Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-06-24
SELECTING A COLLEGE,,
(From the Ogdensburg journal.

statement recently attributed to
John G. Bowman, secretary Of the Car
negie foundation. In which he criticizes
the educational standards of Columbia,
Harvard and New York universities. has
stirred up hornets nest In university
circles. The Carnegie foundation, II
will be remembered, Is q fund established
by Andrew Carnegie for the pensioning
Of college professors who have reached
a certain age or have completed a speci-
fled term of years Of service. The fund
Is made available to certain named nsti-
tutiors. stipulation being that pre-
ecribed standards must DO maintained.
That Harvard. Columbia and New York
universities are too lax and that unless
Il change for the better Is made at once
they will re deprived Of the benefits Of
tho foundation. is the gist of the state
ment alleged to have been made by the
secretary. Denias. not only of laxty
but of any correspondence with the OH
GERS Of the trust. have been made By the
authorities Of all three institutions. The
whole story has been branded a fake.
Nevertheless. 1t serves to call attention
to evils which exist In some of our best
know higher institutions of learning.
This Is commencement time in prac
tically all the high schools and acad-
cmies in the country. If the decision
has not been made already. the task
Of selecting college for the boy must
soon be taken up. And right there Is
where, in nine cases out Of ten. too little
care is taken. In inspecting the catalog-
ues. too often 1t is tho picture of the
handsome and comfortable dormitory
which attracts the mother, and the fine
Hall of Science" or "fiall of Language
es'' which catches the fathers eye. or
the athletic field. filled with n cheering
mob which leads the boy to decide that
this Is the place for him. The pages to
turn in the catalogue are those contain
ing. first tho entrance requirements.
II they are a "cinch." tho chances are
that the whole course VIII be similar.
Give boy "clnch" In college and
that's what he will be looking for when
he gets out. We know what the fellow
amounts TO who is always looking for
| "cinches."
Then examine the curriculum. Taboo
the college that makes the completion
of specified number of hours of work
the only or chief requirement for gradu-
| alton. We once knew n fellow who was
, graduated from one of our largest and
most famous universities with the degree
/ of Bachelor Of Arts. He knew little
| Latin and not q word Of Greek. He had
previously left n smaller and far better
college because he was in abject terror
of course in physics While in the big
! institution he chose to fiji three hours
n week out OF tie neccs sary eighteen
with course in music" The course
consisted of listening 70 good music for
! an hour three times a week. an occa-
sional lecture being thrown In, and sub
hitting a. note book at end of the
semester.
Pick ont place with few elective
studies Much as yoN boy may think
| he knows. he Is not 1T TO choose tho
majority Of his own subjects. Compul-
sory courses. with few junior ant
senior electives. are the only thorough
of the adva ntage which the small college
has over the large one, particularly II
| liberal art courses.
And don't forget to look up the re-
! Qriremonts for securing free scholar
| slips. The institution which lets dowr
the entrance examination bars to any
body deserves to he looked upon no.
only with skepticism but With contempt
There Is always something wrong witt
| such a place. There van usually b,
found that there Is ono ~tandard for III,
! desirable athlete and another for you
boy whose course is being paid for
The college question should be a vex
ing one, but too seldom Is It so.