The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-20
Shortening tho Course a. Harvard.

Shortening tho Course at Harvard.
President ELIOT Of Harvard University
thinks that the period Of time spent by
students In Harvard College is too long,
and though twice baked within q few
years in his desire to shorten the col.
lege course, he returns to the attack, in
his last report 30 the Overseers, with O plea
for the comforting Of the A. B. degree at
other times han st the June commence
ment. thus striking at the four.year course
In another manner.
Biz or seven years ago, after . long and
bitter fight In the faculty, the President,
backed by . small majority of the college
instructors in favor of the plan, presented
to the Board of Overseers q proposal to re-
duce the existing standard of scholarship
required for the degree of Bachelor Of Arts
In Harvard College, and at the same time
to make the required term Of residence
three years instead Of four. The proposal
was defeated overwhelmingly, and the
faculty was instructed to put q stop to any
practice by which students could, as o
matter of course. graduate in less time
than four years. At the same time It was
decided 10 allow students to shorten the
time in special cases. Two years ago Presi.
dent ELIOT once more brought the question
up before the faculty and obtained a
majority for his scheme no larger
than In the previous attempt. Recog-
mixing the im%possibility of persuading
the Overseers, when the faculty was about
evenly divided, he let the matter drop.
Now. in his annual report. he suggests tho
~advisability Of dividing the college year
into semesters, and granting degrees twice
q year, the only real gain hoped for from
the change being the possibility of leav-
ing Harvard at the end of three years
and o half. The example of the University
Of Chicago, which grants degrees four
times q year, and that of the German uni
versities, which grant them whenever a
man chooses to apply for one, are quoted
seemingly with approval.
University men will doubtless disagree
as to the advantages enumerated by Presi-
dent ELIOT as possible results of the inno-
walton he proposes. He mentions travel in
Europe, advanced study, and attendance at
professional courses. az uses &c which the
months gained may be put, and he thinks
that possibly 10 may be easier for the young
men to secure employment In the spring than
in summer. The objections to the plan he
does not mention. A practical one, that
seems to arise inevitably from President
ELIoT's argument, Is the necessity for re-
modelling all professional schools. not at
Harvard alone. but wherever these new
mid-year graduates may choose to study, so
rs to admit beginners in the middle of the
year. In Germany, where alone. so far az
we know, this system Is established, the
result has been to limit lecturing to four
month periods, and instruction in the
American form, at least, to nothing. Tho
Presidents suggestion, too, of forcing full
courses into a half year by giving six lee
lures a week. unless these are of a pretty
elementary nature, has q likeness to the
pernicious system of "~cramming."
In leading up to his suggestions Presi.
dent ELIOT presents as IN established fact
what seems open to doubt. He says:
at has been the practice of Harvard from its foun-
dalton to confer degrees only once Q year-a very
natural practice so long As residence was counted
only by the year. and . specified length OF residence
was the most important qualification for the degree.
But now that the passing of examinations on q den.
mite number OF courses or half courses OF instruction
has become the most important qualification for q
degree. some reasons come into view for comforting
degrees twice year"
This seems to beg the question. A strong
minority Of the Harvard faculty has twice
asserted its belief that length of residence
is fully as important a factor in obtaining
the degree as passing examinations In
courses. A unanimous vote of the Over
seers has decided hat 1t is an absolutely
necessary requisite for the degree. and the
sentiment of graduates, it will be found,
supports the Overseers. The view that
time is q less important factor thar the
passing of examinations in the process
Of getting whatever is good In Har-
ward College into the marrow Of her
students is strange, coming from SO
experienced al educator as President
ELIOT. Length of residence in the college
is surely implied when Dean BRIGGS, in his
official report to the President, declares
that "the fact that the college Is bound to
think first of character gives the college a
larger and higher responsibility. 1t can
not q a lower place than the graduate
school till the development of a scholar be.
comes nobler and more abiding than the
education OF . man." And ait has been
n merit Of Harvard College" said Judge
HoLAm. shat Ii has never quite sunk 70