The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-02-22

IAfCioity bIdSl, pul VI a dll6e anu dio-
orderly mingling of the two. During
freshman and sophomore years instruc-
ton is partially of the old-fashioned au-
thoritative fashion and there is a suffi-
cheney of college discipline. At the be-
lginning of Junior year there is presented
to each student such a vast variety of
subjects that he is baffled and finds diff
fculty in forming harmonious course
for future development. According to
this years catalogue there are two hum
dred and ninety distinct courses of in
struction presented to the choice Of
members of the junior and senior class
es. The juniors have but three hours Of
prescribed studies, and the seniors but
two. These few hours represent all that
is left to these classes of the old notion
of the education which made the faith
ers and grandfathers of these very men
the most valuable citizens Of their re-
spective communities,
Junior and senior years, instead of Of
fering the termination of a well system
atized scheme of education, introduce
students to new subjects and new meth
DDS. At graduation, instead Of the con-
seriousness that something definite has
|
of development has been reached there
is a sense of being cut off from finishing
anything in particular. A post gradu-
ate course seems absolutely indispensa-
BILE for terminating at least one of the
many accepted courses. The college
and the university have been allowed to
run into one another and to overlap one
another, to the destruction of the col
lege education and undoubtedly to the
detriment of university aspirations. If
the college be worth preserving, it
should be preserved in it's entirety and
in its independence. 1t should have its
own completed system of instruction
and it's own corps of instructors. Col
lege instruction and university instruc-
ton should not be confounded. They
require not different degrees, but differ
ent kinds, of ability.
The average Yale graduate of 80 years
ago may not have been a very learned
man, but he had acquired certain
something which distinguished him
from all other men, and which the Yale
graduate of to-day lacks. The most
striking features Of this vague some
thing were, perhaps, an easy adapta-
bility and a modest self-relance. He
was not afraid of any undertaking and
did everything reasonably well. He
was soon at home wherever he was put.
He was an all-around chap who could
turn his wits in any direction. He had
a high sense of responsibility, was hope
full never Responded, and always
abounded in common sense. He was
cheerful humorous, always looking on
the best side of everything and every
body. The glorious college life of the
day had a large share in the formation
of this most desirable character, but no
larger than had the college teaching and
discipline There was delightful har-
mony between college life and student
life. Cannot these good things be re- |
vived? Must the college be completely |
abandoned? Cannot it be modified and |
re-established2 The old-time graduate
was well equipped for any life duty |
which presented itself The b. A. of to-
day is little better than neophyte spec
ialist. These ideas are only respectfully |
presented to the Corporation as sugges-
lions that the subject of education has
reached period in it's growth in this
country when fixed systems, fixed plans
and laws, must be adopted and stop
be put to irregular and disorderly drift
ing.
There are other points for considera-
ton which are peculiar to Yale and
therefore of less generic interest
OF these the most important is the re-
lation of the Sheffield Scientific School
to the college. The position of the Shelf
field School S anomalous. When Mr.
Sheffield founded the school he, as every
one knows, was not disposed to entrust
his funds to body controlled by a ma
jority of Congregational clergymen.
So there was established under the pro-
visions of the laws of the state body
polite and corporate called the Board
Of Trustees Of the Sheffield Scientific
School" This body was organized in
1871 and in 1884 obtained a separate and
Independent charter. About three-quar-
-ers of the property of the school are in
he hands of this body. The rest Of it's
is held by the corporation of
Yale College; while the president of the
college is ex-off1cio not only a member
If it's board of trustees, but also the
president of it's faculty. So that as
natter of fact the school has indepen-
lence in neither finance nor in teaching.
The condition Is peculiar Friction and
ivalry between the school and the col
eye can only be avoided by tact and
especially as the two come
cgether In so many branches of in )
truction. What can be done to thor ]
'ughly harmonic, to prevent waste in ]
eaching power and to permit the school
o expand in accordance with its plans
nd it's aspirations? The school and the
ollege have also different notions of
discipline and of student life College
tudents must attend chapel In the =
chool, attendance on religious services
$ optional College students live to-
ether in dormitories. In the school the a
arous secret societies have club o
ouses where members live as separate /
antilles. Dormitories are supposed to I
e democratic. Clubs are exclusive and n
Though the school was
bundled for scientific purposes alone it
ives instruction in modern languages
nd history, while its professor of Eng c
sh is facile princeps in English litera- t
Ire. 1t is well known that the school i,
'ould branch out. 1t is equally we'll 7
nown that President Dwight has OPP
osed it's branching. The school is
rowing in power and influence. It's