New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-06-06

presented by Mr. Greene Smith Of Geneva: inc coooo"
M gSooES s a and The anatomical models made by
Auzoux of Paris, which are rs near nesh any n,sa'
anything of human manufacture can oe ., goo models of
pows fabricated by the deft hands o, gr a1ii roo,
cahinet of grains and grassesthe latter ming room
tSc extensive Horace Mann herbarum, and collec
tion of magnifed models of woods fruits ana nows
hd form collection scarcely equaied this
side OF the Conservative deS Arts et noers AT iaIs
According TO list issued last week, the number OF SUI
dents is Xii OF these over pursuing the study
of the modern languages-trench, German opa t
italian Portuguese, and Swodish-and somewhat FEWER
than 100 the study of the classic languages The classes
in botany veterinary surgery ana 1ther agrGutui So
draughting applied chemistry, and other mechanlca
branches hardly fall short Of that number Mathenat
les pure and applied claims the attention oil nearly
enths of the students In the catalogue OF those
freQucnting the University the name OF nearly every
state in the Union Is to he found, while no less hah s
foreign countries are represented Among this body OF
knowledge seekers are members OF az the pIcpa, TO-
lcious gects known in the United States except MOT
uionism and of one denomination not very 1aullaf 70
this coHntrynamely, the Greek Chrch; 10 that II to
University to provide religious services aualIeo 70
the creeds of all its pupils there would be prayers ana
sermons by cergymen OF every hue OF %
Of dissent by Catholic priests, Jewish Iabbis, ana
Greek popes The services held In the chapel every
%0i 6ref p SSss FROM the Bible Probably
fifth of tho students are engased a. Iniyer sHry
or nj establishments in town, the sum pdlu
for such labor by the institution amounting at preSen,
TO a. 900 month. Perhaps the most successful Dranch
OF the manual labor Of the department Is the UmNersy
Press-a printing Office in which In winch
number of students sufficient TO maintain them
selves or exc out living by working from four 10 e
hours day The Press does especially COCO poTh Gor
nell Era which edited by students and mas crouao
onnroaching one thousand Several students are en-
poyed at the University Farm the number OF whom VIII
be largely increased as the long VacatOh sels IN
In the University workshops all repairs needed III inc
bindings all the furniture used by the institution and
many Of the models required In the various scetc uc
partInents made by student artisans Inc gchcfI
baracer of the members OF the University has thus far
been such that there have occurred but ewOpportumes
for the exercise of what il called discipline
ugly word to be employed in connection VIII an aSa t
bage of men, old and young brought tOgeteT Ior nc
purpose of mparting and receiving knowledge Imagine
such thing discipline" in Plato's Academy! There
resident professors and seven NONRESIDENT Inc
latter spend from three to four weeks yearly at the ns
tuition each delivering from twelve TO twenty lectures
During the present term in addition to the lectures of
of twenty agriculture partly historical and partly
scientific has been given by Prof John stanton Could
and a series of two each week by Prof Goodwin Smith on
the period OF James the Second Ladies have been ad
mitted these lectures well as TO those on French
Russell on ZOOLOGY by Prof Wilder he latter including
lectures on the origin OF spee on botany ~ y pr r.
ladies have awaited themselves Of the privilege thus
And now. what does it all amount toi What is the
result of all these piles of stone OF this aggregation on
scholars scientific men, this apparatus of nStruc
ter? The answer is not difficult University has been
tahlished, which, although still only partially developed
tfulls nearly the broad and broadening require
ments of modern science and culture than any yet
knownto our state. Many of the old errors, which
have chung persistently TO our higher institutions
OF learning, and originated in the attempted
imitation, under unfavorable circumstances of the
Cornell University has refused to adopt the
theory Of compulson in higher education, the time
student from the rising 10 the setting sun sought
to he rigidy controlled and the professor neces-
sarily becomes spy or detective. 1t has given up
that method marfn rccatons, which ingenousy
served IHe , pPSe I OF r. Sas IN MANY deparsnt in
PRODUCED methods of teaching new TO this country with
the exception Of the languages and minor branches
of mathematics such as geometry and igOnOmery the
instruction is largely conveyed through lectures through
analyses in the laboratories through Investigations in
the cabinets and through actual observation aud prac
tce. 1t has multiplied its courses OF study so that in
stead of the single narrow curriculum OF the old colleges
embracing a little Greek, little Latin and "A little
mathematics through which every student no matter
tastes, capacity, future vocation, OBJ
Hged TO pass-it has marked out several varied courses
select his own course OF study III mas oOWeu tne pan
furnishing abundance Of instruction In every specially
there are five professors in pure mathematics for III.
stance, and six in French and GERMANY IN heu Oh
requiring man TO teach two or more SUBJECTS eleI
both of which he cannot teach well 1t has opened 10
poor active and intelligent youth especially to those
who haye learned some handicraft way To educa-
ton 1t succeeded by its solid attractions, in draw
ing to its halls several hundred students thus gaining
that important element in real Universythe force
and weight OF numbers To state the mater IN ah0Hef
shape the institution in thus Kidding itself OF the odfet
ters greatly promoted the cause of advanced educa-
ton II has substituted system OF friendly intercourse
between the professor and student the old relation OF
guardian and ward of Waterman and watched. II has
substituted fresh and live lectures for stale and feess
textbooks. Ii has substituted something of that larger
liberty which prevails University abroad for the
cOercye control Of the American college 1t has substi
tuted in the minds OF It's members genuine rove OF STUDY
for the desire 10 attain certain number OF merit MARKS
or 10 avoid obtaining certain number OF demer larks
In organizing Institution large and novel some
mistakes have, OF course, occurred such Il one was
the partial adoption OF the dormitory or barrack
residence for students which does so ucn 10
promote vciousness and deness which places the stu
dent beyond all social restraints, creates necessity for
harsh discipline and weakens the influence OF the pro
lessor over his pupil 10 say nothing Of its dyerting
funds from the University treasury which should be ap-
Piled legitimate purposes, This, however is an
evil which is likely TO remedy ITSELF since more than
threequarters OF the students scattered among
the boarding houses and families OF Ithaca What seems
20 he another error was the ltallon OF tht ordinary
dual system of government which divides the control or
the institution between Board OF Trustees ana the
Faculty, subordinating the body which comes
into Immediate contact with the Students and
which knows, from daily experience the wants OF the
University another body which cannot possibly have
such knowledge Of the institution and its needs. How
well adopted TO the sectar1an or private coltge
such an organization may beand the history of every
American college proves that there II is prolific OF
evs-t ought to have undergone some changes before
would have given the Faculty liberal representation on
the Board OF Trustees Cornell is State institution and
there should more have been intermediate power
between those To whom the discipline ana instruction OF
institution IL committed and the State than there Is
between the professors Of oxford and the British Gov
eminent or the professors OF Berlin OF Gottngen and
the Pr1lssan Government The eXpedient which has been
adopted Of giving To the Alumni the election OF small
minority Of the Trustees not likely to remedy this long
standing evil. better is that of Harvard, where
the OverseeT who check TO the Trustees, are
wholly chosen by the Alumni.
these technical questions, upon the discussion
OF which it is hardly province 10 enter II there he
better solutions of them than those yet reached time,
added experience and increased culture will doubtless
arrive them What is not question for dispute is the
which has controlled its organization and management,
worthy of the great public interest which II has in
spred and of the astonishing success which 1t has at
tanned.