New-York tribune., 1900-03-31
EDUCATIONAL AFFAIRS.
NEWS OF THE COLLEGES AND UNIvER-
srTIEs-NoTEs OF INTEREST.
THE MIGRATION OF GRADUATE STUDENTS
THE COMMUNITY OF INTEREST
AMONG SCHOLARS.

The first topic which the Association OF
American Universities has proposed for discus
sion at fits next meeting is that of the migration
of graduate studente from institution to an
other. The Federation of Graduate Clubs has
ever since its organization deliberately promoted
this interigration of students. In fact, the fed
Grafton had its origin in the publication OF the
Handbook of Graduate Courses" which was de-
signed TO give enterprsing students accurate
knowledge of all the advanced courses open TO
them in American universities. The report OF the
Committee Migration TO the federation in lS's'
based individual reports received from large
number of migratory students showed that- Whiie
geogrs phical and pecunary conditions were respon-
sible for the movements of some Students ,he
reputation of particular professors and courses to-
gether with the advantages Of special library ana
laboratory facilities formed the principal causes OF
migration.
That representatives of fourteen of the foremost
universities should have joined last month in a
movement to break down the insular selfsuffcency
and jealousies formerly existing between riVai IN
sttutions argues well for the growth OF the spii'
which recognizes a community of interest IN the
fraternity of scholars. Formerly an aumnus OF any
institution implicitly Of not openly charged
with dsloyalty If he should presume to take WORK
at an American university other than MS anna
mater provided he could find even approximately
the same course at his own university. But of late
nartly through individual niative, partly throush
the agency of intercollegiate organizations among
students and not a little through the wise encour-
aeement of individual institutions. this movement
of students from university to university as mas
so long been the case in Germany Is pecoiiiihs
more general Johns Hopkins University, "hlch
uas nrofessedly modelled German lines, has al
zsvs urged that her graduate students take a'
least one of the three years leaoihg 10 'iie
doctorate (preferably the second at another UNI
versity.
r NJ Alden who took his A. NJ. at Harvard IN
1895 who has since taken his Phi. D. elsewhere and
who is now an instructor in the University OF
Pennsylvania writes Interestingly on this topic
in the current number of THE Harvard Graduates
Magazine" Taking his figures from the catalogues
Of the graduate schools of Harvard and Pennsyi-
vanis he shows that while these institutions natu-
rally draw considerable number of their STU
dents from their Undergraduate ranks and
from colleges having no graduate schools, yet II
per cent of Harvards graduate students and %
per cent of Pennsylvania have already done
graduate work at other universities, the latter in
many cases being different from those IN Whlch
their college courses were pursued. He cites sew
eral interesting individual cases. For example. one
took his A. B. at college in the Middle West;
then spent year at the University of Chicago;
then year at the University Of Wisconsin; then
a year in Germany, divided between Berlin and
Halle. and is graduate student in the Uni
versity Of Pennsylvania. Another man. at
Pennsylvania originally from Western
college, through the Catholic University of Amer
ica, the University of Bonn and Johns Hopkins
While this free movement tends to break down
the jealouses. ii helps to promote healthy
growth Of rivalry and competition. Each institu-
tion, in order TO draw students must keep i'm
proving its equipment must get men with repu-
tations and must offer increased advantages in
the way of fellowships and scholarships. Should
The facilities offered be snowy than sub
stantial. should they read large in the catalogue
but prove of slight value when tested the tide
of migration will be TO set toward other
institutions This modern movement DR.. Alden
up follows:
Migration indicates a diminished provincialism
in our educational life. Advanced students do not
take blindy whatever Is offered them, assuming
that their own university is the best, but make a
study OF opportunities and calmly discuss among
themselves the respective merits of and
professors The facilitated comparison of different
educational methods must hasten the evolution of
the bestthe survival of the fttest breadth
of view is gained by the universities, and greater
fraternity too, In spite of the competitive spirit