New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-06-14
POOR COLLEGES.

Schools are much like people. Social pretence
finds its counterpart in educational shamming.
and the commencement season rarely fails 10
leave the impression thai there are too many
colleges and too few schools So we noted with
peculiar pleasure among the commencement re-
ports the ringing declaration Of secondary
school principal of n ncighboring city. in answer
to suggestions for his institution to seek col
lege charter that IL did not give degrees ana did
rot wish TO: that though its students did two
years Of college work already. II much preferred
with its modest resources to be among the best
Of secondary schools than To be poor and pre-
tentiOus college Only in case some person who
really appreciated what adequate college teach
ing cost should offer n large sum, perhaps
million dollars. for thai end. would the trustees
consider attempting full college work.
This is n policy which should be adopted by all
secondary schools. and might profiably he taken
TO heart by many institutions in the United
States which are striving 10 live mp - the name
OF college The West and South have been mo-
toriously full Of such foundations. This was the
natural result of n condition of society in which
ambition Outran resource. and great expectation
led TO large scaled paper plans. But the older
East has not been gutless. Dcnomina,ional
feeling and local pride, and even. ii must be CON
fcssed an advertising instinct more BETTING fhe
patcnt-medicne business, have led to multi
plicity Of colleges which have done nothing but
cheaper scholastic degrees. In recent years the
policy of this State. as laid down h; the Regents
of the University. has set a healthy example in
the right direction. and the plan Of wedding out
all institutions which do not maintain salts
factory standard and RELOCATING them to a more
modest place ia the educational system cannot
fail if rigldly pursued. TO work favorably upon
both preparatory and college teaching. But no
Board of Regents can really make a college what
II ought TO be. An institution may live up To the
letter Of the state requirements. hold It's charter
by indisputable legal rights and give degrees. or
compel the Regents TO give degrees II they will
rot trust II with the independent power. to its
students who pass the customary college ex-
aminatons. BIT that will not make 1t n college
IN the sense of giving really adequate college
| training We often hear part;sans of weak in
stitutions appeal TO their catalogues to show that
they teach the same subjects and give the same
examinations "a colleges Of high repu,e. But
examinations do not make a college, and cata-
logucs give only hint of the advance in teach
| Ing made in the last twenty-five years by the
best institutions. Whichever side one may take
| in the old dispute over the comparative merits
| of the small and large college he must admit
that large resources are essential TO modern
| higher education. 1t Is also true that there
| must be q teaching body and a student body
| numerous enough TO create a college atmosphere
! something so entirely different from the at
mospherc OF even the most scholarly and on
tllsastic school that the general experience has
been that they rarely can be made TO exist to-
gethcr \ college which graduates only hand
| full Of men or women each year cannot in the
nature of things. however high its examination
| standard give them the same advantages which
| students have in college Of larger equipment.
| Still greater Is their disadvantage when they
ere the minority part Of an institution primarily
devoted 10 preparatory work.
The public disposition on this subject Is be-
coming more sensible. Mushroom colleges do
not spring up as they used 10 do. but still there
| is much to be desired. Now and then, under the
plea of local need. som" high school or academy
! or seminary will blossom out into struggling
college This plea Of giving college education TO
| those who cannot go away from home *, we
| think Il speciO,Is one. II may be seriously ques-
toned # the path to college IL not made 50 easy
now that many pursue 1t who might better have
| gone straight 10 work frcm the high school.
Every college has among It's students groups Of
| tcwnsmen who have no special aptitude for
literary pursuits. but 90 TO college because the
| college Is mt their doors. Those who have the
aptitude would In nine cases out Of ten DE able
| to go away. and IL would be better for them to
make the extra sacrifice to attend a we'll
equipped college at distance. or course, well
equipped Is a relative term. No college ever has
everything it needs and many OF them do al
mirable service with small resources and with
| few courses Of study. But there ls we'll
defined line between the generally recognized.
though small, colleges Of standing and the
schools which keep up frantic struggles TO make
the appearance Of their achievements ft their
pride II will be fortunate day for education
when the true dignity of the secondary school 10