New-York tribune., 1878-06-26
THE cOtLEGR cOvvLNCEUFNTS.

The annual literary and scientific iubilees for
the present the most prominent OF current events.
There is too large a body of Alumni IN the country
TO permit the interest in them to abate. Many OF
our colleges have existed long enough 10 attain
a respectable air of antiquity The first commence
meut of Harvard occurred In 1888; of William aud
Mary in 1900; of Yale in 1902 Columbia, Prince
ton. Brown. Dartmouth, Rutgers, have well passed
their frst century. All these and Others in
what less degree have whatever prestige fairly be-
longs 70 multiplied years Of labor and usefulness.
Other and like institutions yet young. But
they are full Of gratifying promise. Many of them
enjoy ample endOwmunts aud are free from en-
barrassments and diflculnes and wants. which none
OF the older colleges entirely escaped. Great
changes have been made in the educational
methods Of all our higher seminaries. The
course of study has been enlarged and varied; the
number of what are called optional studies has been
increased; the standard Of scholarship has been ee-
vated the facu Hrs, the Libraries, the cabinets have
been strengthened. Something of this perhaps, has
been the result Of competition. and herein recOg.
nize an advantage which may be fairly set OIL
against the large number of our colleges, of which
complaint has sometimes been made. Any one of
them which had been under the bar of a mOnastc
spirit and of that form of conservatism which reso-
lutely opposes change would have fallen helpIessly
and hopocssly into the background. Our colleges
have been unlike all Others which have existed,
inasmuch as they have not shown themselves in
domtaby opposed 10 liberal progress but have recog-
nized the new wants and the advancing spirit of the
age There is not one of them which has not felt the
influence of tho Nations democracy. There is not
one which has not accorded to scientific discovery
hospitable welcome nor one in which liberality of
thought and investigation has not been encouraged
This would amply atone tor any mediocrity of
scholarship even If such existed. The tone of the
colleges has been in cOnsonance with that of our pO-
tIca institutions, while even in the department of
religious study there has been no bigotry worth
mentioning. He who is familiar with the history
of learning, and Of learned bodies, Will comprehend
that in saying this we say great deal.
We have referred to the complaint which has
been made, that we have too many colleges, and
that consequently many Of them are in
an inefficient and unpromIsing condition.
But tho mistake If there has been one.
was Of the generous sort. 1t has arisen
partly from the fact that several OF
the older institutions were, or were supposed TO be-
toe expensive for students Of moderate means, and
partly from a natural desire on the part of each
religious body TO have ITS own educational establish
ment. But whatever the error or whether there
! has been an error or not, the multiplication Oi
colleges proves a generous public spirit, and is
national recognition of the value Of culture. This
idea is closely akin 20 that which has everywhere
established ana maintained common schools. The