Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-01-25
AT BATES COLLEGE.
The Last Few Years Have
Shown Great Advancement.
improvements in Curriculum Stu
dsnts Will Practice 0ratory.
News from Old Bowdoin and Other Matters Of
State Interest

'A~ p"'e SSAi. DUN III number Oh
students and in breadth and scope of
the curriculum, the two best induces of
the life of a college, the advance dur
ing the past year has been very
marked. Although every freshman
class for four years has been larger
than any previous class, yet the great
Test gain was made last year. The '95-
. catalogue gives the total number of
students as 21S. In the '96-7 catalogue
the record is 246, showing a gain of 2S.
But more important than the in
creased number of students is the i'm
provement of the curriculum The
most important change is the extension
of the course in history economics and
sociology made possible by the endOw-
ment of the new profesSorship of his
tory and economies. The course in
history now covers three years and the
course in economies two years. In the
department of mathematics the work
which formerly occupied the freshman
year and the first term of the sophie
more year is now completed in the
freshman year, leaving the sophomore
year free for more advanced courses.
The course in Latin has been extend
ed by the addition of an elective in the
Junior year. Astronomy has been made
an elective in the junior year instead
of in the senior year as formerly. The
required work in physics is now COM
pleted in IT, sophomore year, thus Civ
ing opportunity for more elective
courses in the junior year.
In general, the number of electives
has been increased and greater free
dom is given the student to follow the
bent of his own talents. Electives be-
gin with the last term of the freshman
year and increase until only one study
in the senior year is required.
The growth during the past year has
been a systematical advance in all de-
partments and a complete record of it
can not be found in the college cata
logue. Not only in the curriculum and
number of students but also in the lit
erary societies, in the gymnasium. in
the Y. M. c. A.. and Y. w. c. A., in the
the musical organizations and in all
the numerous activities Of college life,
progress has been made. No startling
changes have been made in any one
department but there has been a
healthy, constant growth which should
be a source of pride to the alumni and
all friends of Bates.
Some of these improvements may be
traced TO the uniform spirit of earnest
ness and loyalty which characterizes
the UNDER graduates and alumni; but
they are due first and most of all to the
able and progressive management of
President Chase and his associates.
Another change not noticed in the
catalogue is the increase in opnortu-
nifty for public debating. Bates stu
dents have always received thorough
training in debating both from the
work in the literary societies and the
debates provided in the curriculum. In
the future this is to make still more
important feature of the course. Col.
+. NJ. Drew of Lewiston has placed the
sum of $50 at the disposal of the
faculty to be used in the promotion of
public debating. The faculty have
offered prize of $25 to be contested
for by two teams of three men each
from the junior class, and the same
sum for a team debate by members of
the sophomore class. These debates
will occur annually at the beginning OF
the spring term. From these two
prize team debates. and the sophomore
champion debate occurring commence
ment week. the six best debaters Will
be chosen to compete fer prize early
in the fall term. and from these six
team will be chosen to represent Bates
in intercollegiate debates during the
year 1898. Thus in future years every
member of an intercollegiate team will
have had experience in at least three
public debates.
The disputants and subjects for the
prize debates and the champion de-
bate are as follows:
Junior team debate: Ought the
United States to maintain, by force of
arms if necessary, the doctrine that no
European country should acquire terri
tory in America?
Affirmative: oliver Henry Tooth
aker. Tileston Edwin Woodside, Fred
erick Robertson Griffin.
Negative: Frank Pearson, Louis
Bartlett Costello, Ansel Alphonso
KnowltOn.
Sophomore team debate: Is it desira-
BILE for the United States to annex
Hawaii?
Affirmative: Herbert Chester Church
ILL., Nathan Pulsifer, Herbert Center
Small.
Negatives George Augustus Hutch
ms. Ernest Lowell Palmer, Frank
Perley Wagg.
Sophomore chaaepion debate: Docs
the Government Of the United States
represent the wishes ofthe people more
truly than the English government?
Affirmative: Lettuce Bertha Albee,
whitman Sears Bassett Oscar GSsaries
Merrill, Muriel Esther Chase, Lora
Vivian King.
Negatives: Susie Louise Rounds,
Charles Spurgeon Calhoun, Fred Elmer
poneroy, Blanche May Whittum, Ed
ward Britain Foster.
Prof. Hartshorn delivered very in
tercsting lecture in Roger Williams
CONTINUED on page 50