New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-01-06
COLLEGE RIVALRY.
rrr1r, rNrrp- CnII.RGIArE CONTEXT.

CsuIFGES IN GREAT BRITAIN.
"a tAs RdtIOr Of RE Tribune
s,p. Ibave noticed with much satisfaction that
rzv tribune has favored the intercollegiate Con-
a., from, the beginning. 1t should now be the en-
or Of all of US who are friendly to it to give the
movement right direction
The students of this college viii be willing to tes-
tifv that have all along been seeking to encourage
than IN this effort 10 bring together the colleges
I'd "a stimulate intellectual life among our young
nan have approved even of their method OF max
mo their scheme known to the public by beginning
NTH essay-writing and oratory. Bot they know
that look on this mode of commencing as valuable
mainly as preparation for something higher; and
a. ohio started the project here agree with me in
AHA should deplOre TO find the effort stopping
xith an announcement given merely to sage-speak-
inc and the writing OF short essays in which there
non h. FILA for tbs ex:eis" or disniav oft az
tensve knowledge and profound thought. fear
that the American colleges will be exposed to the
whitening ridicule of European scholars if we Sc
Suse our Young men 70 lavish their energy and
autbnsiasm merely or mainly such accomplish
meuts. Some enlightened educationists in this
sountry have a very strong opinion that we give
quite enough of attention IN America to school and
college spOuting 1t does not necessarily follow that
the vouth who can write ten minutes speech and
deliver If trppingly stage will turn out TO De
An orator at the bar in the pulpit or senate lknow
that the great orators Of the old world have COM
monty been men who employed their youth. IN col
leoe or out of it. NOS in got-up speechfying but in
having up stores of information 10 be turned to use
IN dine time in exposition and defense. in attack and
,eply We, whO are responsibility placed at the head
N great educational institutions, should feel and
yalize that we are not training the rising genera
ion as we ought if we are tempting or even
allowing them to expend their fresh young life IN
stage-spouting added, it may be- TO boating, base
bill and fOot-bal-Of all of which, as every one
here knows l approve when they are kept IN their
own place
Bv All means let us encourage essay writing and
speaking but let rs 90 on to something higher and
use the coming competition in New-York for TINS
puIpose The aim of colleges should be TO brace
and quicken. To refine and elevate the mind by
means of the knowledge acquired and the literature
and philosophy studied. | propose that IN future
wears there be competitions not only In English and
rhetoric but in science. in classics and IN phlloso
phy the grand subjects which our colleges use as
means of training and disciplining the minds OF
yeunc men and lifting them for the higher walks of
usefulness in their future lives. Such competitions
would have Immediately. and continue to have.
mighty influence for good on colleges. We who
are instructors feel OF ought feel how apt are
after goiug over the ground, for five. ten. or
twenty years to get Our wheels into a rut out OF
which it is difficult to move US except by some ex-
ternal force l do expect that great stimulus VIII
be gwen to our best teachers by its being known
that their best pupils may have TO contend with the
best students of other colleges. lived and labored
under such a system for many years IN the Queens
University in Ireland, and know that both my
students and myself got the benefit of the impulse
IL the end my students felt that they ought 10 stand
first in every competition in philosophy among the
three Queens Colleges and in the examination IN
London for the lucrative civil service of India, and
felt pleasure in helping them TO bear up my char
acter and their own.
In the two great English universities, the for
midable competition Mt the degree examination is
among the students of % colleges in Oxford a3d Is
in Cambridge. The high wranglers IN Cambridge
and the double-irst men-that Is, In classics and
philosophy, like Peel and Gladstone - have i'm
mediatelv thrown open to the-such is the prestige
In their favor-every high office that young men
are competent to fill. In the Queens University IL
Ireland the competition Is among three colleges
placed in Belfast Cork and Galway, and has had the
bappiest effect in stimulating high study. But we
have something nearer TO what propose in Scot
had In 1850 the Trustees of the Ferguson Request
resolved to devote q considerable TO the encOur
agement of learning in the colleges Of Scotland, and
did me the honor to apply to devise scheme fol
putting their purpose in execution. drew out plan
which with few notifications made by others, has
been in operation down to the present time. The
competition Is open TO any student who has gradu
ated in a Scotch college during the previous year
The sum Of ESQ sterling Is given for two years
tOeach Of four students who stand highest IN classics
IN mathematics. in mental science. and in physics
and the holder is required To study for at least
year in the department IN which he stood first
Since the Ferguson Scholarships were organized
considerable number Of like encOuTagements Il
learning have been instituted in the Scotch col
leges These have called forth into notice an i'm
Inense amount Of high intellect / was examiner II
Mental Science for the Ferguson Request for two
Years and ! remember that the student placed frs
was within short time after appointed, on the mo
ton of Mr. Grote the historian Professor of Menta
Philosophy in London University College. These
Fenowships have called forth within the last few
years dozens of men who occupy prominent posi-
tons in various walks of public life in various cOun
tres. Ianticpate ike benefcent effects TO follow
FROM the institution of like method of rewardlne
merit in America.
lay these suggestions before the enlightened edu
cationists of America We have at present an op
pOrtunity, such may never present itself again
of stimulating our best teachers of encouraging OuI
promising students, and of raising the standard OF
learning. As / am writing in the holiday season
the public may relish story of a pert youth who
tried to make a fool Of an honest Quaker 1t was at
the time when Barclay of Try making noise
by his famous pedestrian feats, and the youth re-
ferred to condescendinely remarked, well. these
Barclays have always been eminent. l understand
that the founder of your sect ancestor of Ou
great Barclay of UryD All but thou fOrgettest,'
was the reply of the Quaker. that the emlnenc