though nothing bu,
Latin was to be spoken within the walls,
ye, nothing beyond a little Of Cicero and
Virgil were allowed to be studied, and in
Greek the New Testament alone; while
the arrangement Of the different heads Of
sermon in commonplace books was the
chief training Of the student mentally.
Such was college education 10 New Eng
land at first. Even in the last twenty
years the requirements for entering are SO
much more strict in all the older colleges
that this sort Of life is getting to be quite q
different thing. Aaron Burr entered the
Sophomore class, at Princeton, at thirteen,
and graduated at sixteen. Now the Az
ersge age OF entering Harvard and Yale il
seventeen and q half. 4 college course
education, therefore, has gradually become
somewhat revolutionary, though called by
the same name. Il is intended now fol
young men from eighteen to twenty-five,
instead Of for youths from fourteen &c
eighteen. The standard Of education i.
not only rising for youths Of the same age,
but the average age through which it i;
carried on is rising also. So far has this
been extended that Harvard now propose:
to begin with the present Sophomore
standard, and from that point throw away
all further compulsory study of the classic:
or mathematics, and allow, instead Of four
years course Of optional studies-a uni
versity instead of a collegiate course.
Whatever, then, may be coming to college
courses, the demand for education Of the
highest character is rising amongst US, and
all colleges feel the influence Of that move
ment. Equal to what used to be the bes,
college education is becoming, in many
different ways attainable all over our
land more readily than ever, and BY those
who seek it from the pillow, the loom, or
the anvil.
The chief real question then is this /:
How far there should q system Of general
education be carried, before a specific d.
rection be given to it connected with the
future profession Of the young man. If
he is going to be q lawyer, q divine, a
medical man, or q scientific farmer, or an
educated mercantile man. or dealer in
stocks and exchange, how far should all
these have a common education IN the
same textbooks. and where should each
branch off on his own specific roads At
West Point for the army, and the Naval
School for the navy, the separation begins
at about the point where a youth would
be considered well prepared to enter COL
lege. Yet, as a general rule, the broader
the base Of general principles-shat is, of
common or universal education = the
higher the Superstructure Of q specific ed
ucation can afterwards be pro6tably car
ried.
The Carson Union men are making
great preparations for the Convention
without expense to the members. They
are now fitting up the pavilion, which will
seat about 1000 persons. Delegates are