Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1889-07-10
Discipline in COLLEGES,


In the July North American Review
is symposium on the question Of how
far university should control its stu
dents. The question is discussed espe-
cially with reference to American insti-
tutions of learning.
President S. c. Bartlett, of Dartmouth,
mentions the German university, clus-
ter of professional schools for the law,
medicine, theology, etc. Previous to
this comes the seven years rigid drill in
what is called in Germany the gymna-
SUM. This is not place for physical
exercising, but school wherein litera-
ture and science are taught. The ordi-
nary American college corresponds more
nearly to the German gymnasium. Only
here and there is one with regular uni
versity courses, where older students
who have finished the ordinary college
attend lectures and study their life pro-
LESSONS.
Consequently there must be consider
ably more control over the American
college student, in the Judgment Of Presi-
dent Bartlett, than there is over the uni
versity student. The average age at
which the American enters college is
1871. This is too young for boys to con-
troll themselves. Therefore the college
faculty should control him kindly but
firmly.
The learned presidents are nearly unan-
imous on one point. That is that the
college faculty should cultivate close and
friendly relations with the students. In
this way they will be able to influence
them greatly for good.
President Angel, of Michigan univer-
sity, thinks the question very much like
this: Chow far shall father control his
sons between the ages of II and 21:''
Professor n. S. Shaler, of Harvard,
and President Angel speak out the voice
Of the new time more than any of the
others. They believe the old day of
blind obedience to petty and exacting
rules both in the family and in the
school is over. Confidence, friendly I'M
Outstanding, affection and good COM
radeship are gradually taking the place
Of the old stern discipline President
Angel says the faculty should govern
the college, But this being understood,
let the hand of authority be displayed
only when indispensably necessary. Let
the professors get near enough to their
pupils to exert a positive moral infiu-
ence on them.
Professor Shaler says in effect: Throw
the boys on their own responsibility as
far as possible: appeal to their higher
sense and make them control themselves.
This is the system of freedom, as opposed
to the system of fear, and is the one
largely adopted at Harvard.
President Charles Kendall Adams adj
vocates dealing with students as indi-
viduals and not as class. He does not
believe in the democratic form of school
government so much as in that in which
q respectful obedience is maintained.
President Hyde, of Bowdoin declares
that faculty should exercise an intel
lectual, religious, moral and physical
control over the students, and also regu-
late department in and about college
buildings. Principal Sir j. W. Dawson,
of McGill university, Canada, says:
1.-THE control of young men and young
women is to be exercised rather in the
way of inducing them to like their work
and duty than by an influence of the
nature of coercion or restraint
In the University of California, Presi-
dent Horace LAWS, there are eight
courses of study. five scientific. three
literary. The student may choose one
of these and pursue it, In all the courses
there are elective studies There arc no
college dormitorirs The students scat
ter to their homes in the afternoon and
the college campus is deserted. There is
ample opportunity for athletic exercises.
To these things. and to the fact that 20
per cent of til" students are women.
President Davis attributes it that the
faculty have no great difficulty in pre-
serving order. resident Davis advo-
Gates careful supervision over the stu
dents selection ol studies, and over him
in other respects during his early years
AS his course draws to close this may
IA raIa~a1