Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-10-13

Each has ia fixed curriculum, and the spirit OF
of each is disciplinary In each there is some
freedom of election, the range in the scientific
school being wider and frcer, but each is con-
ceivcd and executed after substantially the same
theory, that severe and enforced attention and
| patient labor open the way to intel ectual power
and thorough acquisition.
The plan of elective studies, not of elective
courses or schools which the college provides,
might President Porter thinks. result in tempo
rary satisfaction, but would be attended with
serious evils, The majority of students are not
qualified to judge of the relative value of
studies, Others would be mised by their feelings;
the system would break up the common life of
the college, and a still more serious evil would
be found in its tendency to limit the circle of
studies acknowledged to be liberal, The higher
education of the country ought to contemplate
longer rather than a shorter period of time for
its completion. That theory of liberal
culture is preferable which assumes that
an increasing rather than diminish
ing number of our choicest youth will
continue their literary and scientific studies, and
thus dignity and adorn their life by habits Of
systematic research and earnest literary actvi.
ty. We need higher and more ccnsummate
culture in some Of the men whom we educate
for the work of life, and the arrangements for
university education should therefore contem-
plate prolonged period of study, Instead of
providing university studies for undergraduate
students, we desire to make cur undergraduate
departments preparatory for university classes
and schools. These undergraduate departments
are two, the old classical college, the Yale
college, which is the germ of all these off
Shoots and the Sheffield school with its
modern and scientific curriculum Of three years.
These are feeders to the university proper. This
consists OF the professional schools of theology,
law and medicine, and the philosophical de-
partment, including schools of engineering and
chemistry, of philoogy, mathematics and phys
les, history, English literature and politics, and
the school of fine arts. This scheme is capable
OF indefinite expansion, according 10 the de-
mands of science and letters, and the resources
of the university in money and men, and the
appliances of books and collections.
1t will be observed from this brief sketch of
his address that President Porter is conservative
rather than revolutionary. His theory of i'm
provements in educational methods is 10 retain
substantially the old system, as, on the whole,
the best yet devised, enarging its scope as OPP
portunity offers, and adapting it by gradual and
quiet changes to the changing demands of
the present day, aud our new civilza-
tion. The two oldest American colleges, Har-
ward and Yale are both seeking to adapt them
selves to the new conditions of our national life,
but have taken somewhat different paths to
reach this end. Haryard's course DIVORCES more
boldly from the well troddeu paths of college
traditions: but Yale does not admit that she is
any the less sensitive TO the needs of the time,
nor less ready TO adapt herself to them. Each
is confident that her own scheme is the true
foundation for the university Of the future.