The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-02-10

A new departure has been made by Co
lumbia College. and 1t may prove to be Of much
public usefulness During the last week .
number OF courses Of university instruction
were opened to properly qualified persons.
without any requirement OF previous examipa-
tion or these courses Of lectures. essays. and
prescribed reading. described as COURSES
open to auditors" there are altogether forty
three. in nine departments the department
OF philosophy. ethics. and psychology. the
department OF experimental psychology. the
department OF Greek the department OF Latin.
tho department OF English. the department Of
the Germanic languages. the department OF
tho Romance languages. the department Of
the Semitic languages. and the department OF
Sanskrft. The courses In languages are
especially varied and comprehensive. in
Guiding lectures on the Greek lyric poets.
on PINDAn THEoCRITUs, and DEMosTHENEs on
PLATO. on the New Testament in Greek. and
on Greek art: ON the historical dc velopment Of
the Latin language: on the language and lit
erature Of SHAKESPEARE: on GoETHE's Faust:
on the history OF German literature and the
German language: on old Morse literature and
1celandic; on old High German. Danish. and
Swedish: on the history Of the Danish drama:
on French literature In the seventeenth and
eighteenth centuries: on French poetry in the
nineteenth century: on literary criticism in
France; on Biblical Hebrew and rabbinical
Hebrew; on Semitic photography: on Assyrian.
Arabic Syriao, and Ethiopic: on Sanskrit, and
on the general study OF language This GER
tainly is n magnificent programme from which
to pick and choose.
The most generally valuable lectures or
courses OF study are. however. those under
the head OF philosophy. ethics. and psychology:
on such topics, for instance. as the history Of
philosophy from the rise OF Christianity to the
present time: on the philosophy Of KANT and
the subsequent movement Of thought in Ger
many; on the psychology OF childhood and the
construction and practical operation OF q
school curriculum: on the scope and methods
of modern ethics. and especially the lectures
on the ethical basis OF philanthropio and re-
lief labors. with detailed study Of practical
problems and institutions
The fees charged are at the rate OF SIS for
the session. from February to May. for each
hour Of attendance per week. but in no case
will more than $50 be charged for any combi-
nation OF courses. Admission to certain spe-
Gifted courses is. moreover. restricted to those
whose qualifications are satisfactory to the
professors concerned.
This system OF COURSES to auditors" Is
especially interesting as the most practical ex-
ample rs vet afforded by any institution OF
learning here OF real university extension
At Harvard and various other colleges. special
students are admitted on somewhat analogous
conditions. but neither ut Cam bridge nor other
university towns. in fact in no other place in
the land is there collected within SO small a
compass so large and varied body Of curious
and energetic young men. eager for learning
and competentto apply it. as in the metropoli-
tan area OF Greater New York. This is one OF
the most important steps and not the least
public-spirited as yet taken by Columbia In
the direction OF what may be called its new
departure. an attempt to realize the modern
ideal OF q university and to promote to its ut.
most the diffusion Of the higher learning
among tho dollar-seeking. material striving,
eyer-busy people at its gates.