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About Yale Alumni Magazine | View Entire Issue (April 8, 1897)
Votume VI. No. 26. Prick Tren Cents. - FOUR YEARS FOR “SHEFF.” The Many Good Points for the Pro=- posed Change. (Being an address delivered before the Yale Univer- sity chapter of the Sigma Xi Society, on March 7%, by Henry S. Williams, Silliman Professor of Geo- logy, Yale University.) Gentlemen of Sigma Xi: I have chosen the subject of the four- year course in the Scientific School be- cause Of the importance both of the step itself and of the consequences which would follow, if it were taken; and, secondly, because of the evident propriety of Sigma Xi men forming a definite and positive opinion in regard toa matter which touches so vitally the scientific interests of Yale University. The reason you may be expected to take special interest in the movement, in furthering it if good, and in prevent- ing it if evil, is because you represent the element in the University which is -most keenly in touch with all that is modern in education. Science is of the present century; its best belongs to the latter half of the century. The life of the School covers almost the full period in which Science has had any influential place in the higher education. The older standard, literary scholarship will be looked after by other men, but in all progress and adaptations of our University to new conditions, the men who are studying Science should lead the way; and those who are youngest and most vigorous and in touch with the living interests of the present and future, should be most sensitive to any hindrance to such progress. There are many objections to the prop- osition and many difficulties in the way of carrying it out; but the most formid- able of these are two, i. e., inertia and expense. THE TWO OBJECTIONS. Inertia—The school is now well or- ganized, thoroughly equipped, working in a satisfactory manner, has as many students as it can well take care of, has a fine reputation for what it has done, and is well accomplishing what is now demanded of it. Why disturb the pres- ent equilibrium? Why not let well enough alone? There are questions which may properly be asked. It will cost an immense amount of careful thought and planning, of not only one but many discreet minds, in order to prepare a workable plan by which the step can be safely taken. Will the ex- pected result warrant the labor and disturbance involved in getting it? Expense—The school has always made the fullest use of every cent of its income, and it would be impossible to. do what is proposed without an addi- tion to the capital of near a half-mil- lion dollars, in case the school were to attempt it alone; but if it were a Uni- versity movement, in favor of which much might be said, the change might be made at a considerably less expense. These two, inertia and expense, are truly formidable objections, and they alone are sufficient to prevent the calamity falling upon us by accident. It is quite certain that a fourth year will not be added to the curriculum without the most energetic work on the part of those interested in the best wel- fare of the University. On fhe other hand, if the plan were found to be really desirable, the same energy that has made the school what it is, will make it what it should be. There are other objections which might be named; but I wish this even- ing to call your attention to a few con- siderations which appear to favor the plan—and thus to open a discussion of the whole subject. . NEW HAVEN, CONN., THURSDAY, APRIL 8, 1897. In the first place, the evidence of a deep-felt desire on the part of a con- siderable number of undergraduates for a four-year course is itself worthy of serious consideration; for it is here among the undergraduates that any failure to meet the present needs of the country would first be seriously felt. The fact, which has come to my notice, that sympathy with the movement has been expressed by some of our more thoughtful graduates is another reason for asking: Why is this dissatisfaction with the present three-year course so widely felt? TWO MAIN REASONS FOR CHANGE, Two reasons for the proposed length- ening of the course have already been publicly expressed: (1) The desire for a preparation in special lines of techni- cal studies, fuller than is attained by the present curriculum. (2) The desire for a close social and scholastic union between the two great undergraduate departments of the University. 1. Much might be said, or has been said, in regard to both of these ob- jects. If lengthening of the curricu-~ lum would produce the results, without any corresponding difficulties and evils, that would be an argument in favor ot the movement. There is this to be said regarding the first point, that provision is already made in the grad- uate department for the extension of technical studies for specialists, so that the appeal undoubtedly covers a felt- need on the part of those who are not looking for a purely technical career. 2. The appeal for closer relations, so- cial and scholastic, between the two great departments, is, to my mind, not simply a visionary sentiment; it is the expression of a vague, indefinite feel- ing of dissatisfaction . and, - possibly, wrong under which we, who have graduated from the scientific school feel ourselves oppressed when we com- pare ourselves with the graduates of the academic department. I am glad to be able to say that I do not believe there is to-day any intentional push- ing aside of scientifics by the academ~ ics, but it is evident that if the two departments were alike in this one particular of number of years of study in the two courses, a decided advance would be made toward a feeling of equality between the men themselves. 8. But besides these arguments there are still others which are worthy of consideration. Among them may be mentioned the provision for a broader foundation of general culture-studies for men educated School. ADDITIONS MOST NEEDED. Suppose a four-year course were es- tablished, what are the additions most needed to perfect the curriculum? The past history of the school, its: estab- lished policy and purpose, and the whole trend of modern education, point to the lengthening of the introductory part, which all the students of all the courses will take in common, as one of the most needed improvements. Let us consider each of these points separ- ately. (a. )Historically. The Sheffield Sci- entific School began, 50 years ago, as a simple chemical laboratory, attached to and run by professors of the aca- demic department of Yale College. Soon an engineering course was added, then a two years’ course was enlarged to three, by the requirement of a defin- ite examination for entrance, and a first year of general disciplinary stud- ies to fit the men to profit by the spe- cial studies of the following years. Next a degree was given at the close, based upon special examinations. The latest improvement was the stiffening of the entrance examination, implying a more thorough preparation in these Same general lines of mental culture before entering the school. We are now at this point of development and the next and the most natural step in (Continued on sixth page.) © in the Scientific ~ PROFESSOR HENRY S. WILLIAMS. [From a photograph by Pach.] Y. M. C. A. Meeting. The annual meeting of the University Young Men’s Christian Association was held in Dwight Hall, Monday evening, April 5. It was decided to make the President and General Secretary life members at the end of their term, and Samuel H. Fisher, 89, was elected on the Graduate Committee to succeed William D. Murray, whose term has expired. The election of Thomas F. Archbald, ’96, as General Secretary to succeed William H. Sallmon, ’94, was ratified by the Association. The elec- tion of undergraduate officers resulted as follows: President, H. B. Wright, ’*98; Vice Presidents, D. H. Day, ’99, and W. EF. Cochran, Jr., °98; Treasurer, F. M. Gilbert, 798; Assistant Secretary, W. S. Coffin, 1900. eh S —_—_—_4@_____—_ New York Yale Club. A movement is on foot to organize among Yale’s alumni in New York City a club, the plans of which will be sub- mitted to the Yale Alumni Association for its approval at the next meeting of that body, May 7. = = Up to the present time, the meetings of the Alumni Association have been the only occasions on which Yale men could assemble as a body for social in- tercourse, and the loyalty to that or- ganization has in @ measure. dis- couraged attempts to form a rival club. Already over 150 men have signed the lists that have been sent out for mem- bership in the proposed club, chiefly those of the most recent graduating classes, who would be the most bene- fited bv the plan. - Campus Post Office Proposed. With the idea of saving money, the Post Office officials offered to place on the campus a branch office for the dis- tribution of the campus mail, if the Faculty would put at their disposal a suitable room for the office. Mr. W. W. Farnam, Treasurer of the University, promptly refused the offer on the ground that the present system was far more convenient. The only advantage to the College of the proposed system would be that the men living in the Vanderbilt end of the Campus would receive their mail much earlier, since now it takes the carrier two hours to cover his course from White to Van- derbilt. On the other hand, the average student who receives only two or three letters a week would be compelled to go to the office every mail to obtain them, and with but one postmaster, a long delay would be caused at times inconvenient to the students. Review of the Hockey Season. The Yale Hockey Team closed its Season, March 27, by defeating a team from Columbia University by the score of 7 goals to 2. During the year it has played six games, two with the St. Nicholas team, two with the New York Athletic Club, one with Queen’s Col-. lege, Canada, and one with Columbia. While it has won only one game of these, it ranks well up among the lead- ing amateur hockey teams of the coun- . try, as its adversaries have always been teams of great experience and practice. It is expected that next year a regular intercollegiate hockey league will be formed.
