New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-08-03
TIE UNIVERSITY CONVOCATIOM

OBJECTS OF THE GATHERING AND ITS MATERIAL
DISCUSSIONS ON THE METRIC SYSTEM
CLASSICS AND EDUCATION.
ALBANY, Aug 2.-The objects and purposes
Of this Convention be best understood by brief re-
view Of its origin At meeting of the Regents Of the
University, held the 9th day Of January s6S the re-
ports OF colleges and academies, and their mutual rea-
lions being under consideration the following resolution
was unanimously adopted
Resolved. That e1pedsn hold annually under the direction Of
sgP91is @ 95 sSe ss for the pro
nents they may deem necessary.
A committee Of seven was appointed and a meeting
held according TO appointment in August 1863 Chan
Pruyn briefly stated the objects entertained by the
Regents which mainly to consider the mutual
relations Of colleges and academies, and to promote
as L.. sely possible the cause OF liberal educa-
ton Ia State He alluded to the fact that the Re
gents unable to visit the IA colleges and 200 acade-
Of the State subject TO their supervision, as often
as was desirable, and insisted that some such
method as convention was both practicable
and necessary in order to afford oppor-
tunity for teachers to compare views with each
other and with the Regents. AT this initial meeting
committee to prepare and report an order Of pro-
ceedinRs. The committee submitted carefully drawn
report ending with recommending the adoption Of GER
tain resolutions TO the effect that this meeting OF the
officers Of colleges and academies De hereafter known as
York, that 81 should embrace in its member
in colleges normal schools, academies and higher de-
parrnents Of public schools that subject vista
aud Secretaries Of the NewYOrk Teachers Association;
that the meeting of the Convocaton should be held an
August unless Otherwise appointed" ,r..r
The first paper presented, after the Chancellor had
The Rev F. A. p Barnard, d. D., LID. President of
GSTm Gese Of a n e as ree
a reversal of the action taken last year. unfavorabe
the S the TsT P%Gn
in this century and to the objections TO the merca sys
Dr. Dr.. Barnard Sought to justify from precedents
in history the proriety OF change In tho current
evn of having commerce and REORGANIZATION
bindered by diverse systems. Having urged that
he went on to show that Of the Of
Europeans have from the pressure OF this public opn
tenn for the It's aording uniformity; and he ad
dueed the testimony of many nations societies. con-
President Barnards paper was vehemently opposed,
mistaken basis Prot Charles Davis objected that the
paper had not touched single one Of the points taken
cation in their report Of last year The Committee had
not opposed uniform system, but the metrca system
of Paris and the Hague, but present as trustee |
q Columbia College objected to the idea which DR..
the whole netical SYSTEM or none OF It, TO object TO
that system on the ground 9sd By the CG@@ee and
that the loss Of the meure called the would neces
state D OF our T4Gle continent sna
s sSSsOI article s ana therefore might Be- retanPeG
ounds 0 BARRELS snS yar need UNIFORM Terms .ap NJ
kngges also reminded eT that the United
the unit Of coinage 70 The treaty psions, and that %
oppose ths while 1t Y pending Y2ga YES high ptgal
PPyS Insisted mp of speeeh
In the evening ex President Amos Brown, Ii. b.. of
the late Peoples College, at HAVANA NJ " read an es
say on the "Proper Construction Of English Grammar"
1t was objected to the denntlons in grammars in
the student comprehensive view OF the whole |
SS he 20 b
number Of the members OF Conyocaton as being adapted
AZURE than to that of the introduction to grammar one
Gov Hoffman was present during the evening session OF
ConvocatioD and welcomed by the Chancellor and
escorted to a seat by the side Of that officer.
The first paper read of Speeulaons In Physical
the scientific writer's disagree among themselves their
specuations ought not 20 be taught Mr.. Ruggles and
PROF Prof. Tayer Lewis. IL b. of Union College, read
very interesting paper on the subject Of study
made reference TO the common complaints made In college
sSes s a@a % classics and repa that IT
suits Of much waste ought at least TO be evident
writers before public Yet there s less of such cul
ture than there 100 years ago, even when the means
showing that the mode Of study is that there
is too much attention to the classics thorough &C
guage is not gained by students, and they do not
learn to realize how vas, = the amount OF Greek and
OF rules just as.the sciences are stndied we study
Homer means OF reading Greek instead OF learning
Greek a OF reading Homer and all the rieh
works IN that tongue. We might study the Bible
means OF understanding Hebrew; there has been,
indeed, too much OF It, robbing the Scriptures
of their meaning, leaving only the study OF ex-
pressions Prof Lewis referred 10 the system he had
used In Union College as emDodyina his ideas OF ID
correct correcting OF preparatory teachers
in Freshman year, reading with care for the best
translation and understanding Of the textn Sophomore
wear but beginning ~ read rapidly Tie two terms Of
Junior year deuoted to lectures and TO perfect
ransaOns; greatest possible amount Of instruction.
not the determining whether an idle fellow had his lesson
aim nf fha
amounts Of the classics Seie read-ail Of HomoTs two