New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-07-11
AN AMERICAN UNIVERSITY.
THE AIMs OF YALE COLLEGE.

AND ELOQUENCE'
TO the Bdttor Of The Tribune
SIR: 1t was widely felt, last year, among
the alumni and friends OF Yale College, that tho with
drawal of President woolsey and the choice Of new
head OF the institution might be followed by thcologio
demonstration against science aud arts under theory
actually urged quarters that Yale was estab-
sbed for making ministers, and that any general FUNDS
OF tho institution ght DO taken for tho Divinity SchoO
proper But the election Of Prof. Porter to the Presi-
dency and tho last results OF full discussion OF tho
traditions of the College, fully and forever disposed OK
tho doubt whether Yale would go on to become true
university gathering all special schools around tho COM
prehensye academy OF science and arts No one could
that DR.. Porter would deyiae from tho path 40
distinctly marked out by Dr. Woolsey and when all had
been said about tho traditions OF tho college, 1t was
found that from tho beginning Yale a1 meant science
and Arts, and had aimed at special Divinity In
struction except in the department established for that
purpose Tho simple fact that when the College was
founded and long time after, Divinity instruction
was expected TO obtained by residence with settled
minister, and the whole purpose OF the College was
literally to prepare young men for this and other INES
Of professional study The design was to train BODY
Of youth In Science and Arts In order that from 1t might
como candidates for theological instruction. fitted to be
scholars well minister's There was less theology
taught In the College than in the common schools OF tho
time and durng75 years from the founding Of the nsttu
ton 3ths OF the graduates did not think OF tho minis
try. For the noxt twentyvo years also nobody COM
planned Of any failure of the institution although 10 1901
Father Bartlett of East Windsor sat down alone at tho
College communion service The Divinity School proper
was founded In 1872 and how little itcoud decenty have
laid claim then any part OF the funds OF the acsdomi-
cal department nay be from tho fact that In 1882
the funds Of this department amounted to only 1920.
while the Theological School had funds OF its own to the
amount OF s3O350 Evidently tho donors OF this special
theological fund had assumed that only such special
fund could be male to the purposes OF special d.
vinty instructions and certainly since 1922 this entire dis
tncton between theological and academca has been
universally taenor granted Hence the inevitable con-
cuson that the Connecticut ministers who founded Yale
College intended academy Of science and arts, and
that theological Instruction must look TO its own special
funds doubt the chief original aim was TO secure
good minister's bit the plan for securing them was TO
train many youth possible in science ana ars IN
order that from might proportion Of lber-
ally educated Candidates for theological instruction
From this point Of view it becomes of some interest
70 recall some OF the figures Of Connecticut minis
tors who have been at tho head Of the affairs OF
Yale Presdem Clapp. for example, whose rule
extended from 1879 TO 1885, WAS one Of these minis
ters, who proved a very shrewd and enterprising
head OF the College, always projecting Wise things for H.
and under whom the institution went steadily forward
The graduates the first four years OF bis presidency
amounted g. sud those of the last four to 1854 Dr.
Stiles who cam, next 70 the presidency, was man
notorious for hsdyersc earnng-a man who sucked IN
at the pores al sorts OF odds and ends OF knowenge
linguistic philosophical geographical OF whatever came
in bis way He eft 10 the College library OF imprinted
writings containing vast mass Of observations upon
men and things. And not only was he man
of broad learning exceedingly the alert for
every track q knowledge, but his character and
abilities made him a distinguished figure in Now
England. and conspicuous beyond the limits OF his own
country Before he became President of the College he
had received Ge degree of ID. d. from Edinburgh. In
1895 Dr. Dwgl the most illustrous name Of the first
century of the College, to the presidency He was
not great scholar. but he man of prolific thought
of considerable gnation, and OF personal and intel
lectual carrae which made him the central figure OF
almost any group IN which he might appear ana an eX-
ceedingiy Influential He commanded the high ad-
miration OF lis pupils almost without exception, and
thus exercised remarkable power over successive
classes of sudcms through the period OF hs admnisra
ton His great strength in his conduct Of discus
sion. into a delightful course OF which no hardly ever
failed 10 be drawn In hearing lesson with feet TO the
fire on hearth the classroom OF that day. and the
students behind him, he would begin TO hear
lesson, and "a or another point started
the stream " talk he would work round
and push along to the middle Of the roOm
into the midst OF lis class until his remarks became an
eloquent harang poured forth with the highest fervor
OF orator. II Characteristic Of him that he
always strongly attached to himself the brightest and
tact.
At his death, in 1917 the man who had been his
choice for successor jeremiah Day, became President.
as worthy sman, every respect as New-England has
produced Ayory acute mathematician has styled
him the Euclid OF zebra, and it not in this field
alone that he showed sagacty. skill and force adj
miraby adapted to the judicious execution Of the high
est tasks Many OF the lines Of organization, which
came prominently to view under President Day. had
their germs in earlier cOunsels, but it the great
merit of his administration that these new departments
were Judciously watched and ostered at the most or
cal period In the history Of the College. The Schools OF
Theology and Law established at this time and the
Scientific School jus. at the close Of this period 1t
worthy marks the earlier rule OF Connecticut ministers
that Precedent Days administration closed Just az
committee had been appointed to provide for
extra special studies and that in August Of the next
year was established Department OF Philosophy and
Arts for graduate study and for special scientific
instruction, tho faculty Of which, 1t was expressly
nounced was consist Of tho professors Of the Acad
emca Department and such others as the corporation
might appoint 1t at this time that Pitkn, Norton
and slman IT, came in. but the point worthy of note
is that the academical faculty themselves undertook
chief part Of the task OF extending the facilities OF the
College for scientific instruction. And how thoroughly
they understood the claims OF science may be in
the fact that the very day OF the founding Of the
department, leading member OF the faculty remarked
to q friend, who well remembers the words, that they
had that day established department which would
day overshadow the academical department and make
the institution true university 1t seems therefore,
when the Yale Scientific School has already become, in
the eyes of its friends at least the very best In the coun
try that there should be no question OF the zeal OF
Connecticut ministers for Science and Arts The Presi
dent who retired last year. though Of the most
estly religious educators in the country and an able
theologan and preacher is no less distinguished
scholar many directions and as one Of the most thor
ough and outspoken Of thinkers.
1t Will not DO questioned, by any one familiar with the