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Von Vib. 2 Ne. 44.
NEW HAVEN, CONN., THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 1898.
Prick Tren CEntTs.
THE YALE GRADUATE SCHOOL.
Founded First of all Such Schools—
Its Development and Present
Equipment.
The publication this week of the
pamphlet of the Graduate School of
Yale University, with a list of the stu-
dents during the year 1897-98, and the
announcement of courses of instruction
for the year 1898-99, calls attention to
the growth of this Department of the
University and the development of its
organization.
Even Yale men need to be reminded
at times that provision for advanced
work in the Department of Philosophy
and the Arts was made here far earlier
than at any other institution of learning
in this country. Before 1843, it is re-
corded, Professor Thacher advocated
“the establishment of a system of ad-
vanced instruction for graduates which
should afford them the opportunities
for continuing their studies beyond
what was possible within the limits of
the four year’s course of the college.”
No advanced degrees were then offered
by the Corporation, however, and the
Academic officers were fully occupied
with their undergraduate courses and
their own studies. But in 1847 a new
department of the University was
created. The first article in the formal
report of the Co:poration’s committee
on the subject, was: “There shall be a
fourth department of instruction for
other than undergraduate students who
are not in the Departments of Theology,
Medicine, and Law, to be called the
‘Department of Philosophy and the
Arts.’ The Department is intended to
embrace Philosophy, Literature, His-
tory, the Moral Sciences other than
Law and Theology, the
Sciences excepting Medicine, and their
applications to the Arts.”
COURSES IN 1847.
Courses of instruction were offered
in 1847, by President Woolsey, in
Thucydides and Pindar; Silliman in
Chemistry, Mineralogy, and Geology;
Kingsley, on Latin authors; Gibbs, in
General Philology; Olmsted, in Natural
Philosophy and Astronomy; Stanley, in
Calculus or Analytical Mechanics; Por-
ter, in Psychology, Logic and the His-
tory of Philosophy; Salisbury, in
Arabic; Silliman, Jr., in Chemistry,
Mineralogy, and Metallurgy, and Nor-
ton, in the applications of Science to
Agriculture.
Truly a goodly opportunity for those
days. The omissions in the courses of
instruction offered are naturally strik-
ing to men of the present day: no lec-
tures are proposed for Political and
Social Science, and History; nothing is
offered in Modern Languages, includ-
ing English; nothing in Music or the
Fine Arts. Of the honored Faculty of
forty years ago, but one remains,—
Professor Edward Elbridge Salisbury,
the pupil of Garcin de Tassy and of
Lassen, the founder of the chair of
Sanskrit and Comparative Philology.
College generations are very short,
and college traditions grow up and die
away so rapidly that doubtless many
of the students of to-day are ignorant
of the fact that the Sheffield Scientific
School had its beginning as a graduate
department of the University, under the
act of the Corporation in 1847, to which
reference has been made... The explana-
tion of many of the differences between
the regulations for the two undergrad-
uate departments of the University lies
in the earlier development of the grad-
uate branch of the Scientific School.
For a time the undergraduate part of
that School was so unimportant com-
Natural .
paratively, that its members received
the same freedom which was granted
to the graduate students.
THE FIRST PH.D’S.
Yale created its first Doctors of
Philosophy in 1861,—the late Eugene
Schuyler, LL.D., U. S. Minister to
Greece; James Morris Whiton, well
known as a teacher, Greek scholar, and
theologian, and Arthur Williams
Wright, Professor of Experimental
Physics. In 1871-72, Yale had 25
graduate students; in 1872-73, 50; in
1873-74, 60; in 1874-75, 55; in 1875-76,
60; in 1876-77, 65; in 1877-78, 50; in
1878-79, 45. Obviously and naturally
the number of students diminished after
the establishment of Johns Hopkins
University, and the development of the
graduate department of Harvard. To
these causes were added the death and
illness of several prominent Yale pro-
fessors, notably Hadley, Thacher, and
Packard.
In 1885-86 only 42 students -were
registered in the Graduate Department
of Philosophy and the Arts. In 1897-
98, 270 students are so registered. The
average increase, then, has been just
seventeen’ per cent. each year, but the
most rapid advance has been made dur-
ing the more recent years. Part of this
is due to the admission of women since
1892 to the courses which lead to the
degree of Doctor of Philosophy; but
ofthe 270 students or the present year,
only 38 are women. A remark may be
needed here with regard to the 22 stu-
dents who are marked “A” in. the
Catalogue. These are all Yale graduates,
pursuing courses of study under the
direction of the Faculty for the degree
of M.A., M.E., or C.E., and many of
them come regularly and frequently to
New Haven for the control of their
work.
COMPARISON WITH FORMER YEARS.
As to the number of courses of in-
struction offered, comparison with a
score of years ago is somewhat diff-
cult, since the announcement of courses
was then more informal, and the
courses were often modified greatly to
meet the needs of the particular stu-
dents who presented themselves. Ten
years ago about six or seven hours a
week of strictly graduate instruction
were given in the Department of Philos-
ophy; while for 1898-99, 28 hours of
eraduate instruction are offered in those
branches. In the departments of His-
tory, Political Science, and Law, 45
hours a week of graduate instruction
are offered, and even more in that of
Semitic languages and biblical litera-
ture. During recent years combina-
tions have been made between related
departments, so as to cover the whole
field of learning better than ever be-
fore. The Theological Seminary not
simply secures great advantages for its
students from the courses of the Grad-
uate School, but also contributes
courses in History and Political Sci-
ence as well as in Bibical Literature.
The Department of Philosophy unites
with that of Greek in the study of
Aristotle, with that of German in the
study of Hegel, and with that of
Natural Science in the study of the
Theory of Evolution.
Until. 1892, the Graduate Department
of Philosophy and the Arts was con-
ducted by an executive committee of
six professors; but little formal organi-
zation was attempted. In 1892, a dean
was appointed; two years later, a more
formal organization was effected with
an Administrative Committee of twelve,
and a Dean’s Office opened, which has
added much to the convenience of the
students and the efficiency of the De-
partment.
‘time on but three
The Three Crews.
The University crew has continue
its regular work on the harbor during
the past week. On Monday the crew
rowed over the four mile course from
the Lighthouse on time, for the third
time within the past two weeks. This
fact is interesting, as the crew last year
rowed the whole four miles against
occasions before
going to New London.
the crew rowed in a shell for the first
time this year. J. P. Brock, 1900, who
was out of College on account of ill-
ness, returned early last week and re-
sumed his seat at three. R. A. McGee,
’99 S., was kept out of the boat up to
Tuesday by conditions, but has now
taken his place at four. Captain Whit-
ney and M. B. Williams, 1900, have
changed places, Whitney going to his
old seat at two, where Williams had
been rowing, and Williams going to
bow. On Tuesday Williams was taken
sick and went to the Infirmary, R. M.
Patterson, 1900, who has been rowing
bow in the second boat, taking his
place. The order of the boat on Tues-
day was< Stroke, R..P. Flint, 209 5.;
* 3.4... Greenleal, O0>., 6.2... W:
Allen, 1900;: 5, J. W. Cross, 1900; 4,
h. A. McGee, “oo S.: 3, fF. Pu Brock,
1900; 2, Capt. Whitney, ’98, and bow,
R. M. Patterson, 1900.
The training table will probably be
started next Monday.
— Shere have been Sut few chanves in
the second crew the past week. They
are still rowing in a barge, and will
probably not use a shell for a week or
more. At present there are three men
of last year’s University crew rowing
in the second boat, D. F. Rogers, ’98,
W. E. S. Griswold, ’99, and J. C.
Greenway, 1900. J. O. Rodgers, 98,
who rowed on the Henley crew two
years ago began training with the crew
last week. The order of the second
boat on Tuesday was: Stroke, D. F.
Rogers, ’98; 7, W. E. S. Griswold, ’99;
6, J. C. Greenway, 1900; 5, T. D. Hewitt,
ino; 4, H. P.. Wickes, 1000; 3, | O-
Rodgers, ’98; 2, A. B. Marvin, ’99; bow,
-W. F. H. Whitehouse, Jr., ’99.
The Freshman crew are still working
in the barge. Capt. Whitney and Mr.
Cook have assisted in the coaching.
Several short races have been held be-
tween the first and second crews, but
they have not been over the course on
time as yet. There are still twenty-six
men in training. At present it does not
seem probable that any of them will be
taken over to the University squad.
The order of the first boat for the past
few days has been: Stroke, J. A. Kep-
pleman, 1901; 7, T. Kelly, 19008.; 6,
F. G. Brown, 1901; 5, W. E. Dowd,
1900 S., and T. L. Montague, 1900 S.;
4, G. S. Stillman, roor; 3, R-.H. Gil-
lett, 1900 S.; 2, H. Auchincloss, 1901;
bow, C. B. Waterman, I9o1I.
a a
For After-Dinner Speaking.
A Club called the “Viveurs” was
formed in the Sophomore class, Mon-
day evening, for the purpose of culti-
vating the power of after-dinner speak-
ing. The members of the Club, four-
teen in number, will hold three or four
formal banquets during the rest of the
college year, and the member making
the best response to a toast will act
as toastmaster at the succeeding ban-
quet. The executive committee con-
sists of William R. Clarke, Matthew
Mills and Frederick B. Adams. The
other members are, James W. Barney,
Morgan B. Brainard, Macolm Douglas,
David R. Francis, Jr., Howard C.
Heinze, Burns Henry, Charles W. Mc-
Kelvey, Percy A Rockefeller, Robert
Stevenson, Jr., George W. Simmons,
and Hulbert Taft.
On Tuesday |
~ knowledge,
MR. CHAMBERLAIN ANSWERS.
Whe Right of Criticism—His Letter
Making Nominations—Promises
to be Persistent—Replies
to the °* Register.»
To the Editor of YALE ALUMNI WEEKLY:
Sir: I have hesitated a good deal
about noticing Professor Beers’s letter
to you of the 17th inst. My hesitation
has come principally from the fact that
the Professor seems to have lost his
temper, or perhaps I should say, since I
do not know him personally, he seems
to have a bad temper. It appears, how-
ever, that while “personally he cares
nothing for my opinion,” he feels called
upon to break silence ‘‘in defense of the
College.”’ I am not at all particular in
what capacity he appears or what his
personal opinion of me may be. Each
of us must stand on his own merits.
So far as my part in this controversy
goes, I aver, and I ask proof, if there
be any, of the contrary,—that I have
not orally or in writing put forth an
_ undignified or personally offensive word
or matter. I have been obliged to
speak of persons and to characterize
their official work as I felt, upon full
it deserved. I have in-.
dulged in no other sort of personality.
‘Professor Beets says in terims [ am
“discourteous” in declaring that “the
English Department at Yale counts but
one good teacher.’ If it is true, is it
discourteous? If it is not true, is it
discourteous to express the opinion that
it is true? Whom does Professor Beers
imagine himself to be? Does he think
he is enthroned beyond the reach of
my criticism or judgment? Have I no
business to have an opinion of his work,
and having it, to express it? Professor
Beers has for twenty years or more
been eating the bread, consuming the
bounty, piled up in Yale University by
generations—hundreds, if not thou-
sands—of donors; and must we now
endure to be told it is “discourteous’’
to look at his work and give our
opinion of it? If I cared to characterize
such an attitude on the part of almost
any Yale professor, I could not say
less than that it is impudent and intoler-
able. ;
Possibly Professor Beers thinks, with
his specially “cocky” editorial cham-
pion in New Haven who asks in tones
of triumph, “Where is Chamberlain?”
that I have spoken without knowledge;
but I shall undeceive them both before
I close. The truth is, though, I have
come near to following the advice of
an old and sagacious Yale and New
Haven friend who wrote me yesterday,
one of several of the Yale Faculty who
have done so: “You are well able to
fight your own battles, but I want to
tell you we are glad here you have not
replied to Beers’s ALUMNI WEEKLY
letter. We are al hanging our heads
in shame over it. Let it alone; it is
‘cheap and nasty.’ Beers deserves to ,
be asked to resign.” But I have con-
cluded not to “let it alone.” Perhaps
my idea of a just and necessary con-
troversy is a little like that of Polonius,
‘“* Being in,
“ Bear’t that the opposed shall beware of thee.”’
Besides, I wish to do full justice to
Professor Beers. I said in my Worces-
ter speech thatI “did not know whether
he would have any examinations in
English for entrance to Yale.” He
now informs us that he would not have
any; upon which I have only to remark
that my conclusion is therefore beyond
question; that with no requirement of
English for entrance and none in the
College course, “one may bear the
credentials of Yale and not know how
to speak or write a sentence of his own