The news & observer., 1905-12-31

ments for admission are greatly in
creased. the average age at which
students enter college Is greater than
w2S the case forty years ago. and to-
day there exists what then was un-
known. namely. an elective system OF
study.
AS I said TO the Trustees OF Column
bia. and / now take this opportunity
of repeating: II is useless 10 say that
American students between Is and p
wears Of age cannot with advantage
pursue professional and other uni
versity subjects OF study when these
ere precisely the years at which the
students OF France and Germany are
uursuing those studies the most Wig
orouslv and with the greatest adyant-
age I think that during the present
wear one of the most important OF the
0.-veIopmerts in the field OF education
is the grow ing understanding OF WnaI
is meant by those educators who De
ijevse the time has come when theTe
should be some change in the relation
OF the college 10 the university and In
the character and duration OF the cur
riculurn. 1t is my great hope that
more and more American youth OF
both sexes viii be persuaded 20 take
advantage OF the curriculum AFFORDED
by the college proper as distinguished
from the university. and in that view
7 find that many OF our leading educa-
tors are sharing.
There has been q vigorous discussion
concerning the American college ana
its problems for several years, but mol
al any time more vigorous than dur
ing the present year. This discussion
is of great advantage II brings out
more and more clearly the truth that
the college as distinguished from the
university is more likely 10 suffer
from those who under the guiSe or
friendship insist that the college shall
not in any way be modified or changed
so as 10 adapt il 10 modern educational
conditions. / often say that those VINO
hold such a view permit themselves 10
make Of the college a sort of educa-
tional fetch. These would-be friends
of the college profess to believe that all
of its auantitive standards. its old
time four years OF resident study and
all its traditions. no matter how feeble,
are the things 10 be preserved al all
hazards.
Now. l do not hesitate 10 say if these
were 10 be preserved at all hazards, IL
is not unlikely that in the not distant
future the college would be destroyed.
There was at one time great misap-
prehension as to the meaning OF those
WHO desired 10 bEiA4@ dboAN AAcdAbAiA "a
changes in the college curriculum
and term. They were supposed 10
favor reducing the length of the col
lege course. bringing it down 10 two
years as the length OF time necessary
10 qualify for a degree But that. was
a wrong view. and il was one of the
gratifying developments of the pres
ent year that there prevails much
better understanding OF what the col
lege problem really is. 1t is now and
has not been a question OF reducing
the length OF the college course. The
problem is simply this, namely, the
treating Of the college course on sound
educational principles as We know
them today. and of adapting yener-
able and useful institution 10 changed
conditions. educational. social, anu
economic. l think that more and
more there comes to be a perception
OF the true work Of education, namely
that Il is TO fit the young Of both sexes
for all the duties OF citizenship. So
that in the generations that are tC
come there may be men and women
qualified to take inspiring and suffi-
cient part in public life. in the life
of society, and in all the various or
CARNATIONS by which civilization is
expected TO progress. That is the
true purpose of education. and one
Of the chief features OF the present
year has been, as l saw il in England
and upon the Continent last sum-
mer, and as l have seen ii revealed in
various ways in the United States. 4
better understanding OF what the fun
damental purpose Of education is
NICHOLAS MURRAY BUTLER.