New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-08-07
BRITISH view or IN AMERICAN UNIVER
SITY
From The 81. James's Ga-erte.

From The ST. James's Ga=erte.
Inc university consists OF two departments. That
OF arts is fully equipped with two professors, the
first OF whom undertakes his special subjects the
chair of languages, literature, an philosophy. HIS
classes get instruction in Latin Greek French, Ger
man. English composition, history, geography, men
tai and moral science, political economy, and the
Constitution of the United States The second chair
is that of mathematics and natural SCIENCE and the
professor lectures arithmetic, algebra (up to
quadratlc equations), geometry, chemistry, physics,
Zoology botany, geology. and the application of
science to agricultural operations. Candidates for
the ordinary B.A degree expected to pass in all
these subjects. The other or medical department
mas also two profeSSors-One of anatomy and ply
siology, the other of pathology homeopathic
therapeutics. Their abors are of course almost as
varied as those of their brethren in arts.
The natural result of this liberal and enlightened
system is that the raw youths who come up know
ing nothing, go away again, at the END of three
years, win their heas fairy turned by quantity
OF crude and und gested know ledge the method
pursued can hardly be described as examining; Tor
the " bOyS'-they call themselves 10y that unpre-
tentous name lii private, though in pubnc they al
ways describe one another as " aiunni"-are only
treated TO vast doses OF vague CONGRATULATIONS and
windy theOrIe phantasnagorla OF ali the arts
anu sciences dances before tner eyes, and ideas UNI
supported by iacts or accurate knowledge OF any
soro dazzle their faculties. The professors them
serves have only a hail acquaintance with the sub
Jects thcy pretend 10 teacn. Moreover, III oruer TO
iook as though they were really doing university
Work lnsteau of keeping a secondary school, uney
use big anu pretentIous works wholly beyond their
pupils death Ihey make them Deg1n Greek and
LatIn grammar out OF American traIislations OF
Aiauvig ana Curtlus ana they lecture on pontical
economy to boys tresn the spelling book WIN
Allil Or RlcaruO III their na1us.
The consequence That the boys get to disbelieye
III the existence OF accurate knowieuge altogether
though they learn To the names their author
tiles IN general on-hand manner ii tney really
knew aii ABOUT Lnem. They pass Uurough Their
years Without Tor moment SuspectlDg tlIe gigantic
Sndm of which they torn part. Ihey the
world, SO iar as IL can be seen IN the
Oh sicily. small pork-eXportns ana sugar-,IstriD-
utlng country town, Win wooden pIank sluewaiks,
frame nous s. anu 900 embarrassing nInaDltanJs.
ney " maze one another DrutaIly Unelr Iresn-
man year they lnuulge III meaningless secret Socle-
Ties wnen tneS grow 10 6nc proud position OF sopao-
moreS OF seconu-yedr men ana they go Dac6
10 the sun smaiier towns from winch they came,
with che magnInccnt colore0 diploma OF "A graduate
III tneir pockcts, aud Win ali prejuaIces ana
nariownesSes hardened DOWN for ute INTO sysl
Ignorance. They become the lawyers, doctors ana
pastors the ignDornood they regard themselves
as persons OF lnteiiecUuai ulstIncJIou Uney
cuSS the Hebrew original or the Grcch text
Septuaglnt with perfect conn fence their crit
lcl aUiIiIIeS. Some OF them 10 eating the
snecIs AT the ignorance anu eHeteness
Communities. Au OF them are perfectly ana
pidcentlY satisfied with themselves, their country
ana tner university. lhey noId certain number
one another rs IA pea Is to pea. Iney nave spon-
tinclty, no orlglnalIty, no power OF
iuea even OF what tninsIng means. Iney gIlnu
CertaIn numuer Oh SET tunes, IKE q DsrreI-orgain
anu they seem 10 derive u melancholy pleasure from
hearing one another grInu out IN UNISON. but Inoy
have no more noIon OF CulJure Wnpn they
rIJch University tuan wlien they enter IL. Mnat
else couu you expect lron liberal ana enlightened
system which sets TWO naii-euucated men pat
wholly uneducated iads through - curriculum IN
three years winch ought 10 OCCUPY ten or nIteel
years unoer many qualified specialists lcI
nave heard graduate OF itch University BOAST that
the B.A examination AT Sicily took IN many more
subjects than at OxIord or Cambridge.