The Washington herald., 1910-08-21
Nv LANES b. MoRRow.

Three generations back two MacCrack- |
ems, young men and brothers. sat on a /
line fence in an Ohio forest. and, after
slowly and gravely talking the matter
inside out. determined to be preachers. |
The Nfaccrackens, now a family and not
a clan. have been teaching ever since
Preaching is teaching. and an ecclesiastic
might be called q pedagogue to the
spirit.
After following Abraham Lincoln around
while he tried several law suits and a
case Of murder. Henry Mitchell Mac
Cracker. son OF one OF the axmen on the
fence. returned to his home near and
north OF Cincinnati TO study law, as he
supposed. but, as a matter of fact, to be
a schoolmaster. In his second place of
employment. a little town Of English
brick houses among the fields. he follow
ed Whitelaw Reid. who, finding HIS tai !
ent. had gone away to learn journalism.
There was preaching afterward. but
the MacCracken gift for teaching was
tox> precise and managerial for the pull
Dit Also, there Is a more ready re-
Spouse from a class, eager 10 acquire.
than from a congregation. settled In its
convictions A steaming man wants to
be doing something. SO Henry NJ. Mac
Cracker. doctor OF divinity. pastor in a
city. hurried along into the chancellor
shin of New York University. He has
been here for twenty-six years. first
subordinately and as a professor CO phil
osophy. but since 1891 the inspirational
and governing head Of one Of the most
important educational enterprises in the
United States.
Builds an Institution.
Meanwhile, his influence has been mani
fest throughout the whole country. He
found an obscure institution meanly
housed, and physical property worth
$4,000. There were ninety college stu
dents To-day 424O young men and
women are studying at the university.
Beautiful buildings have been erected
on the heights at the northern edge OF !
the city. Property has been obtained to
the value of 100000. The Scotch apti-
tude for general business and the driv-
ing Of a particular bargain is not lack
ing in the NfacCrackens. The two youths
on the line fence in the. woods once made
a trade in land that has since been
praised by all their descendants.
Educationally. the progress OF New
York University has kept up with its
material success. A teacher himself, and !
nothing else. DR.. MseCracken established !
n department Of pedagogy. the first any
where Of which there Is a record. Later !
he opened a professional school OF com |
nlerce, accounts. and financing. He has
lived through and taken part in the mod
ern evolution Of educational methods, and
is conspicuous among the group Of great
living teachers. Indeed, be and Charles
W Eliot are the grandest old school
masters in America.
Three Score and Ten.
Likewise. Chancellor MacCracken is a |
human being. He is lively, imaginative. F!
and cordial in his converse ton. An inch |
more than six feet in stature. with a
large nose of unusual width at the
bridge. brown eyes that can twinkle with
humcr, and short, white beard, he acts
and looks like an amiable and muscular
philosopher. He will be seventy years
old on the 18th day Of next September,
and will then have served half century
as a public instructor.
Last February he resigned his office
with the university. agreeing to remain
at his post. however. until the morning
of his coming birthday. The trustees OBJ
5ected in a running debate that lasted
two months, and then reluctantly con-
sented 90 defer 10 his wishes He
pleaded age. but they laughed at his
years. as well they might. In the au-
tumn he will set out upon tour OF the
world, accompanied by his wife, and viii
investigate the remarkable educational
development OF Korea. China. and Japan.
Are there any chances nowadays" I
asked him, FOR the boy who has not
gone to collegeT'
plenty OF them" Chancellor Mac
Cracker replied. "It is not expected that
every boy shall have a college education. !
II IS found in the grammar schools, for
instance. that certain pupils become tired
Of their books AMI long TO go away and
work with things OF among men. They
would only be harmed il they remained,
s. and consequently they should be permit
ted TO drop out. The natural process OF
elimination. which is the law OF the sur
vivaI Of the fttest goes on in our high
schools. the classes growing smaller as
they near the end OF the regular course.
Leaves school for Business.
Not all OF the freshmen IN college
last. They have come through the high
schools or preparatory schools, finding
little difficulty with lower algebra or
geometry but when they reach the diff
ferential calculus and the higher mathe-
MATES they lose interest in their work
and want to escape. II is well 20 let
them 60 They viii get no good where
they are. especially II they loaf. From
the grammar school onward. therefore,
boys are vanishing into trades and bust
ness. to become bankers. merchants, rail
way managers. manufacturers. mechan- |
ics. and inventors Likewise to get rich"
Are college standards higher than they
were formerly"
"Oh, yes. II takes two years longer 10
get ready for college than was the case
when was a boy. II a student, in my
youth, made some pretense OF industry
and kept out Of mischief, he was usu-.
ally excused for his deficiencies in schol- |
arshlp. That slipshod era has passed !
away. Students now are absolutely COM |
PEELED 70 work and obtain results or
make room for some one else. The |
greatest changes. however, have oc-
CURED in our university schools I'm which |
men are prepared for professions.
Il remember very well when q student, |
without even so much as a high school |
education. could qualify for a degree IN !
medicine. and after attending a medical |
college for two winters. or twelve months |
altogether. be licensed TO practice. Now |