New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-14

tho Collage Of Engineering for example,
there are nine courses OF studies. eacn oea'-
ING with great variety and range or top'eS'
but all relating strictly 10 engineering. Ihe'e
ia not an hours instruction in languages OF NJ
eratrre or history. In the College Oh o'''".S
thore IL not even an optional course IN tne "'o'-
ern languages which form an essential feature Vi
the corresponding curriculum In America III inc
College Of Literature there are only the shsh'e'
touches OF any culture not purely literary one
course does give three hours week lot o'ir
wear 10 Zoology and another one hour week
for one year to Physical Geography, ana TWO
hours a week for one year to Anthropology But
with those exceptions the college Is devoted eX-
cusively to languages and literature
Another striking feature OF the university
and therefore Of Japanese culture-is neglect u
what ve call the classics; to wit: Greek and
Latin Those languages and their literature are
utterly ignored everywhere except in the College
OF Literature, and even there they hold an IN
significant place. OF all the nine courses. not
one Is given to them. In the course In Philosophy
Latin IL compulsory for three hours a week In
the first wear. and is optional for the same time
I'm the second year. Then il disappears Greek
is NOT mentioned Neither Is mentioned In the
courses I'm Japanese Literature. Chinese Litefa-
ture and Japanese Hi: tory. In the course III
History. Latin is studied three hours a week
all through but Greek not at all In Compare
tive Philology Latin has three hours d week
all through, and Greek grammar three houi"
week during the final year In the cours'' ~
English French anu German Literature Lam"
has three hours week throughout but Greek IL
altogether omitted.
The discipline Of the university is strict stu
dents are forbidden to smoke in their rooms 10
bring intoxicating liquors upon the premiHes 10
leave the university grounds after p m.' o.
having gone out earlier. 70 stay out later IMAM
IL D. m Athletics are encouraged 1heIe IL
fine athletic association. with field, gymnasium
and boathouse Museums library. etc. are am
pie In the museum Of the College OF Ens'"'e'
inc far example there are PSI models Of steam
engines 1909 architectural models. ana more
than 10 900 models, tools and specimens relating
TO mining and metallurgy. There are me zooios-
icaI geological, anthropological and other mu-
seums a great herbarium and botanic sa'ue''
a marine biological station, wel-equipped as
economical observatory. chronological observa-
tory. experimental farms. forests ETC. ana UNI
varsitv library containing more than 2OO.0oo Well
selected volumes.
There is no question therefore, Of the fitness OF
the Teikoku Dagaku to be reckoned one OF the
worlds chief seats Of learning. what IS que'-
tionable Is the vaCe and ultimate erect OF inc
culture il affords. 1t Is. Of course, liberal cur
ture II we have regard to the whole scope Vi lhe
institution But looking at single course III ii
single college, such a. any one STUDENT "oulu
and must pursue. it Is narrow ana ih'ehseH
snecialized culture The whole class graduated
I'm any year has, as a whole. as liberal ana eH-
tended culture as class IN an American UNI
versity. excepting in Greek and Latin. But the
Individual members have not. Each one IS
specialist and little else There are those VINO
say we are coming to an age OF speciaiism; tha'
the whole range OF human knowledge mas become
too extended for man 70 cover, ana that ne
who would excel must therefore devote hlmsei
exclusively 10 A single department. Perhaps tnat
isso II 1t is this japanese university may really
he I'm advance of all others and be marking the
way in which they must follow. Al any rate
the experiment Of extreme specaism in ngher
education is an interesting and instructive one,
and seems thus far to be well adapted 10 the
peculiar genius Of the people who are trying 1t.