The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-21
COLUMBIA OPENS;
BROADENED BY WAR
Nsny Changes in Curricula
Will Be Noted, Beginning
on Wednesday.
ENROLMENT IS HEAVY
For First Time the University
Will Have an Associate
Dean.
ENROLMENT is HEAVY

Columbia University will on wednes-
a.v begin its 166th academic year. The
oc.ning exercises will be held In the
gymnasium. The academic procession,
nth President Nicholas Murray Butler.
,hs trustees and officers of instruction,
nnl form as at commencement in the
library Building at 2 $50. The annual
academic address will be delivered by DR..
Inhn Erskine professor Of English,
those topic will be University Leader
shIp" New interest," II Is expected, will
be lent to Prof. Brskine's address by
reason OF his services abroad in connec-
finn with his educational work OF the
YM C. A.
wednesday at 10 80 A. NJ. the opening
exercises Of the College Of Physicians
and Surgeons will DO held in the lower
lecture room. After a brief address of
welcome by President Butler an address
will be delivered by the new dean, DIR.
william Darrach, who succeeds DR.. Sam.
uel w, Lambert. DR.. Darrach, who rem
dered notable service in medical work
overseas during the war, will speak on
productive Medicine" The beginning
Of the new year at the medical school
will be marked by changes in admins
tration. For the first time the university
win have an associate dean. the appoint
ment of DR.. Sidney r. Burnap having
lust been announced.
Examinations Ended.
Examinations at the university began
last Monday and ended yesterday, with
the exception of the psychological tests,
which will be given tomorrow morning
and viii be in charge of Prof. e. L.
RaUiafrafion has hean In
progress since last Wednesday and ends
on the opening day OF the academic year
except for certain classes Of students.
While registration figures will not be
available until early next week, it was
said at the university yesterday that the
enrolment is likely to be very large in
all departments.
Columbia will start the year with i'm
portAnt changes in curricula and admin
istration. One of the most significant
Of these is the installation of psychology
teal tests now employed as An alternative
method of admission.
In Columbia College the work of the
new course in Contemporary Civilization
will get under way. This course, like
the psychological tests, is a direct result
Of the war and constitutes a far reach
ing step in education. The aim of the
course, it was said, yesterday, is ito
standing and influential factors Of his
physical and social environment. Tho
chief features of the intellectual, eco
nomlc and political life of to-day are
treated and considered in their depend
ence and difference from the past.
Another departure is the extension OF
compulsory physical education to sopho-
mores, Previously this had been con-
fined to freshmen. Bound up with this
~ rhx aiyi d
elaborate plan to care for students, who
show conditions of malnutrition, under
weight or i'll health from improper food.
The Commons. or university restaurant,
will provide good food. properly balanced
ard special diets practically at cost.
, The university medical officer and his
star will hold office hours daily for con-
Eutaton and treatment of students who
need their services. The chief object of
the health service will be to develop a
system of preventive medicine and n.y.
giene. a plan of supervision to keep the
student body well by early advice and
prompt attention to small as well as
large matters.
Assembly Hour Effective.
On the reopening Of the fall term,
plans for the university assembly hour
will go into effect. For the first time in
the history of the university, one whole
hour each week on Tuesday will be de-
voted to common gathering of the uni
vrsity community. This. it is explained
is movement in the direction of uni
versity solidarity.
The university assembly, II is thought
will do much toward coordinating the
aims of the various schools. II will be
place at which class gatherings in I'M
dergraduate form win be held, and at
which distinguished pen and women will
speak
Spanish has taken on a new dignity al
the university and Is now on essentially
the same basis as French and German
and Is one of the modern languages pre-
scribed for Columbia College men. The
increased interest in Spanish is ascribt
10 the growing Importance OF our traIe
with South America
Stl another new step taken by the
university is the establishment of home
study courses under the auspices of the
Department of Extension Teaching. The
preliminary announcement of home study
courses issued yesterday shows that a
Nlde range of instruction will be given
W. agriculture. astronomy. business, Eng
Hsh' nne arts, mathematics. philosophy
psychology French and Spanish.
Military science is now a recognized
part OF liberal education at Columbia
Registration in the military courses car.
rles with it enrolment in the Reserve
Onlcers Training Corps which will full.
MI the requirement in military training
py The State of New York from al
Students between the ages of 16 and 10
me Law School which was badly
handicapped by the loss OF students dur.
ing the war, will resume it's work witt
large attendance. new addition tC
me professional staff is Walter Wheeler
Nook who comes to Columbia with 2
notable record as a teacher in Western
universities and at Yale. Prof. Willard
Barbour Of the University of Mich,
gan viii offer a law course in English
egal history in the spring session
rrot. Barbour is the author OF the
history of Contract in Early English
Eqglty' In the oxford studies In Socia
and Legal History.