Evening star., 1928-11-23

Harvard'S announcement that as a
result of an anonymous gift of $3,000,-
600 it will establish college within a
college" providing social and educa-
tional contact between limited num-
Der of students and certain members of
the faculty, attracts the attention of all
who are interested in the problem cre-
ated by the ever-increasing size of suc-
cesSful educational institutions.
LAS President Lowell points out" ac-
cording to the New York Evening Post,
"the plan as it is to be tried at Harvard
does not involve any change in the
method OF teaching. The students at
this college within a college will attend
their classes like other students, but
will have the advantage of living and
eating together, with tutors and resident
faculty members forming part of the
social community. The diversity of in
terestS which would thereby be repre-
Sented should, above all, lead to the
creation Of more stimulating intel
lectual atmosphere than is possible un-
der present conditions"
"A reaction in American universities
is seen by the Morgantown New Domin-
ion, which shows how the development
has come about, with the statement:
Until recently size was considered de-
sirable in educational institutions, as in
cities, business organizations and other
things. But since the war our colleges
have been growing SO big as to be un-
wieldy. Standardization and mass pro-
duction did not seem so we'll adapted to
human education as to automobile man
ufacture. So the attention of thought
ful educators, parents and even stu
dents is beginning to turn again to the
small college, with its better chance for
individual development England has
never lost this idea. The big English
universities are made up of groups of
small colleges, each complete in itself,
with its own organization, equipment
and character. American colleges,
swamped with students, may be obliged
TO adopt a similar system"
x 4 X X
The New York Times is impressed by
the thought that the donor of the mil
lions for the Harvard experiment has
given 1t better start financially than
many of the colleges in oxford or Cam
bridge had" The Times, which Su"1ests
that lit cannot be doubted that the
unknown founder of this college within
John Harvard's college will have his
reward, both in what is accomplished at
Harvard and what is suggested for
adoption elsewhere" makes comparisons
with famous English institutions ::
"Balliol the famous oxford college,
began with the hiring of house by
Robert Balliol for the accommodation
OF 16 poor scholars, who were allowed
8 pence day for their expenses. Others
had almost as modest a beginning. Even
Magdalen, with all its relative wealth.
had an endowment yielding only
$4,000 a year. Christ Church, by con-
trast. started off with great flourish,
being the frequent recipient of royal
favors."
Undoubtedly mere size of an insti-
tuition" says the Manchester Union, lis
not wholly an asset, SO far as the de-
velopment of the student is concerned
There has been complaints that fire.
quently the individual is lest in the
crowd" The Union, however, takes the
view that this innovation will eVi-
IDENTIFY differ widely from the curious
experiment in progress at the Univer-
slty OF Wisconsin, where chosen group
OF students is set apart and intruSted
almost altogether with its own choosing
OF tasks and system of executing them.
1t will follow a course a good deal more
likely to appeal to academic Judgment.
And it's results will be watched closely
by other institutions confronted in va
rying degree with the same problem
that so long has perplexed the Harvard
authorities"
X X
The significance OF the experiment,
as viewed by the Minneapolis Tribune, Is
found in the conclusion that "a consid-
cradle group of Harvard undergradu-
ates will assume a new individuality,
and that this group will be bound to-
gether by a community of interests
which Is scarcely possible under present
conditions. 1t promises that certain
d~rgraduates will be thrown together
into close and mutually advantageous
association, and that the opportunities