The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-07
Interesting Address by Joseph Swain,
President of Indiana University,
on DIR. JOrdans system.
VIEWS OF PROF. A. S. ORMOND
FIRST SESSION OF THE NATIONAL,
EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION.
Many Welcoming Speechcs-AnnuaI
Address of President skinner
How to Teach the Masses.


| Council of Education met in Temple Eman-
uel this forenoon for it's second days SEES
| sion. The entire seating capacity was filled
The programme for to-day was quite as
| good yesterday and it's principal topic
| this morning was the University Ideals"
| discussion. Prof A. S. Ormond of Prince
| ton University, opened the discussion with
one of the best addresses of the council.
| He expressed his belief that an institution
of learning is not to be regarded
| isolated unit or as endowed with any alb
stract responsibility. 1t cannot ignore it's
| relations with the academic sister
hood to which it belongs or its
place in the educational economy
of which it is a part. He reviewed
the history of Princeton which he said, is
an old college that has developed slowly
| into the proportions of a university. He
reXt reviewed the introduction of President
| McCosh's scheme of studies with its three
| fold categery-literature. science and phil
osophy President James H. Baker, of the
University of Colorado, said that a univer-
sity presented the philosophy of a people
at a given epoch and their political, social
and industrial tendencies. In the West
arose also church colleges, UNCONVENTIONAL
in spirit and aim. The free public schools
are a logical necessity of our democratic
| life. The state universities are in the
coming institutions in the West and this
| fact is significant. The state universities
are the logical outcome of the same ideal
| that made the free public school, and nat
urally they first developed in the West
They represent in part the tendency toward
broader community of interests. The
public control Of education makes it demo-
ocratic and progressive and strengthens its
influence with the people.
| A synopsis Of University Ideals at STAN
| ford" was presented before the council by
| Joseph Swain, president of Indiana Univer-
| Sity. Mr.. Swain said
THE ideals of Stanford University We're
in the beginning. essentially ;ead w. tine the
sity. The curriculum and requirements
| for admission the system of cleo
| tives, the method Of government, the
independence of the professors, were al al
| transplanted to the new institution The
! ideals OF these two universities differ IN
| the freedom of election as is shown in both
| the entrance and college requirements. The
| entrance requirement in Indiana University
| permits a certain amount OF election For
| example, the science requirement may be
| satisfied by acceptable work in any science
| The regular student is required to take
year daily, language for two, years daily
| and in addition to this work he must take
work at least three years daily in some
| one department as his major SUBJECT. Inc
| remainder of his work is elective.
The system is designed to secure a fun
| damental uniformity and at the same time
| be flexible and adaptable to the needs OF
! the individual students. All courses de-
mand an equivalent amount OF preparation
| for admission. All courses must include
| group of similar required studies All
| oblige a student to follow some special line
! of study from three to four years, and all
| lead to the degree of bachelor of arts AT
! the same time, however, the student is
| granted great freedom in the selection of
! studies The educational value of the ele-
| Of recognized
| 1t is further held that a better mental
| training can be obtained from a thorough
| study of one subject during several years
| than from the study of various subjects for
| a short period each, and as the thorough
| study of any subject is conducive TO ds-
| cipline all departments are placed upon the
| same basis.
so far as the ideals of Stanford Univer-
| sty are shown in their requirements for
| entrance and graduation, it Is chiefly in the
| extension of the elective system that they
| differ from Indiana University The stu
| dent at Stanford must present two years
| work in English on entrance; the remain
! der of the preparatory work may be any
| ten out of tWenty-SiX subjects. The degree
| of bachelor of arts is granted on the COM
| pletiOn of a four years course of three sub
| jects daily, provided the major and minor
| subjects are satisfied. Such major and
| minor subjects taken together do not eX-
| coed one-third of the students time for the
| four years of undergraduate work. Each
| student selects as his major subject the
| work of some one department, and 1t is the
| privilege of the professor at the head of
!
of a major subject and also such minor
! subjects in other departments as he may
consider desirable or necessary collateral
| work. With the exceptions named the STU
| dent is absolutely free to choose such sub
| jects he may think best, subject to the
| condition that he must satisfy his teachers
! that he is ready to profitably pursue the
subjects of his choice.
1.-The government of students in both In
! diana and Stanford universities has been
| reduced to a minimum. There are no rules
and regulations. 1t is understood that stu
| dents are expected to act in accordance
with the customs of the best society and,
! being ladies and gentlemen, are expected
to conduct themselves as such. There are
| but two worthy subjects in college dis
| cipline, the promotion of the welfare Of the
| institution and the student. The freedom
of the teacher to use his own judgment in
| what he teaches within the limit of the
| subjects he is employed to teach, and his
! own methods of instruction, is unques-
! toned The university exists Tor the good
| of the students, and, therefore, every sort
| of personal helpfulness is a part of the uni
| versity's duty. A student should not be
! forced to do what is not best for him, for
| entrance, continuance or graduation. He
| is taking his own course, not one pre-ar-
! ranged for some one else. The teacher
must be an older brother who has got
| a little further on on the road to learning,
| and who is in the university to give the
| benefit of his experience to those younger
| than himself and to those who have not
| Travelled so far on the Journey.
In general, a sound body is necessary in
! order that there may be a sound mind TO
/ this end the work of the gymnasium and
| Well-regulated athletics should be encour-
| aged. The university has moral duties. 1t
| can inculcate genuineness by being gen
uine unselfshness by devotion to truth
! and the help of others. The value of thor
| oughness in something as a basis for a use
| full life is not to be oVerestimated. In the
| present day, when research is the pass
| word among all scholars, the value of
| thOroughness to scholars needs no com
| ment One of the virtues OF the system
| pursued both at Indiana and Stanford is
! that all students, of whatever natural
| bent, must be thorough in at least one line,
/ namely-the mai or subject. The idea of in
| dividual development, of simple genuine
| ness and thorough self-reStraint are not
peculiar to Stanford but they have been
! emphasized there to a greater degree than
| has been done in some institutions
after ALL the university ideals amount
| to little if they are not embodied in the
| teacher If our work is successful as DR.
| Jordan has said. our ideals will appear in
| the daily life of the school. Strong men
! make universities strong. A great man
never fails TO leave great mark on every
| youth with whom he comes in contact -
The National Association.
The first general session of the National
Educational Association opened in the Ex-
position building at o'clock tonight The
| auditorium was crowded to its utmost ca
pacity. Rabbi S. Hecht, d. D.. opened the
convention with prayer. America" was
then rendered by the chorus Addresses of
welcome were delivered by Governor SEQ
field on behalf of the commonwealth; ]. o.
Emery. superintendent of public instruc-