New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-06-02

TO SHORTEN THE COURSE.
\ STARTLING CHANGE PROPOSED AT
HARVARD

THE FAULTY, THE ACADEMIC COUNCIL AND
THE CORPORATION FAVOR REDUCING THE
PERIOD OF STUDY FOR BACHELOR
OF ARTS TO THREE YEARS.
nv IELEGRAPH 10 IHE IkIBCNE.l
Boston, June | (Spccial.-An important change Is
proposed at Harvard College, which is receiving much
attention and provoking wide discussion. 1t is pro
posed 10 make rcduo ton the college course to
three years, and the measure has now, In slightly
modified form. passed the faculty. tile academic coun-
ell and the corporation aud only awaits the con
currcnce OF the Board of Ovcrsccrs become statute
This step will the critical attention Of all Dcr
sons Interested in education. II will affect with deep
rnnccrn tho GOVERNING boards OF other colleges,
since If boy get his degree Of Bachelor Of Arts
in three years AT Harvard. lie Will not be likely to
spend four at any other college. II will up dis
cusSion and provoke not little indignation among
some OF the more conservative Harvard alumni, and
1t VIII constitute the main issue In their election OK
ovcr'ecrs 10 Ill the present "acancics. II will not
want for advocates on the one hand. while on the
other, II VIII excite the protests Of its conservative
opponents Final action has not Yet been taken by
the ovcraccrs and probably VIII not be before
autumn. The chief for the proposed change
H. Of course, that college get 1t their active
work III life too late \ compromise between
conservatives and radicals finally devised, which,
after considerable debate and some emphatic Oppo'l-
tOn, obtained majority vote OF the iacuty and that
Is the one now awaiting action in the Board Of over
secrs. II Is reduction IF the number Of courses
instead Of reduction IL time. Under its provisions
man will receive h, degree when he has passed In
'Nccn courses, the present requirements being slight
~ above eighteen and IT, by reason oi haf courses he
an.,hc, In the middle Of the year BE Nln receive M,
degree and depart forthwith Tic Few iders would
continue to take our. and rcrhaI, five for thc
course. Ia,t thcy Do now. but FOR The large aa
lorii, ia, propo.cd reduction would be practically
reduction 10 three ycdr,.
Professor /. G.. Peabody declines 70 express
opinion ou the subject Tor publication. Professor
II. g. Palmer believed in the de,ifab.lty u change
way. lie stated -u-Ectivcl} that the degree
Of hthcior Of Nt. a. IL !, uoW. mean, hai; A. mach
AGAIN a II did when be- received his. Pre-. dent
Eliot thought 30 rsht 4or tac matter 10 be dis
cus.,d n public and readily expire. -cd hi, opinions.
"Nc.,- De said. ~ believe In It thoroughly. The
age a. w.lch the students now enter upon their
professional he !, too nigh. Nm can now. it Is
true DO the course iu three years. hut they are
exceptional ard the difficulty Is great. They have
10 taHc Sis q year. AID th1t i- more an the
avcr,e" man ,hould d.. The age has lc'n steadily
Increasing. and ia the professional school, The term
Ia. bcci' lrnrhrulne. When I became president the
llw school ,orr-, va. only eighteen months. Now
u j., three years. do not think this ought to be
shortened. Til. preparatory school, can. II they
VIII. ave q, least year aud IAN help by ti!lns
oil 90 wear from tte academic ,uur-c.r
What go you thiuA ., The objection that such
stop would many ~ Tie other collcsc, IS tax
ine away q year, rcycngc from thcm''
That vould NOT be the case. There isn't col
lcro iu tho country 20 dependent Oh its tuton fc-
a. Harvard. Ii vc can .tAua .t thc, 'an.'
Professor +. " rl.,-s is a cordial believer in
thc ness scheme. i am,- .ay, De. in favor of a
reduction Of the college oIure in institutions Ike
Harvard CoI-- in which fhc rquisiton, for admi'-
m -, ..-., ., h ,t
''' ''''"..'' ~ ." '' ''" a
I'm Harvard COLLEGE. in their fourth year. may bee
i,..,, .,..li, .,., ,oo ,,...,. ,-., th,.. who's,
, - , ,,t
"'.''t ' t'I'''" '"''"''' "'' ''''' 80.
- . ,.,. , . ,..,,, ~ ,,.,f..,t q icct,
DO some one '"i. 't -. t.""' % '"''''' .' ''''
For 10" hrt ,ct, "A''o ''iH - '''-'"'
c,!uca'on some contact with thing, rtA-
lc,tnll. a tlnGurc Of culture thrc, ycar suffice.
-. snd i,y n,, 81 ,.lt ~ fa, lime AID re-
enr,on Ia threc year. Would ,.mulat. better u.s.
"i '"" ~ oPp'i'.'" 'I -,r .'''',i @ -. -, Hour,
@ 4,I1 INV ~, - ,.'' -, r,.. pd 80 ,,"gM pr1niotr a
wider spread oi colr-c cnu''h"n' WIZ" ,,
an "'l't "i '' uti''uS. "riV.," ,ho.' ,rho ,r,
pl,r~ a. I'm The er,,iun,. school Tho vorl. don. ~
ihcm counts IN every Other country. aad probably
In every other institution Of TN country - %'rS
for the dc-rt- % N',."r 81 MY ,r' r", h,t
t-adfIonnlly associated with the gree oi i"h'"I
Of Arts. It Sroud hc encouraged ana ".t'r'u -
hi.lcr university Wori aud put lu its proper pace
the csi,fine and -roNlu. gradual" school
Professor g. G. Everett. dean ~ the DIVINITY H'H"l'
tbi there i an unnecessary cagcrnc>- tO get 10 thc
vorLlnc part of life. Professor william Jane aP
rr,yr, tl'c new plan Higher cducAuon." he say,
- Ir -, ,non, ,iou- condition I'm thl- country. The
Lctt.r college, in America perform partly the Woih
II the German Is, muasIun. the French N',"; OF ','
English high school ard partly the wor, ~ the non
prof -ioua! facultc, lu frci-n universities. lul'
vhcIr'c in Europe student, ei"r I and II
carry them on .imultaueou'N WIN u'i' u ,o "," and