Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-02-22
WOODROW
WILSON
The Story of His Life
from the Cradle to
the White House
By WILLIAM BAYARl HALE

DJ W lLLlAuA DA hA\~
Copyright. 1871. 1872 by Doubleday. Page
& Co
an understanding OF the necessity OF
opening college doors TO the new facts
which modern science has added to
the store Of human knowledge; spoken
also in appreciation Of the new social
conscience that has been born in the
world though it is slow in coming to
the birth in colleges.
" II had fallen TO President Eliot OF
Harvard to proclaim the new age IN
which the old educational ideas had
ceased TO suffice Princeton, under the
presidency OF Wilson, now took up the
completing work Of positively con-
structing a system which should con-
tain the new ideas, the new subjects,
and not only contain them. but organ
lie them, coordinate them, put them
into proper sequence and relation.
President Wilson's committee after
months OF labor. the freed and en-
thusiastic labor OF eager men. promul-
gated q revised, or. rather. new, sys-
TEN OF collegiate study. 1t was the
first positive attempt made to bring
the new college education into intelh-
gent and systematic relationship as q
: body OF discipline. All interested in
education know OF the revolution
wrought by the department system"
that has ever since prevailed at Prince
ton. While II offered the widest scope
/ for the election" OF studies, II prac-
tically assured that the studies elect
ed" should lead TO one settled purpose
that is, IT inteligently co-ordinated a
students work 1t turned him out or
college not with a smattering Of a
thousand subjects, but with a pretty
thorough training in some one broad
group OF subjects.
President Wilson is entitled to the
credit Of presiding over this revision.
1t was a first evidence and result OF
that principle OF Wilson's mind which
demands coordination and right rela-
tionship. and II was the first step to
ward the transformation OF Princeton
into a university for the people.
President Wilson's next step was tc
commit Princeton to the revolution
that has come about with the adoption
of the preceptorial system. 1t was hi:
idea that the university had grown toe
large longer to train its students mere
~ through lectures and examinations
There was no provision for the stu
dents outside OF the classrooms. Wha
they did elsewhere. where they lived
what they talked about, with whom
they associated what books they read
what ideals OF life were held up befOr,
them-with all these the university II
the days before had had nothing TO do
Fifteen hours week in lecture room
represented the only opportunity pos
sessed by the faculty to educate" tn
men. All this. said the president, mus
be changed. These young men mus
not be turned out into the street TO 2
and come without direction. withou
proper companionship. without inspira
ton, during the other 80 hours OF tn
week. His idea was to put the stu
: dents more intimately into association
with a body OF young instructors VIII
were TO afford the undergrsds friendl
l companiOnship and oversight Forma
5 recitations were largely abolished
r Men studied subjects; they did nc
merely take courses"
: The cost Of the preceptoriaI systeI
was very great. approximately 500
600 a year. 1t was determined I
I raise at least a part OF this. by sui
+ scriptions from the alumni Possibl
j. this determination was a practical e.
l ror, for It gave the alumni an INIT
D ence and voice in the management q
the university; especially 1t gave theI