New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-07-21

II is the only permanent summer-school IN the
country, perhaps in the world. II stana on d
breezy knoll at the northern edge OF the Assembly
wounds and the students through the open WIN
do,ys of the class-rooms can look out on the green
stones below and watch the white steamboats,
rippng the placid surface Of the lake Inc
buildinc contains three stories, Is about 2oo ieet
long. was designed by DR.. w. \. Duncan ana
cost $4,000. 1t accommodates about 6OO SUI
dents and there is dormitOry on the top 1OOr
The main hall is used as a library ana once
and contains about 5000 volumes, mostly works
Of reference The bell rings for the first class
at in the morning, and there Is a constant
stream of students along the shady avenue that
connects the college with the cottages untll ! IN
the afternoon. But long after that hour dam
sells in gauzy costumes and young athletes IN
flannel shirts linger in the shade of the Moorish
balconies to wreste with cuneiform texts or I'M
ravel the intricacics of tn: Ethiopc Version In
deed. YOU can meet stracllcrs with books under
their arms about the college until 10 al night,
when the Chautauqua curtcw sends all piouS
souls TO bed. Last year, of the 575 students en-
rolled. 265 studied the English Bible, 50 Greek
- Latin. so Hebrew, Assyran, 90 German
and sc French. Fifty were teachers in universe
ties and colleges and 9S teachers in other insu-
tuti0ns. Seven pupils came from Yale, from
Harvard, ! from Johns Hopkins and from
Princeton: l2 came from Canada 6 from Japan,
. from China, from Bulgaria, from Russia ana
/ from Cuba. This year the roll includes lunl-
ber-dealer, a miller, printer. cornetist and a
straw-hat manufacturer. Wellesley and NasSar
are represented There are several Roman Cath
olics and one member Of the Sandemanian denom-
ination. to which Michael Faraday belonged.
The principal Of the college and the man 70
whom its success is Immediately due is Dr. w. r.
Harper, of Yale Dr. Harper is one of the most
striking figures az Chautauqua. With great
learning he unites in an amazing degree the ready
decision, practical common-Scnse and persistent
activity of man of affairs This is the secret Of
his great success as an educator lie is scholar
but not recluse He has the rare gift Of i'm
parting human interest 10 the driest studies,
and his pupils work hard less for the sake Of their
subject than for that of the teacher. Lake Mr.
Depew, DR.. Harper is a marvel of energy. Those
familiar with his attachments as an Orientalst
wonder where he finds time to conduct TWO
magazines, organize schools Of sacred literature,
draw up exhaustive prospectuses answer hun
dred letters day, and keep abreast of current
thought; and those who have admired the com
pleteness and ingenuity of his written methods OF
teaching by induction wonder how he cOntrves
10 apply them personally in the instruction Of 800
pupils week If the Old Testament lost
he could probably reconstruct most Of it's books
from memory; and the Biblical eXpositors who
have come of second best in the battle with him
over the higher criticism have learned TO re-
spect his scholarship as much they fear lis
tenacity. The projectors Of the new University of
Chicago could not have selected a better president
Dr. Harper is just the man 10 establish a new
concern on a sound and prosperous basis, and to
regulate its work from the outset by the highest
standards II he can be persuaded 10 accept the
post, there is no doubt That the University of
Chicago will deserve 10 rank with the leading
educational institutions. not only of this country,
but of the world