The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-06
Progress at Harvard University,

university TOT Une hchueNhiO yoeE 10
of unusual interest. both as regards the
changes recorded and those proposed.
It will be remembered by graduates of
this institution that the former method OF
awarding scholarships at Harvard differed
from that which prevails in the English
universities. At Oxford or Cambridge a
scholarship is conferred for intellectual
merit only, and without reference to the
%pecuniary circumstances Of a candidate. At
Harvard, In theory or practice, the condi-
tions governing the bestowal Of scholarships
were such that an applicant was constrained
to sue In Jo1ntG pduperfs. The inference
might be drawn by outsiders that good
scholarship or high college standing would
be the aim of poor men only. The facts do
not bear out the Inference, . large pro-
portion of the highest scholars et Harvard
being men who stand In no need of Pc
culinary assistance. Nevertheless, 1t has
seemed expedient in the case Of certain
scholarships to divorce the distinction
from the e~molument, and the plan has been
adopted Of awarding what arc termed
John Harvard Scholarships to students
who are of high scholarship rank but have
no need of ~pecuniary aid. In the year
1s96-97 no fewer than sixteen frst-class
scholarships without stipend were awarded.
It is now suggested that those students
who attain the rank which would admit
to the second class of scholarships, but
do not need ~pecuniary aid, ought also
to be distinguished by some title which
would indicate that they were of equal
rank with those who receive scholarships
with stipends. 1t appears that in the last
academical year there were ninety-four
persons above the minimum scholarship
line who would have been entitled to
scholarships, had any been vacant and had
they required pecuniary assistance. For
these President ELIOT recommends an hon
orary distinction, such as the annual pub
LEGATION of the scholarship list affords.
1t is we'll known that the English and
German universities count residence not
by the year, but by semesters, and confer
degrees several times during the twelve
month. It has been the practice at
Harvard, on the other hand. to confer
degrees only once a year, mainly because
q specified length of residencewas the most
important qualification. Now that the
| passing of examinations has become the de-
cisive qualification for a degree, some rea-
sons for comforting degrees oftener than
once q twelvemonth come into view. For
example, a student who may have passed
within three years In sixteen out of the
eighteen courses of study prescribed for
the A.. B. degree has before him but a
scant half years work yet, at present. he
must wait n whole year to get the
degree. Again, short.residcnce students
who seek q degree from Harvard may
find one year too short for the &C.
complishment of their purpose, and yet
two years may be too long. When a young
man has failed to obtain his degree in four
years through some neglect of duty or
through illness, he is now obliged to wait
for his degree until the end of the fifth year,
although his deficiencies may amount to
much less than a years work. OF obvious
advantage in such cases would be a second
date for comforting degrees, and President
ELIOT suggests that this should be the 10th
of February.
After pointing out what facilities exist
within the university for bringing the
course for a degree to q close at the
middle of the year, he proceeds to inquire
what use of the subsequent half year
the student graduated in February
could make. Reasons are given for
believing that the spring half of
the academic twelvemonth could be
utilized very we'll in tho Divinity School,
and fairly we'll in the Medical School.
Graduates of the Scientific School, looking
forward to employment in machine shops,
factories, railroads., or on engineering
works, might be able to find places better
in the spring than in the summer By a
young man taking the A. B. degree, and in
tending to be a teacher, the spring and
summer which he did not need at Cam
bridge, could be used proftably in Europe,
or in professional observation and practice
at home. Finally, young men who are
going into business might have better OPP
portunities of getting employment after
taking their Bachelors degree In February
than they nave ordinarily at the end of June.
A series of steps have been taken recently
or are projected at Harvard for the purpose
| of establishing a closer relation between
the college proper and the Scientific School,.
A basis for such assimilation was laid
when a knowledge of Greek ceased to figure
among the prescribed conditions of admis-
sion to the college proper. Tho next step
will be the contemplated raising of the
requirements for admission to the Scientific
| School till they reach the level of the
requirements for admission to college.
| Measures will be'taken also to facilitate the
transfer of Students from the lists of one
| department to those Of the other. As
it is. the Scientific School, attended by
4OO students. depends chiefly on the lab
oratories and recitation rooms of the col.
| lege proper for its accommodation. To such
an extent, indeed, has the instruction in
the academical and scientific departments
already been commingled that the attempt
to keep their accounts separate has been
abandoned. The tendency to amalgama-
tion has been exemplifed still further in
the fact that since May, 1897, rooms in the
college buildings have been assigned to
persons intending to enter the Scientific
School on the same terms and In the same