Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1885-02-27
ELECTIVE COLLEGE STUDIES.
rHE FRO AND con or rBE QUESTION
4BLY PREsENTED.
President Eliot, of Harvard College. Argues
In Their Behat while rtss,dcnt Nc
Gosh, OF Princeton, Takes strong
Ground Against Them.

club In New York, on Tuesday night, Presi-
dent Eliot, of Harvard college, and President
McCosh, of Princeton college, spoke ON the
relative merits of the elective system
OF studios In colleges Eliot argued IN their
favor while McCo h took vigorous ground
against thcm. The kernels of tho argument
are herewith given
President Eliot--"Ther,:are eighty teachers
employed this year In Harvard college, anu
they give about i25 hours of pubic ihstruc-
ton n week II II ippossiblo ioi any uhuer.
graduate to take moro than a tenth par, oi
the instruction provided, aud u diltgent stu
dent would need about forty years to cover
the prcsent Held. As a university must try
10 tcirh every demanded subject, and ~
student caunoi take the whole list, IL ~
necessary io permit him to take part,
/" / believe the normal age at which an
American boy can hest 20 TO u university
where choice of studies is free to he eighteen.
The potential man ~ already revealed. ~
his school studies have been reasonably
comprehensive, there can be no doubt ~ to
the most profitable direction OF his subse-
quent studies. Under favorable Influences
his possibilities are essentially determined.
= he has passed the age when compulsory dis
cipliue il useful, aud ho can no longer DE
driven TO any useful exercise of his mind.
He can now select for himself n better course
Of study than any college faculty can possi-
opportunities of observing the working OF
this elective system, and oi comparing u
with prescribed curriculum, both
in this country aud in Europe. l
have never known student oi any
capacity to select for himsclfa set Of studies
covering -four years which did not apparently
possess more theoretical and practical merit
Tor his case than the required curriculum oi
nv college DAYS Forced studies are neces-
sarily elementary from beginning 10 emu
aud very heterogeneous. No teacher now
ever learned or enthusiastic, can possibly
have any advanced pupils, and no scholar,
h.xNA
serious attainment in any single subJoct
Under tho elective system the great majority
pursue some subjects with feasonapie
degree of thoroughness. Those VINO have
already decided upon their profession wisely
pursue relative subjects"
President McCosh--"A college curriculum
should have two elements or characteristics.
First there should he required studies FOL
all who pursue "A full course for degree and
4 secondly, the attendance at lectures aho
recitations should bo compulsory. The re
uuircd studies should be disciplinary Afford
ing true mental training. such studies are
English Greek, Latin, German, French
history, mathematics and physical science
Later in the college course should CONF
biology. geology, Political economy ana th'
mental sciences. All these studies should "
80 spread over the years passed by boy a
school and at college that euh step naturally
leads to another. In other words, the.
should be logically arranged. The degree
of Master uf Arts aud Bachelor OF Arts Wef
instituted ~ incentives in those highc
studies which have always been regarded q
afiordng the best training for the hunai
mind and | contend that those whp WISH Y
obtain these degrees should be Obliged I
pursue the studies with which they nav
always been associated. should pfeie
a Young man who had been trained IN an Ole
fashioned college in rhetoric, philosophy
Latin, Greek and mathematics To one wh
had frittCred away four years IN studying IN
French drama of the 18th century, ihti
music and similar branches.
now, come to my second point-that a
tendance upon lectures and rocitations shnul
be compulsory. II a young man mas ire'
dom To choose his studies he should not u
allowed To come to tho lecture room one ut
aud stay away the next Professors at larVar
have complained TO me that the optional sy'
TEN there in force often results III forcii
them to lecture 10 empty seats IL may
said that Ii X enough II the student lrlss'
his examination mt the end of thot term. u
true that man may become a scholar wltI
out going to college but heing thcrc !
should certainly get all the al vantage poss
----. hle from his course. have had eAierIen'
in Europe of this optional system, ana ha
not found it beneficial. 1t invariably lea
to crumming and conscientious work IL sup'
seeded by a icversh effort before the eNainiii
ton day. In Germany IL ~ true that y
system is practised With success But I
Germans have one great safeguard, which '
have not, in the bureau of state examiner
who stand in the path OF every man '"
would obtain a position, whether clNii OF
should institute such an examining boar
then Harvard might safely follow her prese
course. -,
Il have q few words To say on speclaui
Men have different talents and different Vo
TONS and special studies should therefore
provided for them. Elective studies shou
he OF two kinds First, branches win
would not bo good for all, but may pre-
profitable To n few Such studies are Hebrt
Sanskrit and among the sciences, paiie
tology. Secondly, there should he elect
courses in the higher departments OF tn
studies whose elements are obligatory 10
Thus all young men should study mathei
ties, but only those with special mathei
teal taste can master quaternious, funcu'
or quantities. In Princeton we continue Tn
elective studies with obligatory and dis
linary branches. So that in the junior ;
senior years there are certain required
certain elective branches In fiar'f
however, everything is scattered like
star dust out of which worlds are said To b
been made In a college we should n
specialists but not mere specialists, Tor
are bigOted and ntoleranL The truest
best specialist is the one who is well
auanted with collateral branches Fror
too great choice of studies arise certain 81
evils, Young men on entering college
nokpow their own minds nor what Is tn
their future calling, and if left 10 themse
make wrong selections which impair l