Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-11-03

A Few words About Amherst College.
Probably no college in New England is
better of financially or has greater prospects
of continued success and prosperity than
Amherst, with its two beautiful structures,
now in progress of building, and others
which are to follow another year. Walker
Hall, which was destroyed by FIRE last April,
resulting in the almost irrotrevabe loss, not
only to Amherst college but also to science in
America, of one Of the finest, IL not the finest,
classified neurological cabinet in this coun-
try, containing specimens of not only scientific
but historic value, is fast rising from its ash.
es to its former splendor. 1t is being built
of granite with brownstone trimmings and
will be, from an architectural point of view,
one Of the most beautiful college buildings in
the land The library building, for which
money was recently left, is being built upon
the latest and most approved plan, being en-
tirely fire-proof with iron shelving. In the
spring large and commodious gymnasium
will be constructed, in place of the by no
means insignificant one it has at present, con-
tanning all of the modern appliances for gym
nastic work, and will equal in sizo and fit
tings the famous one at Harvard Within
the last few years, through the influence of
the colleges mainly, physical culture in the
shape of gymnastics which, for several cen
turtles previous, had almost lost its existence,
has been revived and bids fair to equal in i'm
portanco that which existed in the balmy
days of ancient Greece, a land which owed
much of its intellectual and artistic success to
the Pymnastic art and where il was consider
ed prerequisite to a finished education and a
preserver and restorcr of health. The great
educators Of our land are beginning to realize
this. "a sound mind in q sound body"
But the one thing which is bringing Am
herst prominently before the public is its
new system which has resulted in much
comment in many of our leading New Eng
land journals This system instead of, as Of
old, making student mere automaton, per-
mits him TO exercise his reasoning faculties
and to act according to his conscience "reo.
ognizng the fact that the student is capable of
self direction The idea of college authority
and college government exercised by those
who stand lin loco PARENTS to the student
has been eliminated and in its place substi-
tuted the much more agreeable alternative of
the faculty taking the position of elder broth
ers, AZ it were, without authority, but placing
upon the student the responsibility Of his &C
tions. No longer is heard the talk about col
lege punishment. A contract of gentlomanly
conduct and behavior is signed by every stu.
dent and, when this is broken, his connection
with the college ceases, there being no ex.
| pulsion. One great change is the ceasing OF
| giving excuses for any cause whatever, but
every one being present less than nine-tenthe
of the time in any particular term is examin
cd upon the work Of that term at the begin.
ming Of the next The one-tenth granted IL
| generally taken by all. One prominent
feature, which has been adopted at this time
is the giving Of graded diplomas, in this re-
| spect pntterning after the German Universe
| ties. 1t is natural that system granting al
much liberty as this does should have som,
defects with its merits. Amherst is the frs
college in this country to inaugurate system
of government like the above, and although
it met with storms of opposition from othe
college faculties two years ago, when first in
sttuted, it is day being gradually adopted
and in Amherst itself the results have been
most fattering. The faculty and student
from the first have unanimously upheld thi
system of government aud have been sup
ported in it by the alumni of the college.
greater success in the future seems to hav
opened for the already prosperous colleg
both from the munfcent gifts of none
which it has received the last two years au'
the efficient AMI progressive management
which it at present enjoys. W. d.