Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1868-01-03

to work out their noble mission, supply
deficiencies and mould towards perfection
any system however i'll adapted in its
inception to accomplish its task proposed
But teachers are not devoid of the ordi.
nary infrmities of human nature. Like
other men, most of them need some stimu-
lus in addition to sense of duty to prevent
their falling into habits of apathy, causing
their recitations to degenerate into monoto.
nous routine. They must generally have
tangible fruits of their labors to restrain
them from diverting to other pursuits the
talents which of right belong to the Uni
versity.
It is claimed that the University system
supplies this needed stimulus to a much
greater degree than the curriculum.
In the first place, having greater control
over his own department., the Professor
alone receives the praise or blame for sue
cessful or unsuccessful exertions. His EMU
lation is excited to create and maintain q
reputation for his school.
In the next place the authorities of the
institution have the opportunity to apply
one of the strongest motives, the desire of
pecuniary reward. This may be done by
giving the Professor the tuition fees re-
quired for admission into his school, and
making him depend mainly on them for
sible in the curriculum system. Besides
being the best it is suited to our present
financial condition. The idea is not at all
novel. 1t is put in practice IN the German
Universities with fine effect, some of their
greatest and most popular Professors being
supported entirely by their fees. 1t was
advocated with great ability by DR.. Adam
Smith in his "Wealth of Nations, has
succeeded we'll in practice in this country
and the experiment is worthy of trial in
our own University.
First rate men should have emoluments
such as first rate men obtain in other posi-
tons. Experience shows that the greatest
stimulus to energy and zeal in all pursuits,
is the hope OF enjoying the profits, as well
as the honor, of ones labors Why should
teachers be considered an exception to this
rule Prof. Minor, in the able letter al
luded to, says &c regard this feature, to-
gether with its organization into distinct
schools, as being the principal source of
whatever success this institution has eniOy-
ed. There has thereby been engendered II
habit of zeal, diligence, enter prise and
thoughtfulness for the welfare of the
institution, which has left generally little
to be desired of what those qualities could
confer"
This organization into distinct schools
and giving the Professors the fruits of
their labors, borrowed by the University
of Virginia from Europe, the Committee
regards as the distinctive features of the
University System, and proper to be adopt
ed with US.
In order to increase and perpetuate the
beneficial results to flow from the RESPONSE
bilities devolved upon the Professors I'M
der this system and the rewards attainable
by successful exertions, it is suggested that
they shall have concurrent voice with the
Trustees in all legislation in relation to the
University. Their knowledge of the needs
of the institution and their identity of in
terest with it will be guarantees that they
may be safely entrusted with this power
AS, however, the Charter of the University
does not allow the Trustees thus to dele
gate their authority, it would certainly give
to the Faculty greater dignity and self-re-
lance and quicken their activity, for tho
Board to resolve er gratia to take no inn
portant step in regard to the University,
without the fullest consultation with them,
nor except in the rarest instances without
their concurrence. Such, am informed.
has been with good effect the practice with
former Boards, in many instances, and its
success in the curriculum system, in which
the Professors have fixed salaries, which no
exertion could increase, and only the most
i'll conduct could take away,
leads us to hope for still better results III
the new system, where they have the
strongest interest in the prosperity of the
Institution.
The fear Of many that this system will
lead to the abandonment of the Ancient
Languages and Mathematics, constitutes
no solid objection, as they may and should
be required for obtaining q degree. This
Ch. I>o - l.
high order of qualifications for
it's attainment.
Distinctions, too, should be granted for
in scholarship, and measures
taken by prizes and other substantial re-
wards and by publication of the names of
successful candidates in the catalogue, as
well as by prominence of positions awarded
in the Commencement exercises, to induce
young men to embrace all the advantages
afforded by the University. 1t is claimed
thai by such provisions the advantages OF
both curriculum and University systems
can be united.
The Committee likewise directed their
attention to the distribution of hours as
signed TO the various departments taught
at the University. AS has been said, orr
university, as well as all the earlier Col
eges OF the United States, were mainly
copied from Colleges composing the Uni,
Versities of Oxford and Cambridge, which
were originally framed for the education of
priests. Hence, as DIR. Wayland, in his re-
port to the corporation of Brown Univer-
'lty, shows we get the compulsory study of
all the course, the almost monopoly of
latin, Greek, and Mathematics. As the
changed circumstances of our people, strug-
Cling to develop the resources of a new
country, have demanded, new subjects have
been from time to time added; but no sys-
Iematic attempt to adjust the relative i'm
portance of the new studies and the old
has been heretofore made.
The result of these additions to an I'M
four years course, has been
Ludicrous disproportion between the time
allotted to the various subjects taught
The following list, furnished by Professor
Phillips, shows the number of recitations
in each department at Chapel Hill, the
whole number being 2,039:
GreeE, $40 Is per cent,
Latin, $40 Is d"