New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-07-09
UNIVERSITY CONVOCATI0N.
INTERESTING VIEWS ON ATHLETICS.
A LARGE ANB REPRESENTATIVE ATTENDANCE
PAPERS ON THE STUDY OF PHILOSOPHY
ANp TECHNICAL SCHOOLS.

Crt. prcs,ed to-day over the largest University Con-
vocation ever assembled In Albany Inere were
present the greatest number OF prominent educators
OF this ana other states gathered In TINS Guy
Mr. Curtis welcomed all in a ehort address, saying
that he had no greater pleasure than that OF welcoming
the educators of the State to these councils ne hao
been In assemblies where it wac reputed theFe was
from $500 600 900 to $500, 100000 represented pnt
he did not believe that there was much money wealth.
represented here The wealth was that OF intellect
He went On:
Education is not to be valued as material al
vantage but as q spiritual course Education Is
desbtless the minister Of what we call success III Is
the enlargement of the intellectual horizon Higher
education is not different education but more eau
aton."
President d. ]. Hill made the report OF the Con-
vocation Council. Professor O. d. Robinscn's report
ON pecrology gave some interesting statistics The
report Of the Examinations Council was given oy
Principal D. c. Farr Of Glens Falls. Inc committee
had decided upon three examinations annually FreS
dent Webster, of Union University. ported for the
Committee on Colleges. The committee had decided
to favor university extension. II had formulated
report which would be presented IN printed form In
the future
Professor J. q. schurlaan Bean Of the School OF
Philosophy at Cornell opened the discussion on the
university study of philosophy. He said that CerneH
was thanks to recent gifts hereafter to spend about
$4,000 a year for the study and investigation OF
that had taken place within recent years in the con-
cerion and treatment Of the philosophical sciences
Formerly, they all regarded as non-progresslVe
sciences. To-day they all in ferment from the
eaven OF new facts which had been introduced by the
physical and historical sciences. To work over these
hew data and to add to them, was the business OIL 'e
university investigator in philosophy
Professor Nicholas Murray Butler, Dean OF the uni
versity Faculty Of Philosophy, in Columbia college,
opened the discussion by outlining the extensive orsa
cation Of the department Of philosophy in that nstlu
ton. Logic psychology, ethics and the history oi
philosophy were treated parallel and co-orsha'e
subjects In each the Introductory Instruction was
by lecture supplemented by seminary work ana la
boratory investigation.
Professor Frank S. Holman, OF Union University
believed that the study Of philosophy was peSt pro-
Noted by giving the pupils topics which they Aus'
conquer within two weeks. He left the pupil 10 WORK
out the fact himself
President g. Stanley Hail. Of Clark University, VINO
had taught philosophy for fifteen years, SAID nc haa
aocasor unon several times to change his course OF
study He believed that the college study should DO
different from that Of the university Ihe teachMg
should BIO with little discussion as possible ae
believed In conservatism, and the aVoidSlce ol Vlio
teaching Of philosophy that would create in the sudent
40 belief Professor Schurman closed the discussion
The afternoon session was opened with suohg
saper fayerpg physical education by Dr. bdWalu
Hitchcock, who is known as the father OF coilege
Athletics Dr. Hitchcock is director OF the Amherst
College gymnasium and he gave the relative value Oh
physical education to education In general we nave
no American system Of athletics; We should have
general plaDn he said. Many believe that college
athletics are detrimental that they encourage gam
hing Anything can be perverted. Every college
can be becred by athletics The athletic training that
fourdfths of the college students get is beneficial
it takes the mind off the hgl-tepson studies 10
be good athlete man cannot indulge In alsspalon'
AS TO gambling over contests, Dr. Hitchcock SAID tst
men could bet on anything He knew Of students VINO
bet on who would be called up next In CLASS lie
believed that college athletics tended to decrease bet
ting.
Dr. Luther Quick director Of the physical depart
meslt Young Mons Christian Association training
school, Springfield Mass, held that athletics shoulu
form an intregal part of education Physical exercise
entaled mental training Dr. Gulek said, ana he gave
Illustrations Of the circulation Of the blood and the
healthy action of the organs. Athletic exercise helped
10 develop the will Health gymnastics first, educa-
tional gymnastics second, and recreative gymnastics
third. was the order in which exercises should be
taught.
Charles F. Kent, of Palmyra, who was an athlete al
Yale told how the Yale crew worked for the great
annual race Then he told Of the football and base
ball teams and the track athletes and how they trained
One hundred and fifty were required each year
at Yale ON the different athletic teams. There were
100 candidates for these places.
President II. E. Webster of Union University,
thought that there ought TO be compulsory system
Of athletics in colleges. This was needed TO relieve
the nervousness Of certain There seemed to be
general agreement on this point. From reading the
papers one unacquanted with colleges would believe
that there certain amount Of education, but that
the main object athletics. II easier in col
lege 10 raise money for athletics than for books Dr.
Webster that there should be definite system
Of intercollegiate athletics in this State. He thor
colleges,
but that II required the utmost care and consideI5-
ton. If the utmost care was not taken, athletics
were ofentimes damaging.
The rest of the speakers opposed TO athletics,
unless they could be conducted not to interfere
with the regular studies. They held that athletics
was craze. The arguments were by Miss Elizabeth
C. Lawrence, of the Aumnial Committee; ID. c. Fair,
Of Glens Falls Academy; solomon Las, OF the Scho-
harie Union School, and H. W. Callahan, of Kingston
Academy.
The annual address delivered this evening by
Francis ~ Walker president OF the Massachusetts In
stiute Of Technology, his subject being "The Place
Of Scientific and Technical Schools in the American
system" lie divided his subject into three Different
parts The trade school, those in which the mechanic
arts taught a means OF general education and
the schools of applied science and technology, The
purpose Of which it to train engineers, architects
biologists, chemists and mctaHurgsts for the work o.
their several professions These schools do not aim,
President Walker said, TO educate the men who are
10 do tine work OF modern industry. II further may
be said that IN the main they do not even aim L
educate the men who are 70 oversee and direct tht
work Of Otiers-the men who are 10 act as supcrln
tendcnts OF labor. IL IS rather the function Of I'M
class of schools to train those who shall Investigate
the material resources Of the country shall proJec
operations for the development Of these resources Il
bc carried BY bodies OF labor and OF capital unde
The direction OF persons who nave received their educa
ton and training in schools of different order, o.
through practical experience in the mine, the nelC
and tho snOp
The earliest OF the American schools Of this claS
is never TO be mentioned without hOnOr-the Rensse
laer Polytechnic Institute Of Troy. The splendid wor
done by this school Of cvH engineering and bird =
building, especially before the Civil War, rightly On
titles 1t 10 high place In the history of American
education. The school OF this class Which next dc
serves 70 be mentioned Is the Sheffield Scientific SchoO
Newlaven. The nearest and easiest thing to say re
garding the growth OF scientific and technical school,
since the fortunate conclusion OF the Civil War is TIA
the industrial development If the country had eacheC
tire point where il had become matter of necessity
that the enterprises into which our labor and capita
mi shnnll be organized and dILented will