Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1873-02-12
UNIVERSITY ON-CoMPULsORY At
TENDANCE ON REGULATIONS

TENDANCE ON REGULATIONS.
The word compulsory is now used in
quite frequent connection with the subject
of education. For some time past the at
tention of our educators and the public
generally has been directed to the ncccssi.
ty of a compulsory education as a means of
national advancement and rs stepping
stone to a higher culture among our people,
especially the middle and lower class
es. The press of the country and
public lecturers have been ventilat.
ing the subject fully, and from
the interest manifested there will, no
doubt, be legislative action in relation to
the matter before a great while. We ex-
pressed our own views on the subject in
these columns few mornings since.
More recently, however, another aspect
of the subject has presented itself for the
consideration particularly of the regents of
our Universities. 1t has been brought to
notice by proposition on the part of some
of these connected with Harvard Univer-
sity, to make attendance upon rectations
optional with the student. This plan in
deed is advocated by President Eliot, of
that institution, and he has published a
letter, setting forth the reasons that led
him to the adoption of his present views.
1t is proposed to make attendance on reci-
tations optional, but at the same time to
make the examinations much more rigid
and admit all to a competition for honors,
irrespective of their attendance at the reci-
tation room to adopt, in fact, the plan
more or less completely of the German
Universities and the plan, too, of the pro-
fessional schools of law, M adicine and the
ology, where attendance on lectures is not
compulsory, and where q students class
status is decided by the manner in which
he passes the ordeal of the Green Room.
In a letter to the EUening Post, a few
days since, DIR. McCosh, who has recently
been called from Scotland to preside over
the destinies of Princeton College, has
given expression to his views on the sub
ject, which are certainly full of wisdom,
and which it would be we'll for the regents
of our Universities to take into careful
consideration before taking a step which
is,to say the least AN experimental one for
to this plan in general, and many more in
particular to its adoption in our own insti-
tutions of learning. We have only space
to touch upon one or two. We know
something of the working of the present
system of instruction in our professional
schools and we have no hesitancy in say
ing that it is about as bad
hn l,a
best men in the professions have long
seen its terrible inefficency and have been
working hard for a reform. So much is this
so that diploma even from our best pro-
fessional colleges is never accepted as pri-
| ma fdcie evidence of the holders profess
iOnal attainments. We have no desire to
see the parchments from our literary insti-
buttons brought down to such level.
How can Professor Judge of the acquire
ments of a student whose only acquaint.
ance with him is that made during brief
interview in the Green Room? Here the
sensitive, retiring, but studious youth, UNI
der the excitement and confusion of the
last examination will not appear to half
the advantage a will his more bold, con-
fident, yet less studious classmate.
Besides this nOn-attendance on recita-
tions will deprive the student of the great
advantage to be derived from person.
al contact with the teacher and the emu
lation resulting from his class associations.
These influences have more weight than
many, perhaps, would suppose, and it is
here that the University training of Ger
many asserts its supremacy over other sys-
| TENS. The lectures in German Universe
ty forms but a small part of the plan of
instruction. The greater part is perform
ed by the Pliudt dOccntem, "a class of private
instructors CONNECTED with every institu-
ton, each one OF whom has a particular
branch which he teaches TO private elias.
Of students and it is to the thoroughness
and competence of these private courses
that the German University plan owes its
peculiar efficiency.
WeiOpe that none of our institutions
will adopt the proposed plan until they
have looked more into the workings and
! results OF cur professional colleges and for