The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-06-11

PROFESSIONAL school, the actual begin
ming OF independent life is delayed till
q man is from 26 to 80. The
consumption of 80 many years in
what is purely preparatory work is,
therefore, the root of the agitation.
Some Of the causes for the delay lie on
the surface. The tendency of university
education in recent years has been to
expand it's boundaries and the purely
professional schools have many of them
heightened their courses. With this
tendency no fault can be found and we
must fall back on the supposition that
there is too wide gap between our high
schools and colleges and the universities
they are intended to prepare for. just
why an intelligent youth Of 16 or II, who
has had the advantage of thorough
training, should not be competent to en-
ter upon university course, seems
somewhat difficult to determine. AS
things are, however, the university au-
thorities have to deal with what is, not
with what might or ought to be.
In behalf of the retention of the old
system It can be urged that, altogether
apart from technical requirements, the
atmosphere of a university is extremely
valuable at the formative period of life
and that the period of it's enjoyment
should not be shortened. There is
large class of young men-and their
number will go on increasing indefinitely
with the general prosperity Of the coun-
try-who attend the universities not
merely for the sake of the educational
training to be obtained, but because
they are certain while there to meet q
distinguished class of men both students
and professors, and to be inspired with
certain tone and refinement not easily
obtained elsewhere. Many of them are
not dependent upon their own exertions
for means of livelihood, and while it is
far from improbable that they do not
rank among the most earnest students
of their alma mater and are not very
likely in after years to shed the light Of
their reflected glory and success upon
her, still there is no denying the fact
that almost insensi bly, they are receiving
benefits of great value to them in after
life by their sojourn within the walls Of
university. 10 shorten their period of
attendance would be to deprive them of
advantages aud to impair the finances of
the institution.
But, on the other hand, there is an
other and larger class of young men
whose needs -eminently demand our
consideration. They are the future
brains and nerves of our country. From
their ranks will possibly be recruited
the statesmen, the presidents, and the
kings Of literature in years to come.
They are the men who by dint Of untir-
ing exertion and heroic effort have rails
ed themselves from the ploughshare and
the mill to the proud position of ability
to value and enter upon university Ca
reer. In their way no obstacles must be
allowed to stand. IT they are prepared
to accomplish the work OF four years in
three, down must 60 all barriers to their
progress. Their pockets are not over
filed and years abstention from man
ual labor and devotion to study means
for them serious hardship. Not that
they grudge it, they have done far more
than that already to accomplish theil
coveted ends, but they are not foolish
enough to desire unnecessary dif1icultie.
in their path
Possibly some compromise might b.
effected which would meet the views ant
needs of both. II the four years course
were to be retained, there would be n,
necessity to cut short the university
training of the wealthier students, whil'
if an annual entrance examination wer'
, instituted the more pressing need nigh
: be met. Let snch an examination be o
sufficiently high grade to fairly entitl
, the student to finish his university ca
, reer in three years. time and we shall
| open the door to many of our futur,
men Of light and leading.