New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-06-16
EDUCATIONAL AFFAIRS.
NEWS OF THE COLLEGES AND UNIvER-
SITIES-NOTES OF INTEREST.
THE GRADUATE HANDBOOK"-THE M
PORTANT WORK DONE BY THE FED
ERATIoN OF GRADUATE CLUBS.

The eighth edition Of The Graduate Hand
book" the organ Of the Federation of Graduate
Clubs has just appeared, under the editorshp
Of James H Patten, Of Harvard. The pamphlet
is about one-third smaller than the one issued
last year. and contains, besides the usual table
only sixty-one pages. The plan Of the book
however is substantially the same that Of
last years issue. which found TO work salts
factoriy. The report OF the proceedings Of the
holiday convention. however, is somewhat more
complete and literal while only two Of the
papers there presented are printed In full. the
other papers and the reports being merely sum-
married The two papers thus honored the
address by Professor Brander Matthews. Of Co
lumbia on Literature a Profession" and the
paper by c. Robert CASTOR, Of Cornell. this year
president Of the Federation of Graduate Clubs.
on The Scholars Ideal
Now that the report of the convention has ap-
peared in black and white. it is worth while
TO recapitulate the position OF the federation
on the various topics discussed as determined
bv the proceedings of the last convention.
The federation now represents more than four
thousand graduate students Its efforts have
been untiringly and effectively directed toward
securing a uniformly high standard for the
Phi D. degree, and il now recommends that
three years be the minimum time Of graduate
study for this degree 1t has always favored
facilitating the migration of graduate students.
because of advantages both 10 the student and
10 the faculty and administrative body OF the
university, and now urges the universities. in
addition TO adopting a uniform standard for the
Phi. D. degree, TO effect uniformity in graduate
work and 10 adopt a uniform course book SINH
lar TO the German "Anmeldungsbuch' SO thdt
the student may receive credit IN one iIlslI L
ton for work done at another. concerning the
mn hlication of theses the federation holds that
since the maintenance of the standard or re-
uuirements is largely dependent upon the pun
Icity given to the thesis accepted ior lht ~. ug
gree and since the Withholding Of theses from
qualification deprives scholars Of the dement's
which might be derived from them. ana ma!
lead 10 wasteful repetition Of work all theses
accepted for the Phi D. degree should De pup
lished In 1891 IL may be remembered tlt
federation voted that they should be pubIlshed
by the universities granting the Pm u degree.
Respecting the lecture system IN graduate
work the sentiment of the convention seemed
20 he that there is perhaps too much OF TINS
Kind of reaching and especially too much OF
the kind which is merely reading from lile pio
lessons book. z.u -
Fellowships are best considered, according 10
the oniniOns expressed at the convention, as
ein,nle business investments. and should pe
given with little regard to the pecunlaTy heeu
of the student but rather as a recognition OF
marked attainment .,.o
on the question OF the relation of graduate
and UNDERGRADUATE courses the federation mas
not Vet spoken: more investigation ana utilp-
Grafton are needed before sound conclusions
can he reached and any recommendations Iid4e
10 universities. it,. 1900
the fact that the federation has been dong much
good and If its efforts are wisely directed VIII
DOUBTLESS do a great deal more. And II II shoulu
do little else il will be of great service IN brlns-
irer graduate students together for an exchange
If ,ieyvs on questions of vital interest in mod
ern education.