The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-04-30


of the Pardee Scientific Department in La
fayette College was established, In 1865 In
stead Of making partial concession to the
classics, through system of elective studies,
as has been done by some colleges after the
freshmen or sophomore year. we thought il best
while keeping up the old classic course in Its in
tegrity for such as desire it, to leave Greek and
Latin entirely out of the new except SO far as q
vocabulary of these languages and the general
laws of their structure might be given In the
pathological study of the modern languages,
which would occupy their place. The new
course therefore embraces all the studies of the
old, except the dead languages, and 1t is equally
designed to lay a substantial basis of knowledge
and scholarly culture. We do not run 1t as a
second-class or accommodation train for an in
ferior grade of students, and we retain In It, as
far as possible the old and tried methods of in
structon which have been studied and approved
by generations of Christian educators. Es-
pecially do we seek, in the pathological
study of our own language, to secure the same
kind of mental discipline that is claimed for
the study Latin and Greek; and permit
me to say here that Lafayette has the honor of
being the first college in this country to esta-
bsh professorship for the pathological study
of the English language distinct from rhetoric,
belles-ettres, English literature. 1t is strange
that our educators should have so long over
looked the importance of having the language
itself thoroughly and phologically studied. 1t
| seems as it, while providing ample instruction
| in Greek and Latin, and in French and German,
| they thought a knowledge of English would
come like Dogberrys reading and writing, 'by
nature" though in the universities of France
and Germany the first professorship established,
both in the order of time and importance, is
| that which has to do with the language of the
| country. In like manner we have given to our
| English special prominence, and as this has long
been q marked feature of our course let me
| quote paragraph from our catalogue respect
ing it
Latin and Che Creek An English classic is taken 9p the
text mnutey analyzed the idioms explored and syno-
and @ % E9 a to sa OF
other English 3 4 & line by ne The S5S @ % Of
tempt made to comprehend these great representative
English race The text is also made the foundation Of
recurring words the BY which words grow up from
roots in apd the which changes
| ] will only add that English, French, and
| German regular parts of both the classical
| and scientific courses while the other modern
| languages are optional.
| With reference to the technical and profess
sional courses of the Pardee Scientific Depart
ment it is not necessary for me to speak in de-
tail. The curriculum is similar to that of our
best polytechnic colleges. The Departments of
Engineering, Mining, and Metallurgy, and of
| Applied Chemistry now fully organized, and
the diligent student will find at Lafayette every
facility for the thorough study of all those sub
iects relating to the industries of nations.
Moreover our position in the midst of the
great mining and manufacturing region of the
Middle States affords our students every oppor-
tunity for combining observation and practice
with their lectures, textbook study, and labora-
tory work.
1t only remains to add that in establishing
these new courses of study we have not
forgotten that Lafayette is IL Christian college,
and so far from considering the new education"
or the technical studies" as in their nature re-
moved from Biblical instruction religious
culture, we aim to impress upon them distinc-
| lively Christian though not sectarian character.
|
prayers of all Gods people.
And now, Mr. Chairman, Lafayette College,
with its corps of twenty-one instructors, has
fairly entered upon the great work which is set
before it, Coming years will show, in the char
acter and qualifications of our graduates
whether we are equal to the duties we have
undertaken; but dare promise, on the part of
my colleagues in the Board of Instruction, what
ever profound learning signal ability, and con-
scentous fidelity can add to those appliances of
scientific and literary culture which your wise
and noble lberality has enabled the Board of
Management toput into their hands. would by
no means imply that the college has attained
its greatest efficiency. The occasion of your
kind presence here tonight is an evidence
that we seek for still further improvement. The
trustees have requested me to visit some of the
principal Polytechnic Schools of Europe and to
inquire into their methods and appliances of
scientific study, with n view to the further en-
largement and improvement of the course at
Lafayette. l do not believe Mr.. Chairman, that
our colleges can be, or that they should be,
| IlOulueu alUcr inc INSTITUTIONS Ol Olu w OTlu;
they must grow out of our own SOIL and be dis
tinctively American, if they would fully meet
the wants of our own people. But 1t is well
known that the Technical Schools of Europe are,
in some respects, superior to the best OF ours;
and in Germany alone there were, last year,
nearly six hundred young men from the United
| States, seeking these advantages, even with the
disadvantage of prosecuting their studies in
foreign language.
We cannot retain such men at home without
offering them facilities for the higher technical
and professional studies equal to any they can
find abroad. 1t is well, therefore, to get the
latest and most accurate information by per-
! sOnal inspection, and though | regret that the
, choice of the Board has not fallen upon some
one of my learned colleagues in the scientific
department better fitted than one whose studies
! have been mainly confined to his department of
' languages, yet hope to bring back some intor-
= nation of value to them and to the Board OF
| Management, so that Lafayette College shall
keep in the 'front.' with the oldest and best insti-
tutions of our land, leading the people onward
to the high placss of civilization and science
! Dr. Trail Green the AdamsOn Professor OF
Chemistry and Dean of the Pardee Scientific
Department, then said that when he received
: the card of invitation he very innocently con-
= cluded that the gentlemen who gave the enter
| tainment would do the entertaining, and he
! asked to be excused from saying anything. lie
y ! said there was no one whom his colleagues
and himself more delighted to honor than the
President, DR.. Cattell. (Applause.) He was
: a man well qualified for the position which he
= occupied. | am happy TO say, sir, that Dr..
Cattell is in the presiding chair of Lafayette
y y College, and no man, in the same time, and
, under the same circumstances ever accom-
= plished work like this His difficulties were
. great and we have often cOnYersed together
" " about them. Our President, among his many
% | NJ. Nl.a..h h