New-York tribune., 1899-11-18
EDUCATIONAL AFFAIRS.
cr AND UNIVERSITY NEWS AND
W. NOTES OF INTEREST.

.,r,oN FROM THE REQUIRED
'Hb ~ or COURSE TO THE ELECTIVE sfs-
-rN-YALE's TENTATIVE CHAN'N9
,resent interest in pedagogy ana 'he
WIZ Given TO theories of edu0a''oi'
satn'i0" that no uniform method OF IN
aiher 81 heen found for the colleges anu
srueuV" ~ the country. Naturally 'he oui
snivers'' r,ot everywhere be the same-'na'
rErlu" Question Of endowment-out 'here
o' come general plan of educauoh W"ion
rus' ~ ~. hest results. and which all Hs"-
T'''' :. learning can follow. As yet however
puons ,,ar system Of education mas not
y H ,.,, the experimental stage. ana 'he
ssop ,so, ,s now being worked out-'he
;''suO" o, meets every faculty-is that OF the
rro ~ the elective system.
- old plsn OF education divided 'ne s.uueneS
l~ Iii groups. so small that the instructor
y" personally each man ana coulu io''o" MS
ps oral questions recitauons' ol'en "ea,
VIZ those who must sit and listen were 'he
fN ,.o,ures of the old method. every man
rsn ,b-ough a certain drill. and wnen ne
~ ob,ained his degree he had mastered
gan ,,.,titv Of Latin, Greek ana mathemat-
Ss'A" "A stood the same test that his fellow
IS u" .aa undergone. This system. with all
fH'en'' &C gave 10 the individual a certain
3 nan '-,,r,ate relation with his fellow stu
Cal -" "a gave TO the body Of men an esprit
which the colleges are now making
.sort 10 retain and with varying success
"..,v under the influence of foreign univer-
.sneciany the German, the elective system
s"-,.oduced s" students were allowed from
va =, IN pursue their favorite studies. in
n .,,sr, was encourag ged-a man no longer
0.-1 his class. but followed his own peculiar
"sn With the elective system came the
E", ssve,opnent Of the lecture system, and
ia classroom drill gave way 10 the taking
..,s. q, the preparation of special themes
- ,apers Of investigation.
,,"'.o-a was the leader in this new method.
,-.,as now strongly committed to the elect
sHu s,sr, s The smaller colleges have II 10 a
Ne o- less extent, but as a general rule not
gro han half Of their four years work is
nlv. .,,s or the older universities Yale still
80. @ ss, first two years compulsory. except IN
&s & ebolee Of modern language and the cleo
,o, '- N one OF six subjects in the sophomore
- - The last two years are elective. and ale
;s"s combines the old and the new. There are
=, resent then two positions, the elective and
,ba serni-electiVe curriculum.
This question not only affects every college,
ha, me preparatory schools are interested In
. The oral drill the daily mental discipline
nhtcb the COMPULSORY college course gave, they
rms, now in larger measure supply. The
.scrndary schools are feeling this pressure and
are realizing that they must accomplish more in
an deuartments - their work
This matter which seems a plain one. is not
yst near its solution. There he's been no general
ro,ement 10 make the college courses wholly
elective yet The various college catalogues
son 10 appear VII undoubtedly show in almost
every instance an increase in the total number
o. elective courses offered. The position of Yale
al the present moment is most interesting for
th-se who study educational matters. Yale
combine. as has been said. the two systems.
President H9dley. who is e1inently progressive
ard deeply Interested i'm all modern educational
deYelopments discussed this matter in his re-
cent Inaugural address. lie formula ted no fixed
pa. lat with its defects he showed that the
Old conn uisOiy system had yet Ss advantages
ara by 10 means advocated an entire elective
core.
errg.culur there is danger Of swinging 10 the
other extreme. II Is we'll 10 give science and
mCGeIn languages their just position in the col
lege course Il is right 20 encourage self-develop
mert, hut there is the danger OF the students
following the line OF least resistance. and that
the old training will be forgotten.
" is scarcely possible 10 do more than state
this large problem II is by no means a new
question but at present II deserves TO be again
reviewed. Within the last month four of the
Ieading Eastern institutions of learning have
Mausuraied new presidents What is TO be their
poHoy? How will they change the curriculum? +?
Inc question should he settled: some more def
nte conclusions should be arrived at and the
action OF these new officers will be important in
determining the educational policy Of the col
sseS and universities Of America on the ques-
ton