St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-02-15
MINNEAPOLIS NEWS.
President Eliot, Of Harvard,
Speaks at the State Uni
versity.
Park Board Committees
Commissioner Ryan as
an Economist.
Leo Heilpern on the Witness
Stand in His Own De-
Tense.
& Midnight Raid on a Gam
bling House--Poliee APP
pointments.


Very rarely does so large crowd as
semble in the university chapel as
gathered there yesterday afternoon to
hear President Charles w. Eliot, of
Harvard college, speak on the Prog
ress of Higher Education During the
Last Twenty Years" The chapel was
so full, and particularly the aiSleS and
back part, that over a hundred would
have had to stand or go away without
having heard President Eliot if
President Northrop had not interrupted
the speaker to direct the better seating
of the audience by inviting them for
ward, many of whom took seats on the
stage. A few minutes past 8 o'clock
President Eliot, accompanied by Mrs.
Eliot and President NOrthrOp, came
upon the stage and took his seat amid
loud applause. On being introduced by
President Northrop President Eliot said
that his remarks would be somewhat in
the nature of an imprOmptu talk, his
references and examples being taken
largely from his own university, with
which he was best acquainted.
The Address.
The speaker brought out very forctbly
the great change that has taken place
at Cambridge since the "lifties," by say
ing that when ne graduated from Har-
ward it was little more than high
school. Nor do l speak in any way
derogatory to Harvard" he continued,
"for as Harvard is the richest institu-
ton of learning in the country to-day,
so was it then, almost, if not quite, the
richest, and by that | mean, too, that
nowhere was there an institution better
advanced in instruction; nevertheless.
the instruction then was elementary"
Il wish to mention briefly a few
changes that have been made in the
old plan which have contributed largely
to the advancement that has been made
"FirSt | will mention the elective
SYSTEM We used to have prescribed
courses at Harvard the same as you
have here, and we begun to get rid Of
them in the same way you nave here;
by introducing the elective principle
into the senior and junior years. For
good many years we have been rid
of the old system entirely and now a
freshman at Harvard selects his studies
the same as a senior. This elective syS-
TEN has forced itself upon the universe
ties. Ii the courses offered 10y an insti-
tuition are forty times more than any
one can take during his sOjourn there,
he must specialize and must be allowed
to select his speciality. Leaving this l
will pass to less obvious changes that
have taken place during the last twenty
years, and the first of these that l shall
call to your attention is
The NATURALIZATION of Glasses
of instruction. This is of the utmost
importance, and was first achieved in
the scientific courses, although 1t now
extends to all courses in many of the
leading colleges. believe that Harvard
and Yale we're the first to introduce the
laboratory method, and this is the in
naturalization that has done so much
and is full Of so much promise.
The old method of lectures by the
method that allows the student to
come into touching contact with
the professor and which permits the
lecture to be given by the student. The
second less obvious point that l would
mention is the change of aim on the part
of the whole teaching body. The aim
used to be to acquire knowledge, TO col
lect information; the aim to-day is to
give power, to train some special quail
ity of mind, to enable the student to
apply what he learns to some prac-
tical phase of life. The fact that
the memory was cultivated chiefly
heretofore explains many fail
ures for college-bred young men. At
Harvard we do not require so many
books of Caesar and Cicero, Xenophone's
AnaboSis, ETC., for admission to classes
In Latin and Greek, but we require an
70
Greek and Latin prose at sight, thus
giving opportunity for the student to
put into practice the principles he has
learned. A third Of the less obvious
methods is
The Seminary Method.
This method originated in Germany.
but has been widely adopted in America.
Its aim is to give power. The student
selects some special topic which he care
fully studies up, finally giving a short
but comprehensive report of his find
ings before the class, the professor act
ing simply as a presiding elder, giving
advice and Offering suggestions, but
never sitting as a Judge. This plan
gives opportunity for covering a large
amount of ground, gives power and
fosters the NATURALIZATION method of
instruction.
Another method, similar to the last,
save that it does not count toward the
degree, is the conference. This method
stands out in bold contrast to the old
recitation method, where the professors
chief purpose was to examine each STU
dent and see how well he had prepared
the work assigned. Nothing further is
needed to show that III the conference
1t is the professors business to help the
student, and relations the most friendly
are formed between them. There
are other changes which come more
properly under the head of organization
than method. Up to 1872 there was not
college that offered studies leading to
higher degree than bachelor of arts.
To-day at Harvard alone we have 1877
taking graduate work leading to doc
tors degree. All these past graduate
students are working on specialties and
they must work from two to three years,
and hence it becomes necessary that
there must be slight reduction in the
requirements for A. b. 1t must be
taken sooner, because so much lies be-
yOnd.
Twenty Years Ago
at Harvard man could walk into the
law school without a single examina-
tion, pay three terms tuition, and at
the end of eighteen months walk out
with the degree of bachelor of laws.
No examinations, no record of attend
ance. In the medical college it was lit
tie better. The final examination there
was oral, was conducted by nine pro-
feSSors, representing the nine chief
branches. There were nine tables
In the room, one professor at
each table, nine men came in, one going
to each table, where he would be ques-
toned orally for five minutes; at the ex-