The San Francisco call., 1908-08-18
IS
URGED BY WHEELER
University Head Favors Wider
Separation Between College
and High School
Tells Students Real Shaping OF
Career Begins in the
Junior Year

BERKELEY. Aug. 17.-The purpose
and significance of the changes made
by the academic council last May when
a greater line of demarkation between
the university and the high school was
drawn by the university faculty, was
the first university meeting of the stu
dents in Harmon gymnasium this
morning.
The. head of the university dwelt at
length on the need of making the high
schools more of a unit of themselves
and for greater specialization in the
university. AT the same time he point
ed out the wide breech between the
freshman and sophomore years. The
work OF specialization, he declared, be-
gins in the third year in college. He
said in part:
The real frontier between school and college is
marked by radical change of purpose Ia the
choice and use OF studies. In the school they
minister to training, in college to preparation
Tor lie activity. In the school they have been
iced Tor growing organism In college they are
equipment for a career. at the age of Is char
acter Is more than half set; after that any essen
tal changes OF Character are the exception; a
man may be inspired to develop some good apti-
tude that has been heretofore latent in him, but
rarely can be made over entirely.
Ing and shaping What the particular studies
have been is OF relatively less importance than
they have had in giving control Of observation
and or straghtness of thought and of power OF
expression. Any special accumulations Of knowl-
edge made In the school age are of the very
slightest Importance so far as the life career is
concerned. They may be an ineumbrance. The
pest physicists, historians. biologists have quite
commonly proved to be those who absorbed little
or none OF the special knowledge of those depart
ments before entering college.
those who are to be engineers ought to be
treated no differently in the high school from
those who are not to be. We want the high
school course to be pursued without any reference
10 whether pupil is to enter college not;
also without any refeFence<to what course he is
TO take when he gets there.
The period of adjustment TO the particular
course to be pursued is the lower division fresh
man ana sophomore years. which, like the inner
wing OF folding door. Is hinged at either side
illsn School on the hand and the upper d.
vision at the other The work OF specialization
and sophomore years devoted to preparation
Tor that specialization; they furnish the tools
and lay the fGundat tion
The attitude OF the college student toward his
work and toward his teachers and the colleges
becomes that OF man directly engaged In max
ing his own destiny; he is face to face with his
own 1ate The materials and tools for building
himself an ark OF his fate that will hoat are
richly supplied all about him. and whether he
He Is at bufret luncheon where every one helms
himself; II he fails of a full meal. he has him
selI To thank.
The application Of this to the order and govern
ment of the university is evident For eight
years you have been steadily advancing toward
full self government Last year WIS far the best
year OF all. at first you could not quite believe
we meant seriously. 1 think you do now 1t
works only as 1t is perfectly genuine. You make
the full decision; take the full responsibility
The primaey OF the senior class in student affairs
has now come to be fully recognized Senior hall
has helped nightly; it is good institution. We
have now tried 1t long enough to know.
All mankind is divided into two classes; the first
and largest Is composed of those who think the
way TO get anywhere is to float with the current;
the second, OF those who think the way to get
anywhere Is to row the boat. To the people of
the first class the world looks so weighty and
complex that they let IL have its own way; those
OF the second class make their own world. They
think (which is hard and rare thing to dol and
thereby rise dominant above the materials OF
world and life: they originate plans and thereby
swing the materials Into stonal shape; they viii
to do, and steer themselves to action and thereby
create their world. The way, for instance
to be liked. is to call 1t forth by your own good
cheer. Every active soul is the center Of the
universe.
This university will be for each Of you what
each OF you makes 1t to be. There viii be as
many Universities OF California as there are act
i've souls among you.