New-York tribune., 1879-02-27
NOTES ON EDUCATION.


University at Eiko-a bill is soon to be brought before
the Legislature aboshiug the institution as useless anu
unnecessary -, ": |
Another appeal has been made by the Unl-
yersity of Virginia for the funds necessary LOT 'e
building of an observatory to hold MI McCornlcks s"'
of telescope ~
The State Normal School ut Worcester
Mass appears TO be doing excellent work N'n'C
eight per cent OF IT'S graduates have taught "NN -
per cent have taught In Massachusetts,
The smallness of teachers salaries IS severely
commented upon by the Rev. Mr.. COOK lmo p'I" p
ousness displayed in parts OF Ne~-Eng'ahu' ho
in pairing down these small salaries Is enough ''
the very soil on ire
The schedule of salaries approved by ma
,or,tv in the Philadelphia Board Education provides
that new teachers shall receive only $500 year Inc
matter bas not yet been decided 1t might reasoh""'!
be suggested TO the "new teachers thal h'"Se
maids situation position as eoou oIi'A'"'0
would he much more profitable >,
The public school system OF South Caronna
has during the past year. made gratifying progress
new and improved school law has been passed. tue man
ncr OF raising school fund has been changed by
sntuilona amendment there is large a'enoan'em III "o
public schools uniform series OF textbooks nave oce
adopted; the teachers showing more interest !"
their work; the school fund Is managed Oe'ter anu
State Board OF Examiners has been appointed
The Russian language is one extremely nara
20 learn and cannot be acquired with dictionary ana
grammar alone. 1t has so many infections ana PuI
cling grammatical ru and these are coggcd WIN sue"
lists Of exceptions subeIceptions and minor suDe4'p
lous ana words which. like the comets, have an iuuc
,obv erratic course their that the student OF
books becomes bcwildered and throws up the Huo! ID
disgust The true way TO master the language IS py e
cOlloquial system.
4 new and practical suggestion is about 10
he presented TO the Commissioners for the universities
Of oxford and Cambridge, in tho form Of memorial
This suggestion is the establishing Of sudentsps' luo
holders of which shall engage TO travel either 10 nay
Greece or the Levan and there devote themselves
speciay TO the investigation Of the local classical anu
ouites The memorial points out that other nations
have long adopted this plan and have thereby TO great
c1ent excelcd England in the field Of classical arche
ology The two universities havo some " travelling
siudentshps IN medicine aud few other sunJec's' Dt
nothing like the German institute at Rome ana the |
French institutes at Rome and Athens. The Comnls |
l!oners have already expressed their intention 10 DO
something for the encouragement Of classical ART
studies.
President Robinson, of Brown University, !
said a the recent meeting Of tie Brown Alumni IN Bos
ton that .he Of the American system OF education
ls the deficiency Of instruction In the preparatory
schools and in the Freshman year II nothing but ne
best work wcTo done in tie beginning, the student
would receive foundation for his KNOWLEDGE which |
could not be undermined by loose teaching IN later
fears this espect It the intention to PROVIDE al
Brown the bcsi instruction that could be procured lie
objected
tonage now I'm vogue saying that college has the great
,st number OF scholars which present the greatest
in the way Of scholarships rather than the
sne which gave the best education lie added that one
fault the present system Of education is the method
sflearning by from textbOcRs; he would rather
bear give the plth OF lesson IN ls own language
.yen though 1t were poor
The building Of q fresh hall Of residence |
!or lady students Is discussed at Cambridge. Girton
which being for second time enlarged, Is always
lu and Ncwnhsm and Norwich Halls are also full |
twenty students have been obliged 10 seek outside !
lodgings, and there besides who reside with
friends relatives in Cambridge. Already many ap- !
pcations have been made from those Intending TO en-
ter October. Some advance IS being made In the
opening of college lectures to ladies Several courses
are open in the university this term namely on Roman
md English history CiccrOs Academies. on Italian
history and on the anatomy Of plants. All Of which
,hows that English ideas the education OF women
are rapidly changing Other American colleges than |
Harvard may well profit by such an example; why |
IhOuld Yale for instance, object 10 doing work when
not beneath OF the two greatest universities In
he worldl ktGirton College young girl IS treated
intellectually precisely her bethcr may be treated
being an undergraduate In tho university she keeps the
tame terms learns tho lessons, IS insuucted bv
the pIOiessOIs, aud submits 10 the same exam
iueIs
A discussion on school readers in the New !
Haven Board OF Education the other day showed how
easily inpraoticaty creeps into school management
Tho reading books which have long been used in the
Ncw-Haven schools were severely criticised the
grounds that great deal OF their text w"s utterly
meaningless 20 children. ana that they contained vul
gar or slang" words which was partly due TO the
fact that their compiler LnGshIndn and intro
duced what are called ButaIems; aud further that
many Of the words aIe unknown at this day, The
teachers OF the city said to dislike the eercs' and
two OF the Board agreed that they Lad been kept in the
schools for benefit Of one This was explained
by letter addressed 10 the Board by tho compiler IN
which said be learned that there was an enort being
made supersede his reader IN the public schools lie
said also that he had understood that the Board were
under the impress on that he received benefit from
the sale the book lie added that without the money
received from this source and the aid two old
pupils, lie would be destitute indeed General Walker
said the books inadequate for the needs OF the
school be thought there GhOud he change. lie sympa-
thzed with the compiler hut while lie dd this lie did
not think the interests OF the district should suffer by
continued use o these leaders II would he better ara
picr aud introduce new books
Harvard has concluded to follow the route !
% Cambridge. Beginning with the next collegiate |
year It IL proposed TO admit Gir,s who may !
be able TO pass the examinations now required !
Of male majrcuants 10 the privilege OF Ie- !
oltiug. IN company with other girls, TO the |
same professors tutors who instruct the boys; OF
studying the same books OF making tie same expert
IN the laboratory; OF submitting 10 the same
tests and finally. Of receiving. at the end OF four
years. par hmrI diplomas, like the boys, and the
privilege Of writing A. E. si CT tAcI Damot. bl> certn
Gates from professors tnst they have passed sats
factOry the course as that when brings the boys
their dcpIee4 The apparent injustice OF Withholding
degrees, while the same time granting certificates
which in cfcct declare the recipients worthy Of such
bonors Is explained by the fact that the college,
institution, takes c0rnzarce Of these students aud
the young women who 20 10 Cambridge will simply be
private pupils OF the professors organized, when the
number warrants, into classes and divisions. for the