The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-15
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.


President MeCosh declares that the subjects
now required for entrance into Harvard are TOO
numerous; that too much is required from the
preparatory schools, and that IF the scheme is
carried out fewer young men will come up to
our colleges Does experience warrant this
eonclusionl at Harvard, certainly, it is not
borne out by the facts. In 1870 the Harvard
requirements were substantially the same as
those now made by Princeton, the additions OF
which President McCesh complains having been
made since that time In 1870 the the total
enrolment of students at Harvard, exclusive OF
the professional schools, was GIG. In 1885 the
huEaber has risen to 1,036 And believe a
innilar result has followed wherever the stand
ard of college work has been elevated. DR..
McCosh assumes that preparatory schools, espe-
cially those located in country districts, are dis
couraged by any increase in the requirements of
colleges, and will cease to send young men to
the colleges liz question. But believe the effect
viii be, and has been. directly opposite: the
schools are stimulated to do more and better
work, and feel pride in responding to such
demands upon them Indeed, the quickest,
most effective and, perhaps, the only way to inn
prove secondary schools is to demand more from
them Such schools will never teach more
than is required, or use better methods, without
some stimulus of this kind.
President McCosh remarks: president Eliot
would not have students enter college until they
are eighteen years of age IL this be carried out
it is evident that we shall have fewer young men
taking a college education This point is in
volved in the one last treated, and may be
swered in the same manner The increase OF
requirements at Harvard has been attended by
an increase in the age of admission; yet the
number of students has steadily risen. The con-
ditions of Harvard in this respect are not pecu-
liar, and doubt not that similar results have
been observed elsewhere.
President McCosh is severe in his Genuncia-
ton of more specialism," using the following
illustration: THE other day gymnast showed
me his upper arm. with the muscle large and
hard as a milestone. 1t is picture of the men,
tai monstrosities produced by certain kinds of
education" The learned writer should have
further stated. to make his illustra-
spnde apt LEGS that x sas f SseH h as
pressed chest and softened brain; and that
the upper arm was developed at the expense of
these other parts On the contrary, it is pretty
safe to assume that the upper arm. with its
muscle large and hard as milestone" indicated
condition of equal vigor and power throughout
the body, and that the result of the whole was
firm health and good spirits, with vigor and elias
ITCHY betrayed in every movement So in men
tai development The young man who pursues
speciality In Harvard or any other college,
after having passed through the preliminary
training for education in Latin Greek English,
French, German, history, mathematics and
physical science. viii not become a ''monstrosi-
ty." The preliminary training in wider field,
and four years constant intercourse with the cul-
tvated men of Cambridge will save him from
that Moreover, are the famous specialists of
our day monstrositiesf Spencer, Darwin Hux-
ley, Max Muller, and a score of English,
of note vino would be properly called
specialists, do not deserve President
McCosh's sweeping denunciation. The Doctor
himself admits that, to a certain point. special
ism is necessary; and the only question Is. at
what stage shall special study be introduced
President McCosh illustrates the supposed evil
Of free choice of studies as follows: "A young
man, we may suppose, when he enters college
leaves out Greek. attracted by popular teacher
of French. When he has done so, he finds as he
comes to junior year. that voice, as it were
from God, calls him to preach the gospel of sal
walton. Then he comes to see his mistake, for
IL he has to be anssexpounder OF Scripture, he
must know the language of the New Testament,
and to attain this he must GO back two or three
years to school, and, unwilling to do this, he
gives up studying for the ministry" From this
the learned writer draws the astounding conclu-
sion that the issue will be an unfortunate
Let US apply the Doctors illustration with
slight changes to other cases. young man
with strong inclinations for mathematics or
science, desires, after four years course in
Greek, Latin and English in a good preparatory
school, to perfect himself in physical research.
and for that purpose to enter college where he
can have liberty TO choose physics, chemistry
botany, zoology and the modern languages. His
parents, however. having just read President
McCoshs reply send their son to Princeton.
There he is compelled for two years, at least, to
devote half of his time 10 subjects which are so
atrerly distasteful as to be, for one with his
mental endowment, pure waste of time Similar
cases may be multiplied at will LIS it not certain
that such cases viii far outnumber that sup
posed by President McCoshi A classmate of my
own, who was compelled to devote two-thirds of
his time after his entrance into his preparatory
course to the end of his freshman year. to Latin
and Greek, which he cordially detested used to
remark satirieally that Greek was beautiful
language; the letters were such convenient SYM
bols in the higher mathematics He is man
of marked ability, leader among the
physicists of the university. His case is by no
means rare, either at Harvard or at Princeton
The elective system provides for such asses;
but it must also be remembered that the par
eDts of student, or the student himself, can, If
preferred, secure a course of study at Harvard
identically the same with that at Princeton or
any other college
One of the ''racy" paragraphs quoted it your
Sundays editorial was the following on the sub
Jet of voluntary attendance Parents living
Tar away from the college seat should have some
security that their sons protesting to be at col
lege are net all the winter skating on the ice, or
shooting canvas back ducks on Chesapeake
bay" This evil is, fear, creation of President
McCosh's imagination. 1t is inconeeivable that
such fragrant cases could ever become common
even If there were no checks. But, as a matter
of fact, parents have quite as much security
against such misconduct at Harvard
rs at Princeton. A rule of the
college requires continuous residence
during term timei weekly returns Of attendance
are made by the instructors; and students are
required to give immediate notice OF absence to
the dean, and il the absence covers more than
three days, to report in person at the deans
Office Immediately on their return
The proper test Of this matter can only be af-
forded by the results of the years work of the
stlldent as shown by the yearly rank lists Tho