Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1868-01-03
From the Raleigh Sentinel.
DOIItIItOls
Report of the Special Committee ON Mat
tiers Connected with the University.

The committee to whom was referred the
following preamble and resolutions:
"WHEREAs. 1t is deemed expedient to make
| thorough changes i'll the course OF studles ahC
| mode of government of the University, to the 10
that increased facilities may be afforded Tor the
| acquisition of complete education, and that the
| standard of scholarship may be elevated;
Resolved l. That committee OF hive members
of this Board be instructed to prepare and report
| to this Boad, at its next annual meeting, to DC
held on the 10Th day of December, 1867, 4 scheme
of instruction and government for the University;
embodying as may be what Is commonly
called the university or elective system WITH pro
visions for enforcing higher qualifications for adj
mission and graduation,
scheme carrying into effect the Act OF Congress,
approved July 2, 1862, donating Land Scrip tor
the purpose of providing Colleges TOR the Denent
of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts, the portion
devoted to this State having been transferred to
the University. with the injunction to perform the
conditions of the At of Congress-,
In performance of their duty, instruct
the undersigned to submit the following
report on behalf of majority Of the Com
| mlttee
! The committee, i'll order more under
standingly to perform their duty, requested
the co-operation and aid of the officers of
the University as we'll as other eminent
scholars and teachers in this and other
States. They acknowledge with thanks,
many valuable suggestions by President
Swain, DR.. McGuffey, DR.. Woolsey, Prof.
Smith, Messrs. John Wilson, VIM. Bing-
ham and Horner, and they are particularly
indebted to Prof. John B. Minor, of the Uni
versity of Virginia, Prof. Charles Phil
lips, of our University, and Messrs ". j.
Martin and A. D. Hepburn, late Professors
therein, for invaluable assistance furnished
by the elaborate schemes for University re-
form submitted by them.
made of the catalogues Of the leading Col
leges of the country, as well as of the re-
ports and essays of many eminent educa-
tors of the age.
The first resolution requires,
LIST. That the scheme of instruction re-
ported shall embody, as near as may be, the
University or Elective System.
%. That such changes shall be suggested
in the present mode Of government as will
be required by the new system.
Very dim and often erroneous notions
appear to prevail in the public mind as to
what constitutes University or Elective
System. Whether that or the curriculum
system has greater merits is one of the I'M
settled controversies of the day. Able
pamphlets have been written by DR.. Bar
nard, DR.. Manly, and others, in favor of
the curriculum, while the superiority of
the other is advocated by DIR. Gessner Har
rison, DR.. Wayland, and other thoughtful
and successful instructors. Most of the
arguments seem directed against or in favor
of the particular forms of government and
instruction existing at the German or the
English Universities or at the University
of Virginia. To understand the subject,
therefore, it is necessary to enquire, in
what consist the essential differences be-
tween the two systems, and what are their
accidents merely.
In the Universities of Germany, instruc-
ton is impaired entirely by lectures. No
examination is made of the student prelini-
nary to admission. No surveillance is ex-
ercised over his conduct, by the authorities
of the University. 1t is not inquired
whether he uses his opportunities well or
badly, but on application for degree he
is subjected to rigid tests of his qualifca-
tious The degree when obtained has real
value-entitles its possessor to certain priyi-
leges not obtainable by others. In fact,
vast majority of German students resort to
the Universities for the purpose of study
ing for professions. Before entering the
applicant must exhibit testimonials of his
having passed the High Schools, called in
Germany Gymnasia, and must have at
tanned, under rigid discipline for nine
years, proficiency equal to such as is re-
quired of graduates at Colleges in the
United States. They enter the Universe
ties when of mature age, generally twenty
years old, and melted by the desire of the
diploma, or by the love of learning, many
make extraordinary attainments.
This system of the German Universities,
without the advantage of the previous
training of the Gymnasia, prevails at the
principal medical schools of this country.
There instruction is impaired by lectures,
Professors making no systematic examina-
ton of the qualifications of students until
a diploma is applied for, when their attain
ments are severely tested. The esprit Clm
| corps of the medical profession, aided by
the intelligent appreciation of the people,
and in North Carolina and perhaps other
States by the law of the land, places the
possessor Of these diplomas on higherfoot-
ing than other practitioners. It is believed
that the average industry of medical stu
dents is perhaps unexampled at institutions
not having this advantage.
| In the existing condition of education in
our country, the German system cannot be
| adopted in our literary institutions.
knowledge, after having been properly
trained elsewhere, may resort for research
es in the highest departments of science,
where men of mature age and we'll discip-
lined minds will seek to enlarge and devel-
op their acquisitions, may and will proba-
bly,, hereafter, be demanded by the advan-
cling needs of enlightened culture, but at
present those who resort to our colleges for
instruction will be found of slender attain
ments and of immature minds, and need to
be drilled in the elements of learning.
Nor is it probable that it was intended
that the committee should report sheme
analogous to that of the great Universities
of England. Those corporations are COM
munities of colleges, Oxford having IS
and Cambridge having 10 teaching the
same branches, but the Universities teach
nothing. Their main duty is to confer de-
grees on those presented for that purpose
by the Colleges.
Our University is analogous to one of
these Colleges. If the proper funds were
at hand, it would not be difficult to organ
lze, as Is now being attempted by the Uni
versity of Kentucky. under the inspiring
energy of John B. Bauman, an Institution
formed of group of Colleges, each with