New-York tribune., 1885-02-18
For ADMISSION TO HARVARD.
ANOTHER BLOW At THE CLASSICS.

C,,p,,nov Mass Feb ia week ago to-day
t,o,o o nroented to the Faculty Of Harvard College
a report which radically changes the system OF eA
onina,ions for admission 1t the outcome OF the
Grht that had been raging IN the Faculty fcr many
months and 1t was virtually triumph for President
Eliot and those of his subordnates who believe moro OF
less in tho doctrine OF Charles Francis Adams, Jr
Professor Youmans of New York. and the other enemies
of tho classics The first practical result of the
agitation of this ancient and tmehonorcd question was
the extsuson OF the elective system that after boy
got INTO Harvard he did not have to study Latin ano
Greek unless he chose. Now he con get in without
studying more than one of them. The liberals OF the
Faculty wanted the entrance examinations IN the
classics made wholly optional. The conservatives
resisted strenuously Tho consequence was that half
way views we're adopted The compromise will be only
a temporary one and before many years the triumph
of the radicals will DO complete. The committee pre-
senting this report comprised President Eliot and
Professor Smith, Cooke, Dunbar. Goodwin. Bochor
Gurney. Pierce and MacVane. To-day the tacult,
adopted the report by Il vote of so TO
To understand thoroughly the new system contnua
reference will he necessary to the following casslca
ton of the studies embraced i'll the examinations ioi
admission:
Elementary.-1 English 2. Greek-thc translation
at sight of simple Atllc prose; 3. Letin-he trans
latlon at sight Of snplo prose- T. German the tians
lation at sight of simple prose; o. fiench-the trans
lation at sight of ordinary prose o. HlsioryAhceh,
History and Geography Jas at present. or s,Oy
England and the United states =. an,etr~,
Physical Science either la elementary As,fonoihy NY
and Physics or tb course Of experiments ~ IL ..o
subjects of mechanics sound, light, heat. ana eiec
trcity not less than ory in number, actually per-
formed at school by the pupl. II, -.
Advanced Studies.-l. Greek-the translation NJ
sight of average passages from Homer or the tran;
la,,o iyhf of passages
Homer and Herodotus 2. Latn--ihe translation ~
sight of average passages from cicero ana viz" %
Greek and Latin Composition be based upon Pi9
scrihed pas,akes of Greek aud Latin authors -
Gernan-Lcssng, schiller eic'' ttah7i a. .s 80
modern German prose grAlln@f anu ~ s}r
treuch-George Sand, MOhcre, etc, tahsa'oii o. S's
ot modern French prose- grammar and composition ~
Mathematics -Logsrithms, Plane lrsohoine'.y, u.u
either Solid Geometry or the eleIn.u1S - V,! ! ,
Geometryi z Mathemstcs-elth the Elements OF
AnsIvtIo Geometry or solia Geometry. Elementary
Mechanics 4. Physical scicnce-in fhysics course
elementary physics g. Ply steal science In chemistry
n course oi at least sixty experiments In behera
Chemistry actually performed at school oy the pupil
From these two classes the candidate for admission Is
TO select ubeots for examination. He can satisfy the
requirements and be admitted by passing .al on oil
the elementar, studios and on at least two OF the
ad vanced studies lb) all the elementary studie.
except either German French and at least three
OF the advanced studiesi lc on all the elementary
studies with the exception Of either Greek or hntih'
md on at least tour advanced studies, including No.
and one of the three numbered 7. and % or ID on
all the elementary studies with the exception of either
Greek or Latin aud oi either German OF French and
on at least i've advanced studies including No D. hhd
ono OF the three numbered I. and y.
OF course the most radical change made u IN"
possibility given If entering college without having
studied GIeek This ID given under combinations C.
and d. which differ widely from the common mode OF
entering college. II will he seen that great number
81 combinations can be made, aud that practically a.!
restraint on tho adapting oi pre-coneSe siudies to
natural tastes OF circunstn'rs oi 1fth ana framing
are removed llr %, ruea1.o under anY systen "
competitive cvAmluIti0ns. l. boy chooses, he can
sill eater the old and well bo,ton road his oIm
inaiion w4 be- b. taking AL the elementary si1d!cs
tAcpp, Nn,. or ;. nud AL eel -tudi"- i. = ald s.
Ae ,oulh with mathematical. scientific OF linguistic
trudcacle, can ioo~ h bout ana no Longer be hand!.
capped II the raoe with ms u u cr OF ciasoa tiu 20,
mud In the doctrine Of ifes VIII has conquered
the theory of preordiuaiion.
Sot alone In size has the examination sysiem been
changed. In quality, ~ wei t7 quAhtl' IHdl't reP'
are TO be noted There IS distinct reduction 10 TAO
present prescribed LA.lu ci'ntAtdt rtudl No. % Is
offended &, 90 moderate increase oi tnc rrc-o"t pro
-crbod French and the present requirement H.
t.-r- h. dl.uct,y increased by elementary study :
a. Furthermore the aao ut - i"atllg ~ T. BhsA i
10 be sonea hat increased. and Tie -ui,,t j. put 90 tc
head Of tic iist, ou'ralhiug The 'enci-1.e dead
languages However, DrccF Latin and Mathematics
viii continue 30 have rs lntt nov nave, Auth Ie'trE
weight with the examiners taAu auy ot the rest lar
as the elementary stGdIe, aio concerned. lie
advanced studies ARE supposed 10 be equivalent in
have the same weight IN The examinations.
Another important and novel change 10 De noticed
l. the introduction Of IuEhsh and United states
Hstory-anotbcr blow at classical learning. Thea tbs
introduction OF labor ltory work into physics nnd
chemistry requirements is interesting There are to be-
labyratory examinations where previous laboratory
wo Ak j., required Then also al the hour Of the written
examination the candidate VIII De r"lugtd 10 hand IN
the original book IN which he recorded the steps
and results Of the experiments which he performed at
school, and this note book most bear the Endorsement
fetg
a true record OF tho pulls work. Note also the
e.c,iOn OF Latin and creek composition from the
elementary classics In fact II be- easily avoided
altogether it enters into only one OF the advanced
studIes.
ILc system outlined above Is in the direct line OF al
vance pursued 10y IIcdcGt O cyersince ho gave -uch
wide scope 10 the elective vstem II was shortly after
that time over dozen yesr go. that he 'ucoeeded In
inducing the Faculty 10 ry an option Ia tho admission
examinations hcl lie iutrodued English a
requisite, following up with Physics and Chemistry,
Ia 1873 the D. 70 blow wa struck at the old cln,slcal
system by tLe adoption OF Il new method ~ OF set Of
examinations the oet characteristic Of which was the
reading Of Greek and Latin at sight. The light "
method proved very popular, and the old plan only
survived the Innovation two OF three years. Ii has
been President EhOts cou.ttut desire 70 gyc natural
science and the study OF English more piom.acni
place the Ji study necessary To- secure the
degree Of Bachelor Of Arts. The introduction Oi
physc into the list oi regulates Tor admission ~ 1870
did not "A. he himself has confessed, prove wholly sat
sfactpry its results: la fact. the required work
altogether too easy The now regulation make 1t hard
paratory schools will take active interest in
bcicntihc teaching herositer
The ultimate result this radical stop the part OF
Harvard may lie that tie greater part of the pre-
paratory schools viii stOp teaching Crock indeed
Greek may be- on par with Hebrew far the
schools are concerned All the preparatory schools
will have to revise their of study al once
unless indeed the parents and the SONS prefer Tho OLD
- stem and other colleges.
CAPTAIN WILLI4MS PRAISED.
Iatfc 100 of mt i'm hoa