Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1883-01-20
NORTHERN TRIBUNE.
SATURDAY. JANUARY 20, 1883.
MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY.


From the st. Paul Pioneer Press.
Whoever will study the progress and
tendencies Of higher education in our
country, let him observe what takes
place from year to year in the colleges
and universities of the west, rather than
in those of the Atlantic states, whose
customs are so fixed by tradition that
new ideas cannot at first receive hOspi-
tally. Such an observer will probably
discover that the university of Michigan
is a long aCay in Advance Of Harvard,
Yale on Cornell in those particulars
which distinguish the university from
the college. Cornell. without doubt,
may attribute many of her excellent ar
rangements and advantages to the ex-
perience of her accomplished president
while professor at Ann Arbor. The
annual reports of the president of the
university of Michigan are interesting
reading. From that for the year end
ing September 30, 1882, we note that a
considerable revolution has taken place
in the organization of the university.
The chief point is that fOreshadOwed in
the report Of the previous year, written
by Acting President Frieze:
Drawing the line at the end of the
second or sophomore year of college life
4 in the entire department of litera-
ture, science and arts, between the Sec
Ondary education and the higher or gen.
uine university education" This prin-
cipal adopted by the board of regents in
May, 1882, upon the recommendation of
the faculty, who had given to the SUBJ
ject most careful and prolonged con-
sideratiOn."
This action is of especial interest to
all concerned in the management and
desiring the prosperity of the university
Of Minnesota, 1t will be source of
pride and satisfaction to them to find
the great university of Michigan adopt
ing in 1882 plan, principle at least,
established in the university of MinnesO-
ia in 1871, II years before. No further
apology or vindicatiOn is now needed by
the board of regents for what then SEEM
ed to some a rash and ill-cOnsidered
proceeding.
further departure is the opening in
the university of Michigan of a sO-called
university SYSTEM" upon which stu
dents who have completed the first two
years work may proceed to their gradu-
alton. Under this system the candidate
devOtes his time to a limited range of
fayOrite studies, under the direction of
a committee of the faculty, and after
two years submits himself to search
ing examination. Ii successful in this
examination he wins bachelors de-
gree; if yery proficient, and if a meritOri-
Gus thesis be presented, the candi-
date may attain at once the master de-
gree. The expectation is that those
pursuing the university system will
make large attachments in few studies
rather than limited attachments in
many studies. Much, not many things,
is the principle. All students who pre-
fer are at liberGy to obtain their degrees
according to the old plan, called in the
report the credit system" The univer-
sity system, it may be observed, is a
natural out growth of the general prin-
ciple of drawing the line between the
secondary and the superior education
at the end of the second, or sophomore
year.
There can be little doubt that the
American colleges generally have I'M
wisely undertaken to include within
four years curriculum a greater num-
Der and variety of studies than the Or
binary undergraduate stomach can pos
sibly digest. 1t is time to make an end
of examining the whole bill of fare bodi-
ly down his throat, and to allow him, at
some stage of the feast, to exercise his
ability to choose those viands most to
taste and profit. This, the Minnesota
plan. as put in operation in Michigan,
does.
President Angel discOurses vigorous
ly in regard to professional education,
expressing the opinion that perhaps law,
and certainly medical schools, should be
fewer and should be connected
with universities. Speaking of
not few medical colleges, the presi-
dent says:
The country is spekled with these adj
yertising establishments for ambi.
tiOus physicians, who delude young men
into the belief that after few weeks
attendance upon lectures they have be-
sion, and to take the care of mems lives
into their hands," ,otrf
l. In regard to advancing the scholastic
TequirementsOf candidates for medical
degrees the opinion is given that Sim
prOvement must come in the main from
schools in which the salaries of the
teachers are not dependent on the num-
Der of students in attendance.
The organization of the new school of
political science is an important epoch
in university progress. Columbia and
Cornell are abreast with Michigan i'm
this enterprise. In Michigan this de-
partment Is open to students who have
completed the work of the first two years
of the usual college course. Political
economy and history in many of its
specialties form the backbone of the
course of studies. The expectation is
that this course will be pursued by
many young men going into law, or am