The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1903-04-16
COTalsNGES TN AMERICA
PRESIDENT HADLEY OF YALE
TALKS ABOUT THEM
1S9O-Same Spirit of Chris
tian Democracy.

Arthur Twining Hadley, president OF
Yale university, spoke to the members
OF the Contemporary club recently upon
The American College, It's Past, pres
ent and Future
President Hadley spoke about the col
lege of fifty years ago. Then he sa1d
the young man knew what he was
going to, A four years course, two
years of Latin, Greek and mathematics
and two years of whatever else the fac
ulty was competent to teach. When
anything happened to the professor OF
International Law, the professor of Lat
in would be called on to take his place
When a man had received the course
he was supposed to have acquired schol-
arship and be in a class by himself. The
colleges of fifty years ago led men tc
adopt the law, ministry or teaching as
their professions while a very much
smaller number turned to medicine or
went into business. The expenses of col
Iege life were very small in those days
and the colleges essentially democratic.
So far as my own recollection goes
the chief use of classics was negative
one. Their study kept the boys out of
mischief certain important hours each
day Tor four years. Classics made the
boys work and at the end their prOfes.
Sors could tell whether a man had
pumped water for himself or stood I'M
der the spout to be rained upon.
"The college education was not SO
much what was acquired from books,
but what the students gave each other
IN democracy amounting to cOmmun
ism. There were no differences of wealth
or rank in the old Brick Row. The
Whole tendency of the life was to bring
out the many sides of a man and give
him something to remember. The old
college developed generations of men
strong with high ideals, ready to help
the republic. to see things right and do
things right and not for any gain TO
themselves
After the war between the years of
1860 and 1900 the American college
changed rapidly. The increased range
Of and desire for science, for more his
tory and modern languages crowded the
classics and mathematics down to the
Sophomore and Freshman years and
partly out of the latter into the pre-
paratory schools. Four years for col
lege course were found insufficient TO
the elective system, by which student
is allowed to select the types. of studies
that suit him best, was tried. Harvard
went farther than other colleges in this
system while Yale was more cOnserva-
tive although at the latter college now,
the elective studies outweigh the ne
CURED ones In almost every branch.
Scientific schools were started where
a technical education could be OBJ
tanned. West Point and Pennsylvania
were the first of that character At the
present time it is impossible to tell
where the college ends and the scien-
tific school begins.
College functions keep more in touch
with the public than before, many will
say that it is due to football, but that is
a pesslm1Stic view of the case. There is
constant talk about the decline of col
Iege democracy but college is now as
democratic as it ever was and | think,
is as democratic as any place in the
world. 1t is true there are more in
CAPABILITIES OF wealth at the present time
and more chances to spend money
which makes the inequalities felt hut
everybody is ready to take an interest
in public affairs and to subordinate
himself as much as 1T is in human power
to do so, to the iaterestS of the pub
lie.
Speaking broadly there is the same
spirit OF Christian democracy in college
at present that there was fifty years
ago. The students are tied down less
to their studies nowadays as part of the
time is given to the business enterprises
OF college life and part to athletics. 1t
is a little world in the midst of a great
one. Our father perhaps valued debat-
ing more and athletics less and we value
more and debating less. Both
are good and of about equal value. but
each is Overvalued If it is made the
chief end of man.
a new set of conditions has entered
which tends to jeopardize the very ex-
Istence of college course in the near
future. The professional schools. not at
first very important because the youth
wishing to become a lawyer or doctor
went into an office and worked with the
lawyer or doctor until he learned
enough to fit him for the profession.
The professional schools began to do the
same thing, in small way at first, but
charging and perfecting
The courses became more
orderly and were graded and tended to
grow longer and longer. The law school
course was extended to three years and
the Medical school to four. Now the
lawyer or doctor no longer
goes into an office and learns but re-
ceives more thorough education in the
law or medical school,"
President Hadley after expressing and
discussing the opinions of Presidents
Elliot and Butler upon the indifferent
arising from the growth of
the professional schools and suggesting
various remedies such as the lowering
OF the entrance age to the college and
the shortening OF the college course.
gave his idea that the benefit derived
from four years course at college. ir-
book-learning, the moulding
of character and broadening of the
mind. which is brought about then,
would never allow the professional
schools to gain the ascendency.
Photographs on Fruit.