Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1903-02-26
COLLEGES IN AMERICA
-,prsJDFNT HADLEY OF YALE
TALKS ABOUT THEM
Gent Change Made Between 1850 and
lseO-Same Spirit of Chris
tan Democracy.

Arthur Twining Hadley, president OF
Gale university. spoke to the members
of The Contemporary club recently upon
"Tbe American College, Its Past pres
ent and Future.
president Hadley spoke about the col
love of fifty years ago. Then" he said.
che Young man knew what he was
going TO. A four years course. two
yaars of Latin. Greek and mathematics
and Two years Of whatever else the fac
nlty was competent to teach. When
ANYTHING happened to the professor OF
International Law, the professor OF Lat
m would be called on to take his place.
When a man had received the course
ne was supposed to have acquired schol-
arship and be in a class by himself The
colleges of fifty years ago led men to
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
leqe 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 Theif study kept the boys out of
mischief certain important hours each
day for four years. Classics made the
bows 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 tende 1cy of the life was to bring
out the many sides OF 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 re-
quired 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 1t Is impossible to tell
where the college ends and the scien
ti6c school begins.
College functions keep more in touch
with the public than before, many will
say that 1t is due to football, but that is
pessimistic view of the case. There is
constant talk about the decline Of col
lege 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
equalities OF wealth at the present time
and more chances to spend money
which makes the inequalities felt but
everybody is ready to take an interest
in public affairs and to subordinate
himself as much as it is in human power
to do SO, to the interests 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 little world in the midst Of a great
one. Our father perhaps valued debat-
ing more and athletics less and we value
athletics 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 jeopardze the very ex-
lstence of college course in the near
future The professional schools, not at
hrSt very important because the youth
wishing to become 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
grad ally enlarging and perfecting
themselves. 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
prospective lawyer or doctor no longer
goes into an office and learns but re-
,elyes 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
Wnditions arising from the growth Of
me professional schools and suggesting
'arlous remedies such as the lowering
W the entrance age TO the college and
me shortening OF the college course
gave his idea that the benefit derived
from four years course at college. ir-
'.spective book learning the moulding
~ "naracter and broadening of the
mind, which is brought about then,
would never allow the professional
SCHOOLS TO gain the ascendency.