Litchfield enquirer., 1879-01-23

i ! the year. In Senior year. Dana's Geology is 1 studied. These are all required For elective studies Zoology is offered in Junior year. ! While Palaontology, Geology, Botany, etc, l amounting in all to twelve exercises week, are offered in Senior year. 1 Harvard now requires for admission either elementary Botany, Physics and Chemistry, or Physics and Astronomy, and according to the new method of examination, candidate, af- ter passing minimum requisiton in Latin, Greek, mathematics, and science, has the priv ilege of choosing two out of four principal studies Latin, Greek, Mathematics, Science) as maximum requisition, thus putting science l almost on an equality with the others. This | is because the authorities are beginning to un- derstand that the study of science does train and drill the mind. In Freshman year, Phys ics. is required throughout the year. also 20 lectures in Chemistry. In Sophmore year, the only required studies are Rhetoric, History and themes, but the student must take ten ex- ercises week in elective studies. Courses in Latin, Greek, Mathematics, French. German, Italian, English. History, Philosophy, Politi- cal Economy, Music, and the Fine Arts, are offered to Sophmores, Juniors and Seniors under certain restrictions. There are seven l courses in Chemistry, seven in Natural Hsto- ", and five in Physics. The number of hours Of instruction a week required and elective in the different subjects. is given below. Clas- scs incuding Latin, Greek, Sanscrit and He brew 61, Mathematics, %, Modern Language, "A, Science, 6S, Philosophy, 23, History, 2s, Fine Arts, 21. Isn't this pretty fair showing for Science: The scientific courses have quadrupled in number within the last few years---
 Again am conaden, tAat you are mistaken in saying that the college graduate knows less of the political history of his own country than the tavern loafer who sells his vote for drink of whiskey. The college student is much more likely to be interested in the political history of his own, and the general history of other countries, than the average young man outside of college. Libraries and reading rooms, subjects for themes forensics and prize dissertations, as well as the influence of such men as Professors Walker and Sumner of Yale, Pres Seelye of Amherst, Pres White of Cornell, Prof. Perry of Williams, Pres. Eliot and Prof Dunbar of Harvard, and others, all help to incline students to interest themselves in politics and the history of institutions, etc.
 At Harvard, general history and the constitu- tion of the United States are required in Soph- more year. There are eight elective courses offered besides two in political economy
 Pres. Eliot, in his last annual report, mentions as pressing need, professorship of Ameri- can history, although the subject is taught from the beginning to 1S4O
 As to the charge that what history is taught is poisoned by denominational prejudice, per- haps this is so in some colleges At Harvard, in several of the courses, no particular text book is required. In fact the students are re- qnested to bring into the class as many differ ent books as possible that bear upon the sub- ject, and especially not to neglect the chroni cles themselves. The recitation hour is most ly taken up in discussing this or that point of disagreement between authors and in listen- ing to the instructors explanation as to why certain author was biased to take a certain view of, or put certain coloring on the sub- ject. All the historical courses are not con- ducted in this way, but the example seems to illustrate the tendency of the instruction in history.
 One more remark and am done. I know hot siderable pains are taken to make the instruc- tion in political economy very practical Dis cussions upon living issues are frequent, and all sides have fair chance venture the re- mark that, if there were more college gradu- ates among our congressmen, considerable time that is now wasted in discussing wel-es- tablished principles of political economy, would be saved for more profitable employ ment.
 Finally, although much just criticism of the colleges may doubtless be made, the fact re- mains that they are the only recognized and established seats of the higher 1earmng. AS such ought they not to receive the encourage ment of every true believer in this higher ed ucation! Many if not all of the reforms you recommend have been or are gradually being introduced into several of our colleges.
 May we not hope that men, who like the Editor of the Enquirer, are college graduates and occupy positions of influence in the com munity, will, by their recognition of reforms already made, as we'll as by their advocacy of those still needed, encourage the faculties and governing boards of the colleges and thus help on the course of education B.