Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-07-03
HIGHER EDUCATION
University Extension Scheme to Be
Tried Here.
-FOUR CENTERS ALREADY SECURED
A Method Intended to Benefit BUSY
People.
MR.. LANGDON SAYS

For some time past Mr. William Chauncy
Langdon, NJ. A, who is connected with the
university extension movement. both as lee
turer and organizer, has been in Washing
ton looking over the field to what are
the chances and possibilities for extend
Ing the movement to this city. In CONVEX
sation with Star reporter today he ex-
pressed himself as greatly pleased with
the outlook here and considers 1t more than
likely that in the fall at least four centers
Will be organized here for active work. This
VIII be the first attempt Of the movement
to get a foothold in this city.
Inc university extension is q movement
that has already been attended with very
considerable success wherever 1t has been
tried Its purpose and scope are very simple
peing nothing more nor less than an effort to
give at least some of the advantages Of q
collegiate or university training to people
who have neither the means nor the time
at their disposal to pursue a regular course
at some recognized institution. 1t consists
or course of lectures on particular SUBJ
Jects. selected by the members of the va
rious centers, delivered by lecturers sent
out under the auspices Of the American So
ctety for the Extension Of University Teach
Ing. The society has its headquarters in
Philadelphia. but since the time that 1t
was started in this country has succeeded
are attended by thousands of students.
The Purpose.
The purpose of the university extension is,
In short an attempt to solve the problem CT
how much of what the universities do for
their own students can be done for persons
unable to go 20 university. The move
ment was started in England twenty-five
years ago by the University Of Cambridge
end has been carried on by the Universities
n Cor ,hriI, xx,ith
success ever since its Inauguration Last
year nearly 10000 students att ended courses
or lectures at about 400 centers in England
and Wales. From the beginning the funda-
mental idea has been to supply an education
for busy people and to furnish a supple
mentary and final course for graduates of
public schools. Hitherto the majority of
the courses have been given in the evening
and the audiences have included persons
drawn from all conditions of life and of the
widest diversity of preliminary education
and training. Ladies, business and profess
sional men, clerks ard teachers in schools
have all been repres ented in the lecture au-
diences, while some of the courses in the
larger cities have been attended to an en-
couraging degree by working people.
The Society in This Country.
The society in this country has for it's
honorary president DR.. William Pepper.
formerly provost of the University of Penn
sylvania. Its president is Edmund J. James.
Ph.D., Of Philadelphia and it has a board
Of directors consisting of fifteen Of the lead
Ing business men Of Philadelphia, who give
largely Of their means IN support of the
movement which is not in any sense a
money-making scheme. The university eX-
tension already has a large following in
Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland. Massa-
chusetts and Rhode Island, while the new
University of Chicago has done much to
give II marked impetus In the west From
November, 1890. to January, 1894, 391
iNi1 aA ha
following subjects Literature. history.
economics. science. civics, mathematics.
psychology. hygiene and music. The aver
age attends nee at each course was 116
Il had been looking over the field in
Washington very carefully" said Mr.. Lang
don to Star reporter this morning "and /
have come to the conclusion that II the
movement were once inaugurated in this
city II would prove to be a great success
From what i have seen, l think that at
least four centers can be started here in
different sections Of the city. The particu-
lar subjects on which courses of lectures
will be delivered must be determined by tho
centers themselves, as the courses are en-
tirely elective. The chances are. / think.
that the subject of clvicS which takes in
the whole matter of government. would be
very popular here, and I have no doubt that
in some form or other this subject will re-
ceive particular attention. OF course l am
not In a position to say definitely that CEN
tiers will be established here, for that is a
matter which must be decided by the board
of directors on the strength of the report
which L shall make to them when return
to Philadelphia. Our system is a very sim
pie one and emphasizes particularly the
personal influence and guidance OF the lee
turer over his students.
Differs From the Chautauqua Idea
I'm this it differs somewhat from the
Chautauqua idea. The center as we'll call
1t, is simply an organized audience which
gets together and selects its own subject
in -
and a secretary, who is supposed to do
most of the work arranging courses
course consists usually of six or twelve
weekly or fortnightly lectures, given DUR
ing the three months before Christmas or
the three or four months thereafter, each
lecture occupying an hour. 1t has been our
experience that about 10 per cent of a CEN
ter desire to give more thorough attention
and study to the courses and each center
Is supplied with a library of books on the
particular subject under consideration.
For about three-quarters of an hour pre-
ceding or following each lecture q class Is
held for those students who wish to study
the subject more thoroughly. The object of
the class Is to give the students an op-
portunity OF coming into personal contact
with the lecturer, in order that they may,
by conversation and discussion with him,
the better familiarize their minds with the
principles of the subject, and get their
special difficulties explained The teaching
In the class is conversational
IN order TO enable students to follow the
lecture readily, and carry away the SUBJ
stance of 1t, a printed syllabus, usually in
pamphlet form. is prepared beforehand by
the lecturer for the use of the students and
sold at low price. Questions are set on
each lecture, which may be answered by
the students in writing at home and sub
mitted to the lecturer for correction and
comment. At the end Of the course an ex-
animation Is held by the lecturer and only
those students are admitted to the exami-
nation who have attended the lectures and
classes to the satisfaction of the lecturer
and have done such an amount of weekly
paper work as the lecturer may have re-
quired. Certificates are awarded in connec-
ton with these courses to those who satisfy
the lecturer in the weekly work and pass
the examination.
The Hope of the Society.
TT is the hope of the society sooner or