The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-09-30
.EDUCIl ION FOR
THE " AGE GARNER
Harvard University Has Established
and is Now Operating a Special
Course of Instruction.

sCl3iiy III England and TO SoIHe= extent IN
this country, to bring, in part, al least
the advantages of q college education to
those whose opportunities for culture
would otherwise be AL too scarty. One
criticism which has been brought against
the movement is that perhaps the culture
+ has been spread a little TOO thin for any
real good. It is interesting, therefore,
to learn OF an experiment which has been
carried on for some eight or ten years in
Cambridge, Mass, with the IDEA OF utii-
iZing the waste energy, so to speak, OF
Harvard University, not exactly in a plan
of university extension as it is usually
understood but for tue direct advantage
of the Cniversity's mediate nelghoors
among the working classes
One thinks of Cambridge as typically
the classic American city, but to any
one crossing over one of the bridges from
Boston on his way out to Harvard ana
the homes of Longfellow and Lowell, the
large manufacturing interests OF the city
viii be evident at once.
MIR. ELY'S PLAN.
Some ten years ago a young man. MI
Robert T. Ely, was attending the lectures
of the Harvard Divinity School, and at
TIE same time carrying on meetings in the
Port as this manufacturing part of
Cambridge is called. Naturally enough
the idea occurred to him from. this double
experience of life liz Cambridge, that
something might be done systena ticaly
10 bring the cultivation and instruction
Of the University directly TO bear upon
those whose lives We're passed more or
less hopelessly in the toll and struggle of
the factories and shops. He thought that
in this way the worllingman might be
able to get not only what would be use
full to him as knowledge but, far better,
the realization Of higher ideals in life;
while the young undergraduate coming
down 10 teach in his new classes would
gain equally as much, both in sympathy
and in power. by being taken cut OF HIM
self and brought into contact with an
other side OF life.
This was the germ of what is now
called The Prospect Union, an organiZa-
ton of working men, comfortably housed
in conlmodiOus, well appointed buildings,
with regular instruction in classes taught
by Harvard undergraduates. The Union
has no official connection with the Uni
yersity itself, but unotficiaily the ties that
bind the two together are Very close in
deed. The volunteer undergraduate faculty
numbers some seventy-hve Harvard stu
dents and teachers, and the Union has
h;auar sacfloj 8tilp and announcement
from the officers and professors of the
University. Professor Francis G. Peabody,
Plummer Professor OF Christian Morals
in the college, may in fact be called, with
Mr.. Ely the head of the Union since the
beginning), the founder Of the Union, so
early and SO constant has been his inter
est in its welfare; and President Eliot is
a member of the Prospect Union Assoca-
ton, a body of trustees, under witch the
property Of the Union is held for the
benefit of the public. For that matter, in
deed, the Union has never lacked infiuen-
tial friends, both in and out of the Uni
versity and Cambridge itself. Among It's
warrnest helpers nave been Colonel Thorn
as Wentworth Higg1nscn, DR.. Edward
Everett Hale, Professor Charles Ellot
Norton, the late Governor Of Massachu-
sets, William E. Russell and Oliver Wen
dell Holmes and James Russell Lowell.
WHO ARE TAUGHT.
The principal features of the Union are
its evening classes and lectures. At first
workngmen simply said what they wish
ed to study. and classes were formed
accordingly. The Union began TO announce
in the autumn, as it does now every year,
a list Of courses of study to be given if
pupils applied for them. The classes are
small, averaging an enrolment OF seven
or eight; sometimes even Il class consists
of two, teacher and pupil. The subjects
taught cover a wide range, from the most
elementary instruction in English branches
to high school and college studies. Every
year men VINO cannot read or Write are
provided with teachers who give them
patient ana tactful instruction. with mucn
more attention to the Individual pupil
than is possible in the evening public
schools.
Foreigners who have no knowledge, or
scarcely any, of English are welcomed,
and Initiated into the mysteries OF the
language Having as yet but primitive ia
koratory facilities, only tnetiTei'frtt ana
elementary instruction can be offered IN
most OF the natural sciences. iaui IN ths
languages and in literature; in history ana
economies; and mathematics, from the
lowest to the highest; and in studies Walcn
seem to have more practical value such
as mechanical and free-hand drawing,
penmarsilip Bookkeeping and stenosra-
Day what may be accomplished Is lnlileu
only by the time and ability OF the pu2il.
The classes in English are uSuaiy alllohs
the largest and most satisfactory, from
reading, spelling and grammar TO loetorlc
and the writing of themes, and eloeuIoh
and debating. Arithmetic ii$1loiais
tracts a. large number of pupils. Inc work
i, Algebra and Geometry Is always en-
couraging. and there are small classes IN
Trisonon,etry, Calculus and Mechanics
latin is a much more popular study at
me beginning of the first term OF 'he
wear than at the end OF the last term
many also, who begin the study Oh ffench
and German with too SanSulne eApectd-
tons, drop out after the first few weeks
in the classes However, there are several
members who have III two, three or tour
wears acquired reading knowledge OF
foreign language and some facility IN
writing and speaking it; and some men
continue to grapple with Latin and even
Greek for successive years with talr re-
suits History is not appreciated as it
should be, although the effort to stimu-
late interest in it has met with some
success.
ADDITIONAL COURSES:
( Next year the Union proposes to
establish two especially interesting
courses, one in municipal affairs and the
second to fit men for the lower civil SER
vice positions in the city and State. The
former has not been attempted elsewhere,
it is believed. Instruction viii be given
in the details of the Cambridge City
Charter, showing the responsibilities of
the various departments and their inter-
relations. The Union is not without hope
that such course will, in time, have its
effect in distinctly lettering the admins
tration OF the city as whole.
Another method OF instruction is the
Given aarh The lecture