Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-12
UNIVERSITY EXTENSION
A Deal of Good Work Is Being Done
in Philadelphia.

| From the philadelphia Press
| The American Society of University FIX
| tension begins today its active winter cam
| paign. Mr.. Hudson Shaw of the English
| society, whose repeated visits to this city
have but deepened the impression he first
| made and increased the enthusiasm he
hrst aroused, opens this afternoon his new
| course on 'Mediaeval Rome" and Prof
VIM. II. Mace, recognized authority in
| his field, takes up the discussion of Amer
| lean history.
These are but two names in long and
| well-selected list which attests the activity
| of the society. the wisdom of its selection
of lecturers and the demands of its centers
beginning as an experiment, university ex-
tension in this city has not only proved
| itsei1 practical and efficient means of
| securing and stimulating adult education,
but its influence more than any other one
cause has quickened and set in motion q
wide array of appliances for the same pur-
pose
| to believe that any valid voluntary demand
existed for education and Improvement by
lectures, study and reading among those
past the school age. The different circu-
lating libraries showed a diminishing dis
| tribution of books. The various lecture
courses were dying natural death. In its
institutes which furnished training 10
those out Of school life, PHILADELPHIA was
far behind other cities.
Under this condition of affairs decade
ago the University Extension Society ap-
piled itself to the task of awakening inter
est in serious study through lectures read
ing and associated effort. The society has
not been the only influence and agency ar
work but ii has been the one most dis
llhctly and directly devoted to adult study
FOR more than ten years it has been COL
lectng audiences of from 10000 to $4,000 in
all, scattered in score of halls Those
who come under its influence and their
number is not to be measured by its audi
ences were stimulated to an increased in
telectual activity, We're led to read and
We're trained in self-education.
Today the free library of PHILADELPHIA cir
culatas over 1,25o000 volumes a year The
students, many of them adults and all
near adult life. attending institutes and
like schools number over 5000 nearly five
fold the attendance dozen years ago. The
board of education is zeaiously co-operat-
ing in the provision of free lectures The
city night schools have this year been re-
organized and improved. The advance in
the entire field of reading and studies after
leaving school is little less than amazing
New endowments, many earnest workers
and much well-directed effort have CO.
operated in this great improvement: but
through it all the American Society of
University Extension has been steadily
preaching and practicing the possibility and
necessity of study and reading for those
past the school age. 1t has done the
pioneer work in this field. 1t has been on
the skirnlish line, and, as always with the
skirmish line. il has often been on short
rations and lacked the support it deserved;
but il has never intermitted its efforts and
liberal aid. 1t began expecting to educate
individuals. The experience of a decade
has shown that il has done even more--it
has educated the community.