New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-15
THE UNIVERSITY, OF CHICAGO
MEN MAY CONE AND MEN MAY GO. BUT
TT WILL GO on FOREVER
vou CAN ENTER At ANY TIME YOU CAN GRAD
rArE AT ANY TINE, AND YOU CAN GO TO

rLiooco the model university OF this country. The
10 has been secured. $4,000 900 has been obtained
be Institution been chartered the president mas
loon chosen the faculty is in process OF selection
and the university has been advertised to open It's
doors on February l, 1902 If the plans contemplated
arc carried out the University of Chicago must be a
node, for the simple fact that 1t will be unique among
,rc,t,onaI institutions. Whether il be success or
NOT m breadth Of scope and bodness Of innovation will
ottroct to it the eyes of the educational world.
The University of Chicago first took definite shape In
MAY 1889 when IT sprang into being as prospective
,tu,ion by the gift of $500 600 from John d. Rookie
,oller Mr. Rockefeller has largely increased MS
Gift since that. other gifts have been secured and the
work preliminary to the establishment OF the university
has been rapidly pushed forward. For some reason
however information for the public was hard to OBJ
ain and numerous erroneous stories were set ahoat
A. TO the plans and prospects of the new institution
Authentic detailed information was first made pdonc
IN This CITY recently when Professor William H.
Harper Of Yale. now the president OF the Chl0'so
University at the meeting of the Baptlst SOCIAL Chon
cxplaned and defended the startlngy peculiar plans
on which ii is expected to carry FORWARD 'he "o'N
Of the university. Professor Harper was seen py d
Trjbune reporter during his stay In this city anu
gave the historical and explanatory statement WHICH
follows.
At its annual meeting in May, 1889 the Board Oh
the American Baptist Education Society resolved 10
take immediate steps toward the founding OF a "eH
sOupped college in the city OF ChlcdSo ~
time John D. Rockefeller made a subscription Vi
sGOO 600 toward the endowment fund of the college
This sum increased during the succeeding year
by about $4,000 in subscriptions representing
more than 1000 persons. Three months later MI
Rockefeller made additional profer of S1,o0oOoo
This fund considered sufficient basis on "hich
10 proceed with the development of the plans. oh
this subject Professor Harper said
The time had come for experiment in certain lines
OF educational work. American institutions are all on
the same line Is there not room for advance. or at
all events for Change? Have we arrived at Time
when it is not worth while to experiment! The
founders Of this university thought not. and took
action accordingly. First, it decided that the
location of the new university should be in city
For college, small town is better. but for an in>t
tuition intended for the education not of boys. but OF
men We must agree that Il cty-a large city-is the
ideal place. New-York City would be the place for an
IDEAL university. Next to it comes Chicago.
The detailed plans for the university required long
elaboration study. In the first place, the nSti'
tuition is to continue in session practically the year
round. Once begun, it will never stop. There will
be four terms of twelve weeks each. with one week
ntcrmission between terms. Why should plant.
fl may so use that word, worth half million dollars
remain idle for one quarter Of the year? WHY
should healthy young men, in the period OF their
greatest vigor need twelve weeks rest? Why should
men, at the age when most capable of work. be com
pced to be idle one fourth of the time7 such were
The considerations that led to the adoption of this
plan. However, a professor may take vacation OF
twelve weeks when he needs il. at any time OF the
year, but the university goes on without him. N
student may take similar vacation in winter or sum-
mer if he needs it. Men may come and men may go,
but the university goes on unchanged. 1t Will then
be made possible to take the ordinary our years course
in three years. not by cutting down the course after
the fashion of Harvard. but by giving to it the whole
time of the student Students may enter at any time
and NAV be graduated at any time. when ready, and
will not be compelled TO graduate before they are
ready.
aThe Chicago University proposes to control its
preparatory academies taking hold Of education quite
far down. There should be uniformity of preparation
An ideal university will be begun at the bottom and
work UP. The college of the university will not be
large The American college Is a sort OF halfway IN
stitution than academy, less than university III
Ia, been proposed therefore, that it may be divided
into lower and higher college the lower, including
the freshman and sophomore courses. carrying forward
tbe academca work: the higher comprising the junior
and senior wears beginning the university work. Col
lcccs are local To 100 miles TO college IS the eN
ception not the rule. radius of 100 miles AROUND
any college will include by far the larger proportion
0, the students This applies even TO Yale, whhch Is
pobably the most cosmopolitan of our institutions.
no college uS be local and therefore the University
~ Chicago will not attempt 10 build up an extensive
collegiate department. We recognize that there must
be colleges in Ohio in Michigan and in WISCONSIN, anu
each of them must must ours IN Chlcago, DC ioc''
Int the tendency Of surrounding colleges VIII DC III
manner 10 unite with us, affiliate and work together
the college work being done in each the university
work being done In the Chicago institution
4. And now as to the work of the university. Iherc
arc contemplated college Of liberal arts college OF
science college Of literature college Oh pr"ou'"i
arts = graduate school. divinity school, ana schoos
~ law medicine engineering, pedagogy, nne art anu
music These will be established as fast as inc luHus
allow The term of twelve weeks will be divided ih'o
TWO terms Of six weeks each. The stddeht III any
department will be allowed TO pursue no more u'''
Two subjects in any one term. The dissipation VI
energy by attention to many subjects at one u'hc -
the bane of college life There IS no concentration III
cnch > method Under our plan student shali pur-
sue two studies major and minor, giving pfopaOlS
ten hours a week TO one and hve 10 inc o.iNi' CIV
estimate that he will acquire from one-half TO ohe-tIiu
r,ore in the six weeks than under the old system At
fine end Of the six weeks term he may elect 70 20 vi
with the same studies may take Others INC piV
fessor is likewise concentrating his attention anu
energy with the same beneficial results.
This plan makes it possible to employ INC ocN' 'i
emf in this country or Europe Professors from uic
To-. or from, Germany can be brought for term OF SIX
ar >cven weeks No one institution, however "eai.hs'
can employ all of the best talent, but by TINS het'u
il can be done i'll a far larger aeeiee 'haii ID NV
possible" . =. ,bo
:. What will be the method OF government OF u'o
now institutionln Professor Harper was asked
.It ,cilI be organized and controlled, as far as
rosihle after the manner of railroad companies d
system in which it IS possible to fix The re'pons'Oiiy
70. every detail upon one man. The scope OF STUDY
viii lac limited only by the limitations that funds
bring. Everything should be studied That Is worthy
OF the attention Of man. Ana lhcI'' 'oo' ',i'' '
must ne broad I'm the fullest OF the word 1here
ara, only two things To he respected, God ana TRUTH
with proper respect to those two study siouiu DC
pushed regardless Of consequences, whether te subject
OF that study be Bible, or science, or what not
VIII the university be sectariai Z"
:, a.. ,o means To he sura IL will lie
. ran,ist institution under Baptist control. because
we are Baptsts. But are also men, ana men de-
siros OF AIDING TO the store OF knJwIcdgc ana iot t
We snail make the University Oh Chlcdso pIoau anu
Cnr,tIan in the fullest sensc -, $500,
Professor Harper spoHe with enthusiasm oi ,ie ui