New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-06-29
DISCUSSED BY TEACHERS.
u,,,1rcTs DEBATED AT THE UNIVER-
sITY CONvOCATION.
rs,nrxr ELIOT OF HARVARD CHAMPIONS
AND EXPLAINS THE ELECTIVE SYSTEM OF
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES DONE By

OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES DONE m
THE REGENTS.
Albany, June 2s-An interesting session Of the
pacants Convocstion held to-day About
ON persons interested in educational matters
ore nresent which fact testfes to the wisdom
y, holding the convocation week earlier than
sos been the custom. At this mornings ses-
zion Professor Henry r. Burton. of the Unvcr-
sty of Rochester. read a paper on (Which
should Precede in School and College Courses.
the Ancient or the Modern Languages? Pro-
fessor Bristol. Of Cornell. and Principal Nerrill
took part in the discussion which followed. 4
discussion on THE Present Trend in Pedagogy"
WAS participated IN by Principal f. Il. Palmer.
~ the Fredonia Normal School; President w.
J. Milne of the New-York State Normal College;
Principal +. 5. Capen. OF the New-Paz Norma;
school: President W. L. Hervey, Of the Teachers
College New-York City. and Principal y. c. Nc
i.achlin Of the Jamaica Normal School. Pro-
lessor j. + Russell Of the University of Colo
RADIO. discussed the training Of secondary teach
eS REMARKABLE SCHOOL
Principal j. T. Edwards. of the McDonough
School. Maryland. formerly State Senator from
Chautauqua read paper on "A Unique
School" He described the McDonough Farm
School near Baltimore Its grounds embrace
SIS acres The buildings cost $3.50 600, and it has
nm endowment of 81 10000 1t was founded by
John McDonougb, who born a poor boy
an Baltimore and aftcrward lived in New-Or-
leans He left nearly a million dollars TO each
of two societies for the purpose Of educating
moor boys New-Orleans has thirty McDOnough
Schools The school IN Maryland combines
scholastic work and manual training. There are
In attendance 140 boys. to he increased this fall
20 $50 The conditions Of admission are that
they must be poor boys of good character be-
tween the ages IF ten and fourteen. and residents
Of Baltimore and they must pass competitive
examination. They may remain until they are
seventeen years old. All expenses of tuition,
board clothing and care are paid for by the in
stitution.
ELECTIVE COURSES
The topic Of the afternoon session was Are Our
Later Methods Of College Training Justified by
Their Results" 1t resolved itself into a discus
sion mainly Of the wisdom Of elective courses.
President Franklin Carter. of Williams College.
spoke against electives on the ground that, under
the old system. students gained more general cult
ure while the new system tended simply TO make
them SPECIALISTS. Professor ii. A. Todd. II Column
bia College emphasized the difference between
university and college courses Professor c. Is.
Gaines Of st. Lawrence University. dsapproved
strongly OF the elective idea partly because ne be-
lieved that professors should guide their students
In the course Of subjects as well as in their
studies. Professor l.. w Spring. Of Williams,
recognized many advantages in modern college
methods Professor J. NJ. Taylor. Of Nassar. said
he belonged to the Did school but had been CON
verted 10 the elective principle by observing its
practical working. At Nassar the most popular
electives were not the easiest. but those that rep
resented the greatest amount OF study ana re-
ecarcb. Professor Edward Everett Hale. jr.. OF
Iowa University, and Professor +. H. Stoddard Of
the University OF the city OF New-Iork also sup
ported the modern method.
PRESIDENT ElIOT's ADDRESS.
pre.ident Eliot Of Harvard closed the discus
sion. lie said there was much talk about the
elective systein by men who had neither seen nor
,ricd IT, lie spoke after twenty years Of close OBJ
aervsiion Of the system at Harvard. The eA-
IRENE shIrk OF to-day did many fold more work
than the extreme shrk Of thirty years ago - u
was so much harder 20 get degre" uhd"r 'h'
electric system. which compelled him 10 worK
Personal attention 10 the individual student hai
been Immensely Increased. Students came III con-
tact with just as many professors az III co"ese
where the course prescribed ana persohai IN
Nuence was stronger. because the studen, VINO
had deliberately chosen professor would ioiio"
him further, and their relations "ouiu De "'"0"
closer That students elected science to an undue
extent was popular faiacy statistics showe'
tina, science was less chosen than any other class
OF subjects English was better written IMAM II
was twenty veare ago. because Of increased atten-
ton to It, The best professors did not "i'huia"
from students as was constantly represented, Dut
retained some OF the elementary work, preler'ins
10 keep In touch with the younger studenls !.
would take from seventy to eighty yea's 10, up1
moi counting the higher seminary courses. ne
elective principle was therefore, necessary uiv's
the college ceased TO teach large portion :" we
subjects now offered. The elective System, az
started by Thomas Jefferson. and frames way
land, generation ahead OF his Time s'd''e' -
again at Brown 49,, ,..o~si,,, a nd
college but was going rapidly into the academies
and also into the grammar schooH' ~ wa a , '
taken notion that the subjects cnoses The ,ahles
were a haphazard, unconnected series ne ,ap'e'
~ TWENTY-FIVE years at Harvard proved 'ne coIi-
;rary President Eliot confessed tna' tiic no o.
against the elective system tha' IL n,ei /,
respect for authority was true, ana ne .vu''t =,
one NJ the chief gains OF the modern nethVu 'iia
the authority exercised in his own sc"'oi anu WI
lege days had been superseded
THE EVENING SESSION
A, ,bis even,ne.s session. Principal Milne OF the
Orson,a state Normal School. READ paper Oh '"'
personality Of the teacher az an chuea'Ne III
y, IN. moral side and President T. j bacK"s' u
the Packer Institute. Brooklyn close s1ds s"e
ing with a paper the Intellectual s,o ,,oin,e,
Tn. convnca ton Council for 1886 was Appoint
M follows: Superintendent L. X Hnnt, .o'i ms
chairman Professor Charles W. ha ,rshee One
cuse University; Professor Percy l.. DUE Tefft
or,a STATE Normal School; MISS France, ,;a.ar,
sandy Hi; Union School and Principal r''""'
HAYWARD, OF ockport.
SCHOOLS ADVANCED
The schools IN the following to"hs nav" ~
the requirements OF the new system OF s'"u" -"
were authorized to-day by the Regents 10 ",e Wv
name high school Central squadTex s 'ga
Tonawanda Pitsford South SIDE oa dna seminary
- nrookivn' was changed from junior 10 "'"
demlc.