them alone for months while they were about their appointed tasks, and so self-reliant did they thus become that, so far as he has been able to ascertain, not one has ever made a failure of life. "They have generally proved self-reliant, painstaking men, ready for any occupation in war or peace," showing no lack of order, but among the greatest of workers, and far surpassing "in their accomplishments any equal number taken at hazard from the rolls of the college."

Since Professor Agassiz's day "the ideal of personal liberty which is to be granted to students of all grades in the university" has been advanced" with almost startling rapidity." The motives which have led to these changes "result from the development of the civilization in which the university is lodged, and they represent the advance in the educational and other social influences of the friends and governing boards of the institution, in a striking and original manner."

As to the effect of these changes the faculty are in almost perfect accord. They hold that the results attained have been exceedingly beneficial to the students; that "the system of instruction has been made such that the youth, while gaining the spirit of culture which it is, above all, the function of higher education to develop, may at the same time fit himself for some tolerably definite place in the work of the world.” Of course, there are students, especially in the two lower classes, to whom the new system of instruction is not adapted. Yet by the best authority it is held that these do not exceed one-fifth of the whole number. By the time the senior year is reached scarcely 10 per cent, can be found that have not been beneficially influenced by the liberty and counsel to which they have been subjected. It is with reference to this remnant that the disciplinary system of Harvard College needs adjustment. The facts show "that year by year, for 2 decades, the college has gained in its moral as much as in its educational tone." In the three classes from 1885 to 1888 the estimates did not show that more than from 2 to 3 per cent. of the students had "gone down during their college career."

Hand in hand with the development of this principle of academic freedom there must be some system devised which shall bring teacher and pupil into close personal and friendly relations.

It has been felt by educators everywhere that the freedom of the elective system at Harvard threw too much responsibility upon students at an age when their judgment is not sufficiently ripened to direct their future course. If some revision could be made by which, instead of limiting the student's freedom, he could be assisted in his judgment by the experience of the Harvard faculty, and by contact with a riper and more judicious mind, the difficulty of too much freedom would be avoided. This is precisely the point to which the growing convictions of the Harvard faculty have now arrived. It has been found by the test of actual experiment, in the side work of the university, that in the placing of students in their intellectual work under the oversight and

in the personal care of professors who know something of them as individuals, the judgment of the student is assisted without taking away his independence, and the results in his education are greatly improved. Trial of this was made some years ago, says Professor Shaler, in the class known as "special students." In 1873 the college had been opened to those students from whom no examination was required. It soon became evident that a further continuation of this privilege would be detrimental to the interests of the college, unless some effective method could be devised of managing this miscellaneous assemblage of young men, which was rapidly increasing. To accomplish this purpose these special students were put in charge of five college officers. This committee adopted in substance the following plan, which has thus far met the expectations of its authors:

Before the applicant is admitted to the privilege of a student in this department of the school he is required to give a sketch of his work in other schools or with other teachers, and also a list of references chosen from men of more or less distinguished position in this community. Correspondence with these teachers and the other persons to whom the candidate refers bring the student before the committee at the outset of the term with a considerable body of information concerning his past history. He is also required to set forth his purposes in the way of an education. On the basis of this record the student is then delivered to the care of one of the members of the committee. The adviser has a friendly talk with him, considers the project of his studies, and arranges with him concerning his first year's work. In the subsequent meetings, which, if necessary, are numerous, this officer obtains as definite idea as possible as to the quality of the youth.

The adviser is also aided by the opinion of the instructors in the electives he pursues. Whenever the further residence of a special student at the college seems undesirable, on the recommendation of the committee the faculty deprive him "of his privileges as a student," and from that moment his connection with the college ceases.

One of the greatest advantages arising from this system is the friendly relation which is usually established between the instructor and student at a time when the latter needs just such a counselor and friend. Thus it oftens happens that a professor acquires large clientele of youths who gather familiarly about his fireside as though they were his kinsmen. It is now decided to extend the above-described system to the freshman class, which has been placed for that purpose under the charge of a committee of thirteen members of the faculty. Some member of this committee is appointed to welcome the entering student and advise him with reference to his choice and method of work and follow him at least through the first year as a watchful friend who stands ready to render all needed counsel and aid. After a personal interview with the professor who has been appointed as his adviser the freshman decides what studies he will take. The written permission of the adviser is a necessary prerequisite to taking a given course. This supplies the missing link in the work of the higher education. It is a delicate responsibility, and many of the faculty may not feel adapted for such service; but out

of a body of 65 men there can probably be found enough who in their sympathy with youth are peculiarly well fitted not only to give counsel, but also to arouse latent motives, and, while gaining their esteem, set before the youthful aspirants the highest ideals of life.

When this shall have been accomplished Harvard will be different from colleges that now exist-"one in which freedom and friendship may together aid the youth to acquire the strength and the skill which Ire will need in the work of the world." (Professor Shaler in Atlantic Monthly for July, 1889.)

THE ELECTIVE SYSTEM.

Harvard is preeminent among the colleges of the land for its elective system of studies, which after some fluctuations may, since the accession of President Eliot, be regarded as definitely established. Though introduced in the face of much opposition the system has, by its intellectual and moral advantages, converted opposition into stanch support. It has constantly grown in popularity with both professors and students, and each year the number of elective courses is increased and their scope enlarged.

HISTORY OF THE MOVEMENT.

The first innovation which pointed to the possibility of a choice in studies occurred at Harvard about a hundred years ago, when such students as were not preparing to enter the ministry were granted an exemption from the study of Hebrew and certain theological exercises. With this exception the course of study was the same for all students for nearly 2 centuries, or up to the year 1824. At that time the two lower classes were confined almost exclusively to the study of Greek, Latin, and mathematics, the only exception to this being that a small portion of time was given by the freshmen to ancient history, English grammar, and declamations, and by the sophomores to fragments of rhetoric and logic, and to ancient history and declamations. Latin, Greek, and mathematics made only about one-third of the work of the junior year, which was occupied mainly with metaphysics and natural philosophy. One hour a day was given to Hebrew or its substitute, generally a modern language. The seniors had no Latin or Greek. About one-third of the recitations of this year were in mathematics and natural philosophy, and the rest of the year was devoted to moral and political philosophy and to theology. The seniors and juniors wrote themes once a fortnight and had forensics once a month.

This shows that the opportunities for academic training were in many respects superior to those enjoyed in the early days of the college, but meager in comparison with the curriculum furnished to-day. This training seems to have produced good results, and was regarded with favor by most of the professors who were then connected with the college. But modern languages were as yet practically excluded and changes in the system were inevitable. To Prof. George Ticknor, who occupied the new

chair of modern languages from 1816 to 1835, and to Judge Story the honor is principally due for the inauguration of the elective system. In the years 1825-26 and 1826-27 a new arrangement of studies was effected, by which three hours a week throughout the course, with the exception of the first and third of the freshman year, was given to elective studies. These hours could be devoted in the freshman year to Greek, Latin, and modern languages; in the sophomore year to Greek, Latin, mathematics, and modern languages; in the junior year to Greek, Latin, mathematics, modern languages, and Hebrew; in the senior year to Greek, Latin, Mathematics, modern languages, chemistry, mineralogy, and geology.

In 1830, in order to secure "a more thorough education in the Greek and Latin languages, mathematics, and rhetoric," the study of the modern languages was postponed until the beginning of the sophomore year. By a regulation adopted in 1838 mathematics ceased to be a required study after the freshman year, and "the standard of scholarship was believed to have been so greatly elevated in this department by the introduction of the new system of electives" that in 1843 the experiment was extended to Greek and Latin. During the 4 years from 1843-44 to 1847 the sophomores had 5 hours of required work in rhetoric, history, and philosophy; the juniors 6 hours of required work in philosophy, physics, and logic; the seniors 8 hours of required work in ethics, physics, rhetoric, political economy, and Constitution of the United States. All the remaining hours of required work were given to elective studies. It will be seen, therefore, that 30 years ago the elective system had reached a high stage of development. Indeed it was believed to have grown too rapidly, and a reaction soon followed. In President Everett's report for the year 1847–48, we find that—

During that year all the studies of the freshman and sophomore years, including mathematics and the French language, were required studies. This change was the result of a compromise of the opposite views, prevailing in the faculty on the general question of the expediency of continuing required and elective studies in a system of collegiate education.

In 1849-50 the ancient order of things had been so far restored that, with the exception of one elective of 3 hours in the junior and senior years, all the studies were required. President Sparks in his report for that year uses the following language:

This system (elective) was attractive in theory, but in framing it the consideration was not sufficiently weighed that what was gained in one study was necessarily lost in another. The system was subjected, however, to a fair and patient trial. In practice it never fulfilled all the expectations of its framers, and it soon began to fall into partial disfavor.

Again, in his report for the year 1851-52 he takes occasion to remark that

The voluntary system, as it has been called, is still retained to a certain extent, rather from necessity than preference.

In 1856 the courses in Latin and Greek of 3 hours each were taken from the electives and added to the required studies of the junior year. From 1847 to 1867 the elective system was in abeyance, but a growing interest in the study of philology, philosophy, and history, and, above all, in that of the physical and natural sciences, compelled the college to make a second trial of the elective system. Such changes were made in 1867 as amounted in effect to the restoration of the elective system as it existed from 1843 to 1847. In the twenty and more years since then this system has become more and more popular, and could not now be changed without revolutionizing the college.

The following studies are now prescribed for all candidates for the degree of bachelor of arts:1

In May, 1886, the struggle which had been going on in the college "between the Harvard of conservative progress and the Harvard of radical reaction," culminated in a victory for the latter. The nature of this struggle, and the alarm which it created among the constituents of the New England Association of Colleges, can be best understood by a reference to the paper which was signed by the presidents of Yale College, Brown University, Dartmouth College, Williams College, Amherst College, Trinity College, Wesleyan University, and Boston University, and presented to the overseers of Harvard University. It was as follows:

To the honorable and reverend the overseers of Harvard College:

Whereas it appears from the public prints that your honorable body is soon to be called upon to consider a proposition so to modify the conditions of admission to Harvard College, and of promotion to the degree of bachelor of arts therein, that this degree will no longer be evidence that its bearer has been instructed in both Latin and Greek; and

Whereas it is evident that the proposed change seriously concerns the bearers of this degree everywhere; and

Whereas it is our clear conviction that the introduction of such a change in the conditions and significance of the degree in your institution would injuriously affect every classical college in America, and the work which they are now able to do for the cause of a truly liberal education:

We therefore, the undersigned, representatives of the New England College Association, in which, from the beginning, Harvard College has been an honored participant, and with which the Harvard College faculty has lately coöperated in the securing of more uniform requirements for admission to all our colleges, do hereby earnestly and respectfully request your honorable body not to approve of the proposed changes until after procuring a formal expression of opinion upon the subject from the leading colleges of the United States.

As true friends of the venerable and flourishing institution of which you have the oversight, and as in some measure jointly responsible with yourselves for the educational standards and work and reputation of our country, we venture to present this respectful request, and to hope that it will be received as evidence that in the fellowship of a common aim we are

Most sincerely yours,

[The signatures.]

But the advocates of the new policy which broke with the traditions of the past were in the ascendency, and no action appears to have been taken by the overseers with reference to the appeal of the associated colleges. How the matter was regarded by some of the oldest and most honored colleges outside of New England, is shown by the letter of Prof. Andrew F. West. of Princeton College, to The Indepen