New-York tribune., 1907-12-29
COMPETITION AND CULTURE.

Wby is il that with the untiring, conscleh-
+ious and intelligent efforts of American eau-
GATORS TO perfect eur secondary schools true
culture is not more commonly attained by colesc
men? Like most great pedagogical questioIs' 'hi'
one cannot be fully answered III slhsie
tence but among the numerous Iaciois 'I''
conspire TO thwart the ambition OF teachers 'no
connective system of promotion ana schoidl s"'p
awards claims high rank. THIS evil "S"ii'.
which many prominent educators nave ldui'ne't
tbor shafts from time TO time, has been touched
unon in one aspect by DR.. Dudley Sargent piysi-
cal director at Harvard University, III IN aa-
droSS at Columbia on physical training. SAID
DR.. Sargent:
Connection is to-day the arch enemy Oh an
true culture. mental as well as phH tb1ats
how if affects the scholarship men ana a'iIt ee 80
in our colleges and universities. mar diu ~ =;
AT the present time about Slou.too aiiilus'Iis ~! i
some three or four hundred scholarships, rahSlS
in value from $3.50 to $500 each. Any StuueIt@ ~ ~
need of financial assistance may apPlS -
of these scholarships provided he mas not pliS 81
cal mental or moral weakness ana gives pi oIil
ise of future usefulness. After Stuuelit i1
ceives a scholarship he is ADVISED TO consul ~ ~
director OF the gymnasium in feSdiu u -iI'
health: but the factor over all others that deter
mines whether a given student snall TeceiNe q
scholarship is not health or physical Flgor ouI
his mental standing according to the RANK doom
nf ,La faculty In answer to the queS-
ton which is usually put to scholarship men as
IN their physical improvement the almost HI
variable answer is Il haven't time BACK ol
this reply, however, the careful observer lhaE
read in their sad but determined faces IIle uIS'
uncertainty and constantly narrowing rear leSI
while they take time for physical exercise fecrt
alton and endowment their nearest rival may pe
at the everlasting grind that will land nm q
few points nearer the desired scholarship goal
The Harvard system is typica1ly American !;
Scholarships are almost invariably awarded ny
American college authorities on the basis OF
examination ratings. With the large held OF
competitors the result can only be the one pct
ured by DR. Sargent:
The scholarship man of to-day may be said
to represent the student type as it existed some
fortx or fiftv vears ago. The average
student 1f 1850 60 characterized py q
dropping head. with a pale face ana % dul.'
sunllcu eyes a fiat chest and rounded shoulders;
with cmaciated limbs, soft fahbN muscles anu
general lack of good physical mental ana hora'
tone.
What wonder then. that the American prize
winner becomes famous chiefly through the UNI
kind aid of the comic journals. while his Brit
isb colleague figures in the history of his coun-
try? Competition may be the life Of trade, but
II is the death of culture when it governs all
the actions of maturing minds To escape from
its pernicous influence however. the American
system of secondary education may have to he
profoundly modified. For If competition lor
passing marks and high marks Is abolished the
students right 10 promotion and honors can De
established only by fairly intimate knoWied-e
of his ambitions. tastes and mental powers l."
discover these however, college instructors VIII
have 70 draw much nearer To their classes.
watch individuals far more patiently and guide
them more personally than is now possible
This means smaller classes aud certain in-
forrnaIity in schedules ard courses and TINS,
alas, means more teachers and henc" larger
endowments Measured by these needs even
our wealthiest schools are poor.