The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-02-09

CHICAGO UNIVERSITY.

The eastern university men have beer
somewhat inclined to look with suspi
cion upon Chicago degrees. They have
cherished the idea that a Chicago grad
uate could be manufactured out OF very
moderate intellectual timber, and that
fees played a very important part in the
conduct OF the institution. Consequent
ly, the rumors Of the past few months
on the subject of a new departure in
the university curriculum have excited
more or less interest in the educational
world. The announcement just made
by the board of trustees ought to carry
conviction to every doubling mind. The
board has done itself honor and has
done it i'll true western fashion. Pro-
gress is the watchword we should ex-
pect from Chicago, and we have it.
Novelty and breadth are the special
characteristics of the new departure.
1t was Ezra Cornell who desired that
every student should receive instruction
upon any subject he might choose.
Chicago means to supply the want.
Same of the latest colleges, such as
Clark and Worcester and Johns Hop
kins, at Baltimore, are catering almost
entirely for specialists, post-graduates
or scientific students. The Chicago
plan is commercially wider in it's scope,
for it means to afford immense oppor-
t~unities to every class of the commun-
ity to obtain the best and highest cul-
ture which a completely equipped mod
ern university has it in it's power to
confer" Though the institution is to
be thoroughly unsectarian, scientific
study of the Bible will be the subject
of special courses, and one of the col
Ieges will constitute a special divinity
..lloot.
The t.L.5tees have shown themselves
s.de awake to tine best modern educa-
tional development, and their system
seems to be a cleaning of the good feat
ures of every other institution of a like
character. The university is to be di-
vided into academies and colleges. The
introduction of the English university
extension system, with its evening
courses, its correspondence classes, and
its regular lecture schedule, promises to
make Chicago a center of light and
leading. Social intercourse between in
structors and students is to receive care
full attention and observance, the in
structors are to be specialists in the best
OF the term, and the man who
proves himself incompetent or unfit
must yacate his chair in favor OF a sue
cessor.
The whole scheme breaths an air of
western progresslveness. Tradition, as
tradition, goes for nothing. The uni
yersity classes are to be in session all
the year round and the summer schools
ought to prove a boon to teachers and
many other special students. Long va
cations and ironclad courses of study
are to be things of the past. The plan
is a splendid one, and no one will deny
that Chicago can bring it to splendid
fruition. The support of the entire
northwest will follow, as a matter Of
course. There is but one word Of warn
ing to be giyeE and needed. The execu-
ton must be worthy OF the plan. An
incompetent president. an ill-paid fac
ulty and shoddy work have brought to
many an educational institution the fail
ure it deserved, anG Chicago, if it falls
into the mistake, cannot hope to escape
the inevitable result.