The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-01-27

| ludI 1lI llle5c IltduSlllpS are eASlSioCU Wy
one and the same clergyman does not
mend matters; for no one human could
| possibly fill these various offices with
| justice to the departments, or with cred
| it to himself. The application of the
| government of a private school to the
| entirety Of modern university Is no
| longer tolerable. 1t should be termina-
| ted before the election of the next pres
| ident is consummated.
Graduates and other interested parties
| all over the country would like to hear
| from the Corporation, now that it has
| opportunity to speak, if the present gov
eminent of Yale is it's ideal for the gov
eminent of an American university. If
not, what would it substitute? The
question must be met some time Why
not meet it at once?
, In the early history of the colonies
| there We're no institutions Of learning of
a size to be called universities. Az,
however, the hunger for degrees for
preaching and teaching purposes had to
be satisfied, the power to grant degrees
was given to such schools as then exis-
ted. AS these early colleges were of
the size the discipline and the govern
ment of private schools, the idea of
one man power for an institution
granting degrees was started. For
nearly two hundred years it has grown,
flourished and expanded until to-day it
is the prevailing idea all over the Uni
ted States. The indefinite duration of
office Of American college presidents
has its origin in the same source.
Heads of early schools were supreme
Death and resignation were the only
forces to terminate rule These two
ideas. the supremacy Of the individual
and the indefinite duration of his term
or Office. seem to be as powerful princi-
pies in present college government as
they were hundred years ago.
How differently are foreign UNIVERSE
ties governed! To give in detail the
governments Of even a few IF the chief
Inst tpton would weary readers. The
fundamental difference consists in three
general conditi MS. In the first rlace
the Faculties are substantially indepen-
cent In the s2cond place the pr fes-
sofs form. or are represented on, the
various governing bodies and in thu
thlrd place the active head, rector pres
ldent or chancellor is elected from one
or the facultie7 and serves but for
snoft period. The universities of OK
lord ana Cambridge and some Of the
universities OF the continent have hon
ofary heads whose duties ara ia sit I'm
IN fine robes once or twice wear and
preside but who have nothing to do
WITH government or regulation The
Marquis Of Salisbury has beer the hon-
orary head Of Oxford for thirty wears
= nat some such scheme, a scheme per-
hitting unlimited growth and unfet-
tered development is necessary. is most
evident. The present system is made
quate even for present conditions. It's
continuance will still further increase
existing irreguarity, disorder and con-
fusion.
A supreme executive head is necessary
Tor strictly university purposes. The Of
ice OF supreme teacher should be abol
ished Faculties, in methods and sys-
tens of teaching in discipline and in
choice of members, should be substan-
TALLY independent There might be a
large body answering to Oxford
'Convocation, or to the Berlin ''PJe
num-" composed of all the professors,
and a few graduates if you choose:
though graduate representation has not
had the howlirg success Anticipated
and might very well be discontinued
The large body might select a smaller
body on which each faculty should
have at least one representative. This
smaller body should be the governing
and controlling body Of the university
1T should elect it's own presiding officer
who should serve for a limited period
and be eligible for reelection. The
main feature of this scheme Is govern
ment by those who know best what is
wanted; that is the professors.
These ideas are only humbly offered
as suggestion to the Corporation that
they should seriously apply their wis
dom to the whole subject, and that now
is the time to do it. Some change Is
necessary to remedy the complicated, |
involved and tangled state of affairs |
into which Yale and other colleges have |
drifted. The present government Of |
Yale puts on one mans shoulders bur-
dens of responsibilities which half a
dozen reasonable men would shun.
The result is absence of authority
where and when it is needed or its lr-
rNalries of professors and departments
and impossibility of securing definite |
plan for growth and development, es-
oecialIy in the academic and graduate
sections
The country has reached a period In
it's educational growth when a univer-
sity should be distinguished from COL
ege, and when the duties and powers
Of the chief university executive, call
him by what name you choose, should
be clearly limited and defined. When
the Corporation Of Yale has expressed
itself on this subject there is another
matter of equally general and impor-
.ant interest which might be brought to
it's attention. d. CADY EATON.
RiMAI SHDI,DM