New-York tribune., 1875-10-09
THE SMALL COLLEGES.


THEIR ADAPTATION 10 THE COUNTRYS NEEDS
GREAT UNIVERSITIES N EUROPE.
TO the Edftor OF Ths Trtbune.
SIR: Allow me to thank You most heaitly
and many times for the article in the Issuo oi 0cp 80
on Our Cheap Colleges" Amid all the aimess criticism
and impraccable advice that are shoWced tom eNcr!
side upon our systems Of education 1t is refreshing anu
strengthening read such clear setfingforth oi I'M
porant principles that largely affect the entire question:
but that seem nevertheless to be almost uhNcrSah!
ignored IL ia strange to observe how completely the
critics who denouncc the American college system au
lament its defects compared with European eoc'o,
seem TO forget the vast difference in the whole social ana
political life, between the Old World anu the new "i"'
ing that the German university system Tor instance cau
develop more elaborate and rccondite scholarship IL
by any means follow that such therefore the mehoos
be.t suited to CIR counryl All the circumstances anu
all the institutions OF young and growing hepuoo
have IA their essential aim and tendency, not 'ne c
ton of a favored few, but the elevation anu improvement
OF the many. Whatever system, therefore, can o'S,
diffu-e among the people love aud reSpect lor nDo
culture Is assIiredy the most adapted 10 te hccuS
and most conformcd TO the spirit OF the America OF 10
dov In this vcw IL very painful to hear the nsaht
deuunciation Of the institutions when, In spite
OF poverty and weakness. have spread tu'ou~"
out our land the knowledge and tho lo'e VI
intellectual cultivation. The poor country coeee''
he freshwatcr institutions"-all honor to them HOW
less prares the worlds best thought and nobcst develop
mcpt Poor in enlowments poor in books nnd dapparats
but rich in faith and eanesncss, and manned by iacu
tes OF hard-pressed men, willing to labor ana 10 wat
what priceless and incasureoss work have they done
for the elevation OF our country I@t no man r l,oc
great linguists great discovers II tney nlnc rn III
classic shades" where the highest scholarly tsseaIsI
may abide They have done tar more for the fca,
strength and security of america ana hfy nay ~ R prrea mr
the way the coming of nncr cultVit0n III l'o @
How Often IL the cry reichoed Of Too many smal,
COLLEGES, iot ma nut half dozen of tcm into one and
make q great university that ideal pei OF euea'oh'i
takers Nay far Otherwise IL 10 ts oeA gs hat tat
has enabled nOBledge to rcach Tue people, anu nus
spread spirit of culture where It never oInorwse
would CO. What il great university ~ lno capa. n
OF the State hundred or miles or to farmer eoy
in the countryi What influence can II exert 20 Ine Ia,
and elevate the remote districts But lei snaii oo
"e win few earnest professors be established on some
bll dc in the rural country and bow s0onls itS nuece
felt The firmhoy who SHOWS some aptitude III h Gus
trict school "mIst 20 college" So say some OF ms
ncghbors and relatives 80 says tno mnisct " INC ,ic
nov tn tc worlds crd him among wholly strange
surroundings 1t will not involve expenditures uSrB
bevoud Ills means. 70 he goes in time aud the wh0c
ilc community IL proud OF him ana interested III MS
opening career and thus local sympathy anu Support
grow up around the institution tirosn ai ~ 'G r in
mortal Eegy, in which the poet 'ises, among e lusto
graves all the unknown and unheveoPeh nae pG%ers pt
that might lie beneath those stones, Tie poSsDc sdea
men or poets that might slunlber there; and ads
But knowledge TO tlcir eyes her ample paSs,
chill penGfy iepressed their noble rage,,,
Was il ior the want of great universities or classic
shades" in England. that such was the case Not SO
grant indeed that thete % arr & aDy m cner nr,ory cd
cation etc. but tie truth remains tnat IL 10 pIeCiscy
tons Hf higher education have carried that edu-
cnu 10 the people. let 10 man despse tnell lel 10
man withhold from them his sympathy aud may our M
grtcr and more elaborate institutions only DC s llti-
nj aud IA earnest their of better ADVANTAGE
Nsic- YORK, sept. u, 1879. p'o'"