The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-01-27

ward faculty who are obviously DESTROYS Of
going MS far in the right direction MS they can.
have agreed on u judciOus compromise. They
have adopted aprovision arrango mcni for the
year nov current by which Seniors whose aver
age mark for the last twelve month was not less
than seventy per cent shall ENJOY the right Of
voluntary attendance. while from Othors thc
privilege may be withdrawn in ease of abuse NJ
the disrrction II the dean. The truth is that
the surprising progress Effected 10y the insight
and energy of the men who for Soma years have
| directed the university has been continually
trammclod by pccuniary considerations. How
much might be done for Harvard will never hc
known until sufficient means are placed at the
absolute disposal Of the authorities TO render
them wholly independent of fees received from
instruction.
II is clear from Prof Lnngdcll's report that
the Harvard Law School was never more pros
porous. although II was predicted that tho rs
Enlistment Of rigorous examination for
admission. and an extension Of the course Of
study from Two years 10 thrcc. would cause n
material dwindling Of numbers. As % matter Of
fact. the number Of students 1s0l il greater than
it WINS last year. and there is large relative gain
| in Harvard graduates and graduate generally
! This exhibit Is the more remarkable because ns
Prof. Langdcll points out. this particular depart
| ment has always had one great disadvantage to
contend against TO which other branches of the
university IRE strangers. H. refers to the fact
that while the legal profession il SO far strict
| monopoly that no ono can enter it without for
mai admission. the Law School not only cXcr-
| else, no control over the conditions Of such adj
mission. but receives no recognition coun-
tcnanco from those in whom control is vested
| Unuucstionably an institution with the record
of usefulness possessed by the Harvard Law
f..u nab Of Gfrf int Ia.
Union which is not content with the test of an
open. public examination. that Il student shall
have the option of spending the prescribed
period Of pupilage under its tuition. or shall at
| all events be required to pass no more
! than one year In a lawyers Office within
the State whore he Is to practise. Prof
| Langdol IL justified in dwelling ut some
length upon this topic by the rules for the adj
mission Of attorneys recently adopted by the
New York Court Of Appeals. We may remind
the reader that in October last the period of
clorkship was reduced in this State TO two years
for the graduates Of all colleges throughout the
country. nut that moiey Of this term was re-
mtted provided the other hall was spent in u
New YORK law school. What is the meaning Of
this discrimination in favor of certain institu-
tOns twill scarcely be affirmed that u twelve
month in n New York school would better lual-
ify student for practice than three years Of
work gagged 10y strict examinations at tho Mas
sachusctts seminary.
In one feature Of its Internal economy intro
duced about three years ago Harvard has had
in view the oxford and Cambridge scheme Of
academic life rather than that Of German uni
vcrsites. At oxford. for example those stu
dents who reside within particular college
and only u very small minority dwclls in out
side lodg ings--dine together IA rule in the
college hall, while breakfast and lunch are
! brought TO their rooms by scout from tho col
| legc kitchen. For the regular hall dinner n
| liked price Is charged and this is moderate
enough 10 come within the means Of those men
who partly depend upon scholarship stipends.
But other viands n considerable variety may
bc had to order, and the result is that UNDER
graduates who choose TO pay for II may have mn
excellent dinner We may add that in some
colleges. II not in all. attendance AZ the hall din
ncr is voluntary. Now, the plan Of communal
living has been reproduced at Harvard since
| 1874 by what is known as the Dining Hall Asso-
citation In this experiment all the Cambridge
departments OF the university are Interested.
although the Divinity School. apparently has
for eight years carried on a cheaper club of its
own. During 1867. the Dining Hall
Association is said to have had n, crit
ical experience. complaints being rife about
the food and the service. and notable decrease
taking place in the number OF the members
With the beginning Of last year however. the
Hall was reopcned under the management Of a
new steward. and from that time has steadily
gained in the number Of frcqucnters while tht
price Of board has diminished more than ten
per cent. In the month u November the aver.
age attendance WIS 5s3. and the weekly charge
only $500. From glance at the bills of fare foi
one week. and the statement Of quantities con-
sumed, which are printed in an appendix 10 this
report. We should say that the regular meals now
furnished by the Dining Hall Association
are altogether superior TO those provided
in the way Of ordinary commons at any college
IN oxford. Moreover. under the new manage
ment at the Harvard Dining Hall the norma
regimen Is supplemented. as at oxford. with
great number OF more expensive dishes served
a. order, Indeed the members seem 10 have a
their command the resources OF high -class
restaurant. and this IL certainly more than ear
BE- said either for Christ Church or st. John :
where the chef is most literally paid and whcr,
culinary matters receive particular attention
We observe. too. that Memorial Hall being fur
nishcd with tables Of moderate size there il n,
reason why the institution Of club dining which
is traditional at Harvard. should not flourish
under the auspices Of the association. In thi,
respect the Harvard student has the advantage
Of the oxford UNDERGRADUATE the greater par
, of whose college hall is monopolizcd By lon.
tables.
We commend the present report II the Prcsi
dent and Treasurer Of Harvard College to tn
attention OF all those Interested in the highc
education. Il SETS forth with exceptional clear
ness and conn oiencss the structure and tn
+ spirit, the aims and the appliances " a con
spieuous university. when W. contrast IN
, present resources, methods and achievement
of thia institution with the state OF things whi'
existed no further back than fifteen years NJ
, we can find no parallel for the s 'opo and No
montum Of its progress hut tho abrupt an
splendid development Of G6ungen in the mid
die II the last century. NJ. ". II.
, Recent Poetry.
We have before o., three volumes wlic
. cyinoe in several ways considerable poet
+ merit one is .inJelo. a narrative poem
s hlank verse, h> an author whose psoudonym
f STUART SratNr llurl A. lloughtonl We Ina,
IA hDr. "A tllur of similar rnnull iiia4-fh n