New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-12-20
This does not preclude forms, but IL is oo-
yiously incompatible with forms alone

This does not preclude loimo, "e'
yiously incompatible with forms alone.
The change which will set tho frosty headed
graduate to thinking the most seriously Is yet
10 be mentioned. This is the abolition Oh
compulsory attendance upon recltations' hau
such q radical innovation been suggested 10
Young tutor of the old school, he would PROB
ably have tainted incontinently with grlef ana
indignation. From his point OF view,
students, Freshmen or Seniors, were merely
bows who would have been all the better Tor
that energetic flagellation which his fingers
tingled to administer. No college man can
look back upon the way in which he was
treated by these well-meaning but most mis-
taken young pedants with that charitable
forgiveness of injuries which our religion en-
Joins Here was q teacher whose business 1T
was TO make these lads students by winning
them to O genuine and earnest love OF study,
and he supposed that dry drills and energetic
snubbing were all that was necessary. lie
forgot that there could be no true culture
without sincere desire for it, He forgot that
reading only for the sake of reading is just
the most Improbable of all proftless occupa-
lions. The students revenged themselves by
clubbing their tormentor "a dig" and "a
"screw." He knew how they spoke of him
outside the recitation rooms. and he did not
love them any the better for it.
The contemplated change in Harvard VIII
abolish compulsory Rotations, but it is not
by any manner of means proposed to abolish
examinations These are to be maintained in
all their rigor; and if the young men wish to
write themselves Bachelors of Arts, they must
still show themselves, by their liberal acquire
ments. entitled to the honor IL an under
graduate neglects his studies, the examiners
will soon find him out and send him away.
1t is easy to see that this change will render
the business of instruction much easier, and,
compared with the old system, really delight
ful. because the teacher will have about him
principally those who are really anxious 10
learn. Nothing can be moro depressing and
dscouraging to an instructor than class
simply anxious not to learn. He may
do his best in the way of drill,
but it will amount to very little. He
cannot be so effective in his discipline
as the boys will be in evading it, The time
| which should be devoted, every precious mo-
ment of it, to instruction, will be wasted IN
lecturing the classes upon the necessity OF ap-
plicaton, and in consuming those who reso-
lutely refuse to apply themselves. All the
grace and charm is thus taken out or the
business the tutor becomes irritable, and the
pupil disrespectful and contumacious, and SO
little is accomplished that 1t would have been
better if nothing had been undertaken at all.
The Harvard project, it appears to us, puts the
whole matter upon right and reasonable
footing. For those who wish to study there
will be ample opportunities; for those who do
not wish to study there will be the college
gate, out of which they can walk into less
scholastic atmosphere.
1t seems TO us that the managers Of Har-
ward, and of some other colleges, are In the
right path, and we pray that they may find
persistence to walk steadily therein. 1t Is
only by such important and intelligent
changes that we can make our higher institu-
tons of learning worthy of such name, and
something better than second or even first
ratio grammar schools Heretofore. so far az
nine-tenths of the classes were concerned, the
four years Of the course have been wasted, or
worse. Even the two great and priceless OPP
portunities of leisure and seclusion have been
almost as rule thrown away. Colleges have
been too often chiefly successful in teaching
boys bad habits. We trust and we even be-
lieye that better time is coming.