New-York tribune., 1892-01-01
WORK FOR UNTTERSITY EXTENSION.
SPEAKERS FROM MANY QUARTERS AT THE Ma.
TIONAL CONFERENCE.

SPEAKERS FROM MANY QUARTERS AT THE NA.
TIoNAL CoNFERENCE
Philadelphia, Dec. 31.-At the morning session OF
the National Conference OF University Extension to-
dsy Professor Michael f. sadler OF oxford, England.
was the first speaker; his address he called a chat
about university extension In England lie said
there there the spontaneously and the arncally
organized centres the latter being supported by
from the County Council. the other by popular sub
scrpuon England cIpends 81. 0.0OO year for the
teaching OF science and technical education. about
800 OF which goes to the aid OF the university
extension centres. The applicant for warrant for
a centre writes to the central Office, and when ae
commission is secured, meeting is call'd OF prouIi-
ncnt citizens. The ministers OF all denominations and
all parties invited. and especially the newspaper
men. The centres must be non-poltcal and non
sectaran. At the meeting you form your executive
committee and the work Is started.
lie had in his mind a centre organized at n Midland
town. the site OF ancient abbey where. for the hrTt
time since the Reformation the people Of all denomlna
tons seated In the front row Then the lecturer
is secured and II syllabus is published along with a
sketch OF the speaker Those not fit or popular soon
drop out. There must be natural selections Of
lecturers they should be good speakers and able and
agreeable expounders. In England there are three
classes OF teachers those OF the star grade receive
500 a lecture the medium Sl5 and the junior $l2 80
with railway expenses paid. and SIX lectures are
usually contracted for. Each course costs the central
society about $50 The surplus. n any, Is used for
libraries.
DR.. james Albert woodbura. OF the University OF
Indiana. related his experience "a university eX
tension lecturer. He said at IN his State the move
ment started by memb', 4 tie associate alumni
of Indiana Professor Wo0GI. m stated that the
Chicago society had been organized by an association
OF colleges In the West and ready for work with
n class Of ninety persons, onc-third Of whom were
10
quito sure that the movement In Chicago was bound
to spread that other centres would be formed
and foun6ed.
In answer TO DR.. McGill, Professor Woodbun stated
that the syllabus was usually given out before tie
lectures. Professor McCl thought it better to give
the syllabus after the lecture preparatory to the
quiz Then the student could put his whole mind 10
the subject Professor Dewey took an opposite view.
and he favored advance syab or blackboard illustr"-
tons and the taking o, notes by the student.
Dr.. Wilired II. Munro. OF Brown University, spoke
OF the study Of history under the university extension
system. He favored the placing OF each centre III
charge OF a committee. and these committees should
toaether a. To have uniformity. In New Eng
land he declared the masses were being reached Inc
charges were being put down 10 the lowest figures.
The speaker said he did not for more than fifty.
as with that number the best work Is done 81 DON'T
favor syllabusca said Professor Munro. lie found that
in nine cases out Of tho desire is for history, and
frequently for medieval history lie preferred tho
course of Professor Dmond. who virtually tho
founder university extension work in this country.
1t does not include American history for 1t is rarely
asked for but Offers in its stead constitutional history
Professor Cheney, OF the University Of Pennsylvania,
argued In favor OF a moro entertaining system OF lect
uring history. especially Ia the public schools
Professor Fell. Of -. Johns College, Maryland,
asked II institutions Ike the he represented wcr
10 act Independently lie wanted TO know II he
should fall In with the National system or the Chan
iauqua system? Professor James replied that "A plan
now being prepared by the cxocudve committee
but IL was not proposed interfere with ANY other
good or useful system. In a few DAYS the circular
embOdying the regulations would be printed and for
warded to all delegates OF the conference.
At the afternoon session Professor Henry j.. Chap
Maine and he said university extension was making
real headway. Professor Louis Bcver. Of Rutgrr-
College. nar1ted The facts of the progress mhdo IN
New Jersey Brief addresses full Of hOpefllness for
the.cause OF university extension were then made dc
failing the work in various states.