The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-08-09
MASTER OF ARTS DEGREE.
InDOrtsDt Changes in II Which Have
Been Made al The University.
7Hs TRUE OBJECTS OF EDUCATION.
r,ofessor Dabney Discusses Very Ably and
Clearly the Advantages 20 Accrue TO
the student from the New Degree.

..
SIR Ii gives me great pleasure 70 comply
WITH your request for an article explaining the
,...fcance Of the changes Just made by the
University Board Of Visitors in the NJ. A.
degree.
ror wears this degree has been held up to
.tos.ndents Of the University As the highest
ralof academic ambition. So exaggerated.
I. fact has been tho importance of the do
cree shat some persons regard it as a sort Of
na,..al fetch. capable # converting duh
irtoa genius. Others. on the contrary.
tsyn. seen or heard Of masters OF arts who
lsl failed to SGT the world on fire. very ab-
..rly assume that tho degree is an utter fail
-e and that masters of arts are
invariably mental Weaklngs distinguished
oils hy their inoriinate self-conceit The
ono view IS as false IS the other. the truth
hong. 0n the one hand. that genius "a very
r..e tlIug Is the gift Of nature and never the
r-.luet of education. and. on the other. that
..t.rs Of arts are usually men whose native
intel ectual powers and acquired intellectual
training are considerably above the average.
rtlmoud readers will acknowledge that
Colonel Archer Anderson. for example, or the
late John Hampton Chamberayne and
among the Younger set-Mr. John Pickrell or
Nr Douglas Bruce. are not feeble
minded men, Physicians will not be
likely 90 call the late DIR. John Stage Davis or
tte late Dr. James J.. Cabell we kings while
Tie clergy will hardly dub Bishop L. o. bud
ley Dr. Robert i. Dabney and Dr. John a.
Roadlus mental imbeciles. Nature gave
fnese gentlemen their ability. while the nj
,ers.ty Of Virginia trained their minds and
le, we'd upon them her degree as a token
that they had worked well and prOfted by her
Instruction.
ExTREsIEs AVOIDED.
Was that instruction good or bad? Avoiding
te two extreme yiews-that the NJ 4. course
gives the best mental training ever devised by
man and that It is positively pernclOus AID
ruinOus 10 the mind-l believe that the train
ing received in the course is mostly good
There is no cheap clap-traD Of the sensational
Western stamp, and It may justly be claimed
that in matter the instruction IS sound. and
in method thorough. Doubtless some Of 1t is
duh; but 50 Is much Of the business of life.
No road either TO genuine culture or to
post-cOleglate success IN life IS wholly
primrose path of dalliance. Keeping debit
and credit accounts day after day, or making
pg-irOn year IN and year out, are not roman /
&c occupations while the constant cOntem-
patiOn Of cancers and tumors of diseased |
lungs. diseased kidneys, diseased stomachs Is |
lot exactly the most pleasing IF pastimes |
Nor Is 1t easy 10 see how the draftingo of deeds /
without emitting any Of the 'aioresadb' or |
parties OF the trst part Is more conducive |
10 ultIlty lIhU even wrestling WITH the SUD /
iunctve mood and. indeed will make bold |
g. opiDe that even the composition Of
couple of sermons week IS not without its
tedious side.
Yes. the ablatve case. or the chemical for
nuia for benzine or the lemniscata Of Ber-
n0uilli, OF the phenomenology of conscious
ness laay sometimes appear very dull themes,
ami may therefore occasionally make the
heather rage But this is inevitable Some
sub ects Of instruction must be dull. Much
diudgery must be borne. Yet the courses in
the NJ. A. degree are mostly good.
ADVANTAGES OF TIE CHANGE.
Can they under existing pecuniary cond-
tons be improved? Most surely they can;
an tho object Of this letter is to set forth
briefly the advantages which, as believe. will
result from the great changes that the board
q visitors have Just made in the NJ. A. course.
But before stating what these changes are. let
Us inquire what is the object Of degree, or in
deed of liberal education at all
Without going into needless subtleties we
may say that the object is twO-fold; in tie
first place, to develop, expand and strengthen
al the Unborn faculties of the mind IN the
second place, TO store the mind with as much
useful knowledge as can be retained and as
simulated without impalring the mental dlges-
tion OF these two objects the first IS the
more important, and IS analogous to the bene-
fits secured TO the body by gymnastical eIer-
else The object of swinging Indian clubs
aud manipulating dumb-beils Is not 50 much
the mere performance OF certain feats as the
strengthening of the muscles and the general
health So the chief benefit gained from the
study of attn and mathematics is not the
mere knowledge OF certain facts about
trangles and verbs, but the mental viqor
D.. ured in the process Of learning these facts
SUI 10 cannot be denied that the know edge
~ facts is also an advantage and a course of
Instruction should therefore provide. If
] I,-bla, interesting and useful facts as well
b, sIidand thorough discipline for the mind.
le' Us now see whether the present NJ. A.
course accomplishes the objects which the
Euient should aim TO attain. At one time !
history literature and rhetoric were included
d. tle course but these subjects we're dropped
about eight OF nine years ago. and the course /
now includes, az II did before the war. grad
uati0n in the senior classes Of Latin, Greek,
lren b, German, mathematics, natural PHI
osophy. chemistry and moral philosophy.
FLAW IN THE PRESENT COURSE.
More than one flaw can be found in this
curse In the first place. it is absolutely z
-gd and gives the student no freedom Of L
noice. being based upon the false assump-
on that all men who desire liberal educa- )
on arc substantially equal in mental ap- 4
tufes and power. and that, therefore. they u
loul all be fed upon mental food OF ex- ;
'lr the same quality and KIND. IL Ignores Il
le patent fact that mems minds are as IN 7
args amount Of pork or cucumbers OF 4
Dner may turn some stomachs so an over y
),e of syutaX. or diaerontial co-efiicients. u
metaphysics may disgust and weaken u
one minds. In the second place. the course.
-e falling % make a man a real specialist Il
any one subject which is the aim of the "
Do. D deCleel specializes in some subjects "
20 much for purposes Of general culture. 4
hlo entirely emitting others OF vital impor- b
.lce for these purposes. Is surely peril {
ct 20 ask why the inbnitesimal calculus and b
.cu-t problems in mathematical optics
ll acoustics should be considered neces- u
~ for enerI culture. while hi,tOry aud Eng III
'niitcra ure are ignored. Surely the burden OF
proof rests upon those who claim that d.
llwedge Of the liable spherical spiral - 81
Necessary than a knowledge of Hamlet. NJ
he properties OF the brachistOchrone ID
"a ln re u pOrtant han the characteristic, Of
enc es or q sar. IN r. important than g 20
htv drama OF the Reformation or the "
ench Revoluti u. Many readers may IN I'll
'ed, 10 astOunded 10 learn that Master Of f.
ts # the University Of Virginia under the vi
eseni system. may never have read syla- sh
e nj Shakespeare Milton or Byron. Of co
Gliding Scott or Thackeray and may be III
o'ounily ignorant OF every period Of fir
man history Yet such is the case. The CT