The New York herald., 1879-02-27
A Needed Reform Ina College Govern
ment.

Our columns for three days past have
registered formal instructions of the
students of two colleges against alleged
oppression ON the part of the respective
faculties. The disturbance ut Trinity
College has, We learn, been adjusted
by the students acknowledging their
fault-a purely disciplinary Pne. Similar
outbreaks have occurred during the
past twelvemonth at various other COL
leges and are calculated to excite anxiety as
to the workings of the existing codes Of dis
cipline at all similar institutions. 1t cam
not be denied that spirit of insubordina-
tion is painfully rife among the students of
many of our colleges, who have frequently
brought dishonor upon the fair fame of
It is humliating to American citizens
in general to be obliged to admit that that
highly favored class of young men who en-
joy the privilege of receiving collegiate
education often observe line of conduct
which testifes but scant gratitude to their
benefactors. The insolent and brutal treat.
ment to which new corners at American col
leges are frequently subjected by the
classes Immediately above them, though it
may be paralleled by the practice of ''fag-
ging" in vogue at the great English schools,
is nevertheless IN evil which reflects dis
credit upon the faculties which are power
less to prevent it, and calls loudly for a
remedy.
Can such q remedy be found? We
believe that it can. In our judg-
ment the sole feasible method of gov
ernment Of American collegians, between
the ages Of sixteen and twenty-five, consists
in an appeal to their honor as gentlemen
and scholars" and admitting them to a
limited selfgovernment, by means of class
officers of their own election. There are, of
course, many so-called colleges where the
average age of students at entrance is less
than that above indicated, but of these we
do not now speak. It is self-evident that
the amount of self-government which can
be conceded to collegians must vary with
their average age, but such instit utions as
Harvard, Yale, Cornell. Princeton, Amherst,
&C., are frequented by class of students
who really exercise self-government in many
of the most interesting concerns of collegiate
life.
The student who enters one of the higher
colleges or universities should be taught to
regard himself as having given his parole
of honor to comport himself as ga gentle
man and scholar" He rightly regards
himself as having emerged from the condi-
tion Of styict tutelage, and usually claims
to be ''a man." Under proper conditions
he will readily make it point Of honor to
comport himself in such manner as to
merit the approval of Jury Of his peers, T"
elected from his own class, and which
would naturally be composed of its best
members The officers Of the class, by
whatever name they may be known, would
have moro immediate relations with the
faculty than their constituents, would have
o consultative voice in the rules and regu-
lations enacted, would be the natural rep
resentatives of the class in the settlement
of oil difficulties, would feel keen sense
of class honor and responsibility and could
safely be trusted as the jury for dealing
with the minor follies and offences of their
classmates. Is not such system of limited
seli-government by collegians worthy fair
trial?