New-York tribune., 1886-08-04
Mr. BLAINE ON EDUCATION.
A SPEECH BEFORE A CHAUrAUQUA CAMP.
TIE MISTAKES OF MODERN COLLEGE LIFE POINTED
rrY TELEGRAPH To TIE TRIBuNr.1

vur MISTAKES OF MODERN COLLEGE LIFE POINTED
OUT.
(pr TELEGRAPH TIE TRIBUNr1
PORTLAND, Me-, AUG. 3.-Mr. Blaine was
among the visitors at Chautauqua Camp to.
day. and IN the afternoon no spoke
briefly regarding some tendencies IN modern
college education. He had long wished, he said, 10
visit OF the Chautauqua assemblies to learn more
Of their modes Of procedure and express
his admiration for the singulary efficient work
the association is doing. doing so modestly
and with such small cost The members are indeed ac
compishing what Sydney sIuh declared the founders
Of The LdinburQh Eerie,o had prescribed as
their ain in their classic maxim. which, freely
translated, meant that they cul,ivatng literature
on little oatmeal The organization which Or Vincent
has so ably perfected is novel in sd esign and would
have absolutely Impossible before era OF tho
railroad ana the telegraph. DIR. Viacent founded
popular university. In which students can he
admitted without regard to previous
cnture, and which by tho large stnu-
lus impaired by cooperation is producing hundreds
OF .nds OF and serious readers IN the
try. 1t Ia sefnsiruct!on. guided in right chan
nels and maie efficient by a comprehensive
and mastery organization. Some OF the
features Of tins Chautauqua organization
might have taught useful Lessons to many OF col.
eces. The danger besetting higher education is Its
eypapse, and beyond that tue still greater danger
OF permitting deTOralizng and corrupt expenditure
beyond the necessary outlay of college life.
In the coleres. siid the speaker. which have
down to from the Colonial period the apceut habit
Wa. to arrange hoys in the class roll according
10 the recognizcd social rank OF their parents.
The establishment OF National Republican
Government as the result Of successful
revolution brok. down this aris;ocratic preten-
sicn and the names Of stuients werc thenceforth
called alphabetically But in the remarkable acquisition
ot wealth the part Of many in the United
States another distinction was growing up in
our highest colleges more offensive than the au
cent one; distinction which the equality
of all men, set forth in the Declaration O: Indcpent.
ence. woud not endure. OF all the forms OF social
superiority the most unerdursble is that founded
mere wealth unaccompsnied "a 1t often is by learn.
ing. by virtue or by good manners. The
sense of inequality forced upon tho poor boy
or the boy OF moderate means by the
lavish expenditure OF the rcn boy will prove IN the
end destructive 10 the useiulGess OF any inst e.
tuition that permits It. The Military and Naval
Academies OF the National Government have been OPP
posed often IN Congress- the ground that they are
aris;ocratic institutions That is mistake. There
are Institutions In the country III which the equality OF
right and the equality OF position are 50 absolutely
maintained those at West Point and Annapolis No
cadet spend than another, and each limited
TO some $40 per alnuu. On that amonnt
OF MI Van Buren, when be was President OF tho
United States and the OF the tailor who making
the cadet uniforms each and alike compelled
TO live. The university in the United States
which can establish democratic equality in the style
O, living among its students and tolerate no distinctions
.ssG saen anti sl0s sequS%en,. viii peviSy
the centre and source OF ne ne ,dy n,-nes' 4,nn
OF the learned professions in civil life in as
have contributed to the military apd naval prestige OF
The Repubnc. ,, . ,,.
exceptions may be taken is sh@ long Tine emp'yso go.
Tae admission to coees .ncb nov s,oden,. on '1e ie
me Ireeeane generation sradna,ed 10 n ySu.s Iao
ffpI al
conpietes his professional studies Al twentynVe; COS
turns nome at weniy twenty eight Iihc pc heir
% gIeA, fortnne ana intends 10 e we rsrx o @ ep
but II he ia compelled 10 depend ultimately on US own
tSTI eoSIraSied ,Cf d'' ss6s and quite
OF harmony with the people amoIg whom he l, 10 i've
confidence he must depend for success. He hni,
t.st tn' Sontsmpos"y vino Vlese' vars o
age. has already gained .'Tons io9'Loq IN
may know more many fields he knows icss IN heleliS
essential lie hAds himself junior TO tho'c
rms and finds that n- la7 %4sed IL genera,
culture some precious years which sAould have leon
tevGsd to & his spesa sanS nn p. IN e .arsG
professions is vastly Increased when he intends TO
anufaiucer ana In eher case his tate is not unlikely
to be that OF adi'couraeed iie .,,. ,n,n., .,n
,ueh ~ soanas@ce. ,aid .n.s,n.a NJ M-'p., M M
oppn OF one OF the aolo,t men taught in ,He
fo.. wsy An .nF m ssras r fore s
in Mr. Gadsiones Saenet. was TIE the con, o
in-laW OF the DusriOus AIApIu Va
Rugby and IN convers alton the subject which "Ii
now discussing Mr. Forster told ms that II was
the opiuiOn OF d.. Arnold that tbe yoi ne
England making iD'at'kr
OF delay lie ter they should be engage. ia
their life calling by tweniyOnc or twenty-five !eAis oi
age. OF / shall not be inIsIndrTsloOl
a. applying these 10 any young mAn who de-
voting himself to purely literary ne OF
to sny specialist who gives his tine 10 the
utmost bound Of Investigation. am sp' akihG oi
that great OF college graduates who ae to DO mon
OF affairs, who depend upon their earnings Tor thcI
bread. But even with literary men lhirS ou
Nrn-Epeland history would bear out my assertions
a. strongly with pro:es, men Longtlo" g,Nd'
uated at BOwdoin before lie was eighteen GcOrir Ehu
croft had earned Harvarfs ilpoma at sevebteeu' I"ip
Waldo Emerson a. under nineteen when. ne
graduated and Edward Everett but seventeen iD Pr
fe.sio.aI ana pnbIc hfo 1t ~ equally etrlsl1S Mr.
Webster. Nr. Choa;e, Mr.. Seward and Mr.. fessend"
college and reAIlng their Law bOOAS pS
the time they were nneteen years OF axe.
"But / do mean 10 lDpiy that Doys
should be educated III reference 10 a par.
ticular profession. 1t is dihcult TO tel a.
wish to do with himself AZ IIe'eon
or twenty. The curriculum IL good iOr
All aike and the regular course Of study Will deve -
the maturity (which Will cnaD!ca noy 70
choose b- Iroir ssion Iore easily. .,
have srrOus d,ub.s therefore Bs 20 the
mission the elective courses now becoming 50 pop
Lar IN many parts Of the county,.