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The defects of the present organization of our
Though I speak of defects, it will be seen when I enter into detail, that they are not of a character to bring the smallest censure upon the gentlemen who have had charge of the institution. On the contrary, their most zealous efforts have been expended tho' unavailingly in counteracting the adverse influences to which I allude & my more intimate acquaintance with them & better opportunity of witnessing their labours have but increased the veneration & affection with which I long ago learned to regard them.
In order to brevity & distinctness I will proceed at once to speak of what seem to be defects & afterwards of their appropriate remedies, regard being had in this latter particular to the limited means of the institution.
1. The first defect to which I shall allude is radical & unfortunately
too obvious to need
There are two causes for this mortifying state of things, so influential in their
nature, as to set at defiance the most devoted labours of our faculty. One is,
the general deficiency of our academies & primary schools, with the
consequent defective preparation of the young men who enter our college
— the other is the utter inapplicability of boys, of persons so
young as to be insensible to every thing but coercion. The first of these causes
presents us with an annual succession of materials, of which it is impossible,
while under the influence of the second, to make good scholars. We may build but
our labours are in vain while the foundation is unsound & we have no
means of repairing the defects of elementary instruction, while we can only
present moral persuasions to boys revelling in all the consciousness of perfect
security from the rod. Some half dozen of the members of the lower classes are
stimulated by the hope of distinction, but the multitude,unconscious of the value of time &
opportunity, & secure in the panoply of college privileges, plod their
weary way thro' the stated routine, impenetrable to all the motives we can
present.
2. The second defect to which I shall allude grows in part out of the efforts
made to correct the first. The subjection of young men & boys to the
same kind of discipline, is almost certain to be attended with mortification to
the disciplinarian & irritation and alienation on the part of the young
men. The general insensibility of boys to moral
sanctions — to such discipline in short as would be proper &
probably successful with young men, compels the faculty to a stricter
enforcement of what authority they have, than would be otherwise needed, so that
from a deficiency of authority in regard to the one class & from a
necessary strictness in the enforcement of what they have in the other, a
failure of wholesome effect is the consequence in both cases. The young men are
alienated by a discipline, of which they cannot understand the motives
— while the boys soon detect its inefficiency & set at nought
its requisitions.
Boys learning Latin & Greek & the elementary
parts of Mathematics as is the case with our two lower classes ought to be in
school under the immediate eye of the master. I am persuaded that in three cases
out of four they will not otherwise apply half the required amount of labour on
their lessons. Young men entering on the higher branches of the sciences if they
had had thorough instruction in the elements
3. The third defect I shall mention arises out of the location of the
I might enter into an enumeration of other defects arising out of circumstances
incident to our present organization, but I conceive it superfluous, as those
already mentioned are so important, as to show the necessity of some change. I
proceed then at once to the proposed remedy & beg leave respectfully to
present the following views to the st More
faithfully & efficient elementary & academical instruction
— 2nd The subjection of boys to school discipline
until they attain to years of probable discretion — 3rd A more elevated standard of scholarship, both in the languages
& the Sciences — 4th That young men should
be placed within reach of an improved & th That these objects be accomplished without
adding materially to the expenses of the Institution.
I propose then that the institution under the care of the
The
The four Professors should be required to give instruction not only in their particular departments, but according to some equal distribution in all the sciences belonging to a collegiate course. I think four Professors would make a complete faculty competent to the discharge of all these duties, unless it be found expedient hereafter to establish a Professorship of Law.
The Professors should be required to reside under the same roof with the students & such rules of discipline be established, as may be suitable for the advanced age of the young men — none under 18 being admitted.
It should be the object of the Professors to carry their pupils to the highest possible acquisitions in Science — this would be greatly facilitated by the high degree of preparation required of the applicants for admission & the opportunity afforded the Professors of devoting their whole time to their peculiar duties, whereas at present they not only have to begin at a low starting place, but are much impeded by a necessary attention to many anxious duties.
The details of this department need no particular enumeration any more than the
other. My object would be to have a University of the highest grade, to
accomplish which, I conceive some such plan as this indispensable. The half
grammar school & half college we have at present can never from the
nature of things attain a character essentially different from the present.
But it may be asked supposing all these things to be desirable, is the
For this inquiry I am prepared & think I shall be able to show the
adaptation of the projected change to the present pecuniary condition of the
The present expenses of the d from the students contribute not quite
$3000 towards this amount leaving near $4500 a year to be
provided for from the other means of the Institution.
We will now make a calculation of expenses under the new arrangement. The
salaries of the Rector ($1200) & the 3 Tutors $600
each of the "Institute would amount to $3000,"
which would be discharged by the tuition fees, since the extension of the plan
to the receiving of elementary students would certainly keep up the number at
present belonging
The salaries of the 4 Professors then would be the only charge on the
Thus far we see that the annual expenses of the Institution would be rather
lessened than increased by the proposed change but there is one item of expense
that has not yet been considered & which may seem to present a fatal
obstacle. I allude to the erection of suitable buildings to accommodate the
Should the
This number of students could be accommodated, together with the four Professors in three such buildings as I have before described & thus an investment of $30,000 would in this manner meet a charge which in present circumstances consumes the interest on $75,000.
I have entered into these statements however not with a view of urging their
results upon the