New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-09-23
THE NEW YEAR Ar PRINCETON.
PRESIDENT PATTON TALKS OF UNIVERSITY
INSrr1rcr1nNn At TILE nprNINc EXFpCISES

PRESIDENT PATTON TALKS OF UNIVERSITY
INSTRUCTION" AT TIE OPENING EXERCISES.
Princeton, Sept. 90 (Special).-The limits Of the
Marquand Chapel at Princeton weres severely taxed
yesterday In holding the large body OF friends OF the
college, trustees, faculty and undergraduates who
attended the opening of the college year. A largo
number OF ladies were present from New-lork Inc
new freshman class, which numbers over 300, was
present In force DR.. Patton. who has returned from
his vacation In Europe perfectly restored to health
took the opportunity to deliver address especially
directed to his associates In the faculty, upon Uni
versity Instruction. ard the thoughts which had
been suggested to him In that connection by MS "Trip
abroad. He said that there were two methods OF
preparing college curriculum. One was the idea
Of seeking to establish an ideal curriculum and make
every student take IT, and the other was to have
great variety OF studies with the right OF selection
by the student which latter was the plan now
adopted at Princeton Each system had Its friends
The danger OF the method now In use was that the
great universities of the country had tendency 10
publish their catalogue immense variety OF sub
divisions Of study, so that 1t had almost become
race OF catalogues between the different universities as
TO which should contain most studies and the most
Subdivisions President Patton deplored such
tendency as likely to injure the instruction OF the
Young men, and said that II the number ana ad
vanced character Of the studies continued, IL wowa
tend TO make the date of graduation so far on us
would make men go to the lower schools for the
education which would fit them for their professions
lie said that prominent Missouri judge had told him
that the law course at Princeton should be five
wears To which DR.. Patton replied that he must
not forget that they must hope for the time 10 come
when these young men might BE- permitted to prac
flea, law He said he spoke rather as patron IMAM
os president when he said that college instruction
should be so arranged and that the teaching should
he such rs 10 enable young men to go into the acuVe
professions before they reached middle life. lie
condemned any system of instruction which would
prevent men from pursuing during their college
course general literary reading.
At the close of the exercises In the chapel the
procession formed and went to the large and beauti
ml dormItory Just completed. and which has been
presented TO the college BY Mrs. David Brown, OF
princeton In memory OF her husband. The building
from The steps stating that Mrs. Browns g1it hau
Leen actIatd by her love for religion ana ner Gese
Tint Princeton should ever be true to her trantois
and the cause of religion. lie sald that 1t wa.
under such II hope this that certainly ninety ,leht
nor cont NJ the money given TO the college had Dee
aven Al the close OF his remarks, Mrs BroWh
t,rnrd the KEY of the building and formally opened
II for the use OF the students. ,,
In snite Of the fact that the college was formally
ar. not I'm fun swing yet and probably VIII NOT DC
for a week TO come This Is partly due to the absence
of n number OF the professors VINO are qiaraii'n
at various places In Europe, ana partly 10 ,ne ui
nreced,nted size Of the freshman class, making IL
difficult to handle.