New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-11-28
COLUMBIA MAIL
COURSE URGED
Professor Egbert Tells OF
Value of Teaching by
Correspondence.
GREAT DEMAND
FOR STUDY CLUBS
Extension Department of Univer-
sitv Should Meet Requests from
MANY Sections, Says Director.

Teaching by correspondence is ad-
vocated by Professor James {. hgDerI'
director of the extension teaching anu
summer session departments of Column
bia University, in his annual report
issued yesterday. Such a system 'S
now employed extensively In "iSc0"
sin and the Western universities, ana
that urged by Professor Egbert wouiu
be similar, except that no academic
credit would be given for such lhslr"'
ton
The ever-growing demand from cities
and towns within radius OF NIFTY mics
from the university for centres where
courses under the auspices of the uni
versjtv may be given prompted PROBES
sor Egbert to appoint j. Montgomery
Gamhill as special assistant 10 'aAe
charge of the extramural work
"This service" Professor Egoer'
savs. els the most difficult within the
roach of the endeavors Of the depart
ment of the extension teaching, De
capse Of the necessity of securing SUIT
sble instructors who will be willing TO
Journey regularly to these centres ana
also by reason of the financial propiem'
as service of this character is natu-
rally exceedingly expensive. Never
tbeless. it is recognized by the admin
istrative board shat, if this service can
no rendered, it will add greatly to the
usefulness of this department and ally
q large number of interested students
with other departments of the univer-
sity."
Growth in Extension Teaching
Enormous growth of the extension
teaching department is shown. IN
1901, the year in which it was placed
under the control of the university
900 students were enrolled, with 800 IN
the extramural courses, making total
of 1912. In l914-15, 3,4O7 were en-
rolled in the course on Morningside
Heights and SAT in the eXtramural
classes. making a total of 4,253. These
figures are exclusive of the 1888 mem
bers registered in the Institute of Arts
and Sciences.
Professor Egbert, in his plea to in
clude in the work of the extension de-
partment informal class instruction
with system of correspondence in
struction, the latter without academic
credit, says:
This informal instruction should be
established in connection with study
or lecture clubs in various towns OF
the state, which could be conducted by
local agencies, and could be visited by
instructors on two or three occasions
during the period of the course. 10
this should be added also system, OF
instruction. This lat
ter form of education is used most ell
fectively in our Western states in con
nection with the great state unlversi-
ties.
"Our own ideals do not permit the
recognition of correspondence courses
as worthy of the academic credit
Nevertheless. the university should not
leave this important instrument OF
education in the hands of those who
conduct such courses for the simple
object of profit Many letters are re-
ceived in the Office of the director re-
duesting plans for study and for read
ing from localities even at great dis
lance. not only in New York State. but
in many states throughout the coun-
try.
Requests Should be Met.
at certainly belongs to the DEPART
ment Of Extension Teaching TO meet re-
quests of this character. ! would rec
cmmcnd that suitable books, syilabi,
outlines and questions be prepared for
the use Of such study clubs and of cor
respondence courses established by the
university to meet this increasing de-
mand. These special lecture and cor
respordence courses form an inter
mediate group between the academic
work Of extension teaching, which Is
now so fully developed at Columbia,
and its Institute of Arts and Sciences"
Professor Egbert advocates using the
dining room in University Hall as an
auditorium for the Institute of Arts
and Sciences, which last year showed
an attendance of more than 10000 az
the lectures.
The summer session showed a sur
prising growth, Professor Egbert points
out, in spite of the conflicting factor
Of the European war and the Panama
Pacific Exposition. More than 5000
students were enrolled last summer
During the coming summer session Pro-
fessor Egbert plans to extend materi-
ally the courses offered at Camp Column
tia, in the Berkshires. so As to permit
many students to combine outdoor life
with study.
1t is planned this year to include two
conferences. one in the Classics" and
the other in political science" with
the summer session.