The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-10-09

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 sharply distinguish between the col lege and the university. We have now to deal with universities, something which did not exist in America thirty years ago. The bearing of our several large and rapidly growing universities upon the college question is very close. | The Study of the Classics. | "As to the study of the classics,' con tinued Dr. Harper, there Is undoubt- 1 edly reaction in many quarters | against that as an important factor ID 1 the preparation for business life. This l reaction Is only temporary. Up to the l present, no better means has been pro- vided for training the mind than the old-fashioned classical discipline. At the same time it should be noted that a serious and important change has ta- ken place in the use of the classics. The grammar is no longer exclusively or largely taught. Much more atten- tion is now given the literary side of cla ssical work and this has many ad- vantages."
 But, Dr. Harper. cannot men get the same good out of the study of more practical things than the dead lan- guages?" -
 .I do not think any other study trains the mind quite So well. However. if good methods are adopted there is no doubt but that men can be well train ed by using any of the more common fields of Knowledge as basis. For this reason a large use is made of his tory, political economy and social sci ence and of the natural sciences as well as of technology"
 Our Boys at Oxford.
 What do you think about sending American boyssto Oxford on the schol- arships furnished by Cecil Rhodes? Will they get as good an education there as at home?"
 There are many American boys who will be able to obtain great advantages by a three years residence at Oxford" replied pr. Harper. T do not think it would be we'll to have all of our boys educated there. It would not be good thing to have them all educated at any one place, or in any one way. As to whether they are to be benefited by their Oxford course depends very large- ly upon themselves as individuals. IL is a mistake for some boys to go to ,, college at all. and 1t will probably be found that some of our young men will derive no perceptible benefits from their stay at Oxford. But If the selec- tions are made on the proper basis, the experience of our young Americans In Oxford will prove to be not only great factor in their education, but also one m the e0uCaLlOndl system Ot tH0 United States, which will be the richer because of this new contribution"
 Can Business Men AnOrd the Time.
 But, Dr. Harper. do we not devote too much time to education? Can the man who expects to 0nter commercial or business life afford to spend four years at college?
 That depends upon two things. First upon the age at which he enters college and second the good he Is getting out of his college work. If young man IS not able to enter college until he IS 21 or 23 and he cannot therefore gradd- ate until he is 25 or 27. the question is serious one for him. The average boy. however, should be able to enter college at not later than F, and there Is no reason why such a boy should not spend three or four years in study, whatever is to be his occupation. He will surely be all the stronger for busi- ness if he has made himself acquainted with the various subjects of money in- surance, etc, which form so large a part of the business life of today"
 "On the other hand" pr. Harper con tinued, there Is no good reason why the present four years of high school work and the four years of college work should not be properly accom- plished within less than eight years by 50 per cent of those who attempt it. A few students can do 1t admirably in six years and a majority ought to do it Tn seven years. It would not be wise, however, to change the standard fro n four years to three, because in this case all would do 1t in three The bet ter way would be to arrange the work in such a manner that those who are able to go through their college cour.e in three years should have the privilege of doing so"
 What Course to Choose.
 What course would you advise the high school boy to take whose career is not to be decided until after he leaves the high school or eollege?"
 If 1t is impossible for the student to decide before that time I should cer- tainly advise the high school course which includes good preparation Ia Latin, mathematics and science. For the boy who cannot decide on his ca- reer until after he leaves college, should advise the same general course with the addition of French and Ger man, and of history and political econ- omy. Whatever the mans occupation, these subjects will be found directly helpful"
 College Athletics.
 Are not our colleges running more to muscle than brains?" I asked 'Tn
 
 ing out mental training?"
 That idea is frequently presented in the daily press. It seems absurd to anyone who knows the facts. The time now given to athletics Is the time which used to be spent in rowdy- ism and perhaps in drunken sprees The average college man of today gives more hours to study than did the average college man of twenty five years ago. The result of physi- cal training and atheletics has been the moral purifcation of the college atmosphere. It has made 1t infinitely better than 1t was a quarter of a century ago. College presidents do not favor physical training and ath- letics because they are popular with the students. nor because they in- crease the number of students. In- deed, doubt whether either of these propositions is correct A large part of the work in physical training Is de- cidedly unpopular and no one has vet shown that the number of colleRe students has in any way been influen- ced by successful athletes. The favor shown by the college officers is solely due to the fact that where physical training and athletics are encouraged there Is a better moral atmospkere less conflict between students and caulty and much better and stronger college work. Indeed. physical train ing Is an essential element to success- full college work The defects of the body are often more harmful in the de- velopment of the young man or young woman than defects Of thA .nfpds st