New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-03-09

Legic and Psychology - -. ,,i,o n,
which i've must be taken: .o,
oreek throughout the year bovr weeS
Lpayiica Geometry and Mechanics b nenrs Week
fai.ay hour weSx
Ircach hours week
p.s,J,,d That the studies OF the senior year no
entirely elective. .xo,,d
7, WAS not intended that the arrangement snona
take effect until next year but change being necessary
In the studies Of the senior class Its peoh 10 na'o
new plan put in practice, so far as that class was o
EARNED was granted by trustees at the beginhns vi
the nresent term Dr. Barnard was invited by inc Prc
ident of the Nineteenth Century Club 10 take par ~ -.
reeeut discussion with Presidents Eliot ana "oOo'
when he declined to do Mr.. Palmer asked MN 10 pro-
mare paper on the subject of electives to be reaa " e
,neeting Owing to his press Of duties he was ais"
,Jg.d 20 excuse himself from this 70 aTRIBUNE re-
porter In referring to the opinions advanced III inc oe
hate and the comments them. he said
President Eliot propose TO convert me amer
lean college Harvard College at easp into German man
university He says nothing about the preliminary CUT
me- which is necessary to Mt man hor 'ne fhe propsr
Mace Tor the elementary preparation Yet the German
system embraces gymnasia the equsalen' VI %
isgs and real schools the equivalent OF our Poly
and no native German is allowed to enter
university who has not passed through ah "
ose %, nont made by General Webb in THY TRIBUNE
has bee noticed as strong hit whereas IL strks nc
ia bit NJ all but an observation not in the least to me
purpose Ii that young men at eighteen arc
Of
hsy are seen 10 be uncertain OF choice OF profession
inueh ater-a fact illustrated by reference TO the ease o
~, ~ The least parallel man with for science
NAV find il hard TO decide between hai uoLcn sVio
ahon his preference for science as study over htea
ture philosophy or hngustics NO teacer 10 Who
has been for some time under his instruction thoug o
might greatly doubt what career III io 10 W
DIR Barnard added that had fully discussed the sub
,ec in paper read before the Regents of the University
of NevYork from which the following is an abstract;
Every subject of study which mas been Sa heeu
admitted in acknowledged violation OF the tneory On
which the course is assumed 70 nave ocs ar
into the course, the ground mat II Is na.
~ sle"en ary OF the matter which
rounds him anatomy aud phys Decause DC ;e
functions of It's several organs and seoiosy
botany physics etc, for similar unitarian O
great the multiplicity OF subjects a. pfesens
70 destroy altogether especially in later years. he cha
acter claimed for the collegiate course as sy S'o u
Il ne a. il appears to me- that should revise our
theory Of collegiate education win to pracrice or
conform little more nearly 10 our acvui U
that should modify our practice to make IL haiMou
corse ennsre1tly would be TO admit, to extent,
both species of change at the same TIME anu Wi.u ss
would necessarily follow the Introduction INTO tue s4s
TEN of instruction OF the element OF pastcy,
ting ii 10 be varied in its character to accommodate ne
eyisences of different minds The doctrine that ali va
reiies OF mind may probably subjected 70 tue same
educational regimen is doctrine WIEN ne annie,
zion TO the most elementary stages TUG
true theory 81 10 eSse for ali minds
description OF development AMI 10 force oEeiS I'M, nm,
absolutely the mould but that on the 1tnSr m
which anticipates inevitable differences when q, no
ternsl influences can compel eAecuaily 70 tllS
appear and which adapts its culture 10 these ier"u'"
bic and irrepressibie differences .,.,. ., e,,3 o,,t
The frs business Of education is therefore 10 n ot
what TIE Individual is bit for; the ne1l - W i" ~
the most Of him in that ior when cue no rShie5
nls1sle speculation has done very much to o. scoe
spcial ysem TRAINING adapted TO inc idlcsy
attcr wears Ola liberal educational culture as general
equally enforced ON ALL IS Tor the e9t , rdn ia
further follows that IL at THIS LAYER perioo Ae
permitted follow the bent which ms previous
,udcs which are in harmony with vent without any
reference to the question whether they are IN We
For these terms easy" and dicult" applied to
matters which concern the understandings adini'
OF two auiie diiIereat modes Of definition.
No mental pursuit is easy II it be distastelu no '.er
how small the labors its prosecution denahus' anu NJ
low il may the severest and the most perssteI
sustained exercise Of me iacdIs anu NAV here h.
stated that, in Columbia College under tne system W, IN
permits the members OF the senior class 10 select oI
most part studies which they prefer 10 pursue there Is
no lack OF volunteers for subject commonly IePorteu
r%e ~ tbe mefaphvsics; nor IL there other hand
any observable predomnaDce In the number VINO seect
branch 80 fascinating as physics vi so pia0''0 "
technology chemistry. .u,..o o, NJ, .,
The distribution has been in fact approximatey eqaa
cult is which may reasonably LOOK ior when par
ae of study are offered TO the eoce Q. s
ever mjght be true IL offer made at the begin
nng For the effect Oh t9e cary yes ot nna and to
determine what its native dl0syncraces anu ~at ~
rhe faeuties Of ali minds should be developed far
as possible by appropriate educational exercise ana us
cipue il true doctrine yet the doctrine that all acul-
lies of l minds arc equally capable of development is
falaey winch enlightened educator Will thinK OIL ha
That every faculty should receive its fair amount OF
fostering attention is certainly Just ana rgn1 Tua
vdual culture however abOrious, VIII secure 10 every
individual equal power or chance or Sr en-
Cal research Is unreasonable as TO expect that every
nrac Of fruit After all that mas SAID about the
oesirabiy and the Importance OF syinherlcai uIen.S
culture with a view secure such Development the
sine IS that az minds develop themselves nhsy
metilcay, jnst certainly as that dlHefent minerals
crystalline into different geometrleai ngures anu ths 1.
just a. hopeless for the eduesoni't 70 ,o3S lor
among his pupils which has been so much Insisted on as
tie end at which education should aim, as 1t would be
Tor the attempt by his science to compel all
his salts to crystalline into spheres +,
The great ev of theiuvarlablc curriculum Of study in
our colleges at present time Is that 1t makes 1t I'm
possible after the end OF the second year OF the
Performances From an examination OF the programme
of instruction in Columbia College for the junior anS
senior years select my own college rather IMAM another
that my remarks may not seem inyidious II appear
that IL every student were compelled to take every SUP
1ect and II evoTy subject should be given a equal pro
portion of the available time, no single subject, Pui
sued o SSs # eo.Go to-
satisfactory either 70 instructor or to learner IRON sue
state OF things mist There Is no remedy Tor tn
evil hnt that of pcrmtng the student concentrate
his attention upon those subjects wbcn are most In har
moDy with hrs native bent, and TO leave the others
those 10 whom they in turn may be more acceptable.
VIEWS OF PROFESSOR BURGESS.
Professor John W. Burgess, when asked his opinion o
the scheme TO allow students elect their studies
said:
There is doubt that in the university. all studio
shoud DC elective That is OF the features OF III
university as distinguished from the college, or III
. Cymnasum Now. question Is, whether the Amer
can college Is o university L do not think 1t IL
The German university is composed OF fou
facuitIestheology, Jurisprudence, medicine and phi
losophy the latter cOmprehendDg all the branche
of learning that are excluded from the Others. Thu
nhilosopcai faculty is the life of the university IL
~ So5ation IN eyeryfhing further without il the