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POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



DISCUSSION AND CORRESPONDENCE. 



WHAT THE UNIVERSITY OF CHI- 

 CAGO STANDS FOR. 



At the time of Princeton's celebra- 

 tion in 1896, one of her loyal alumni un- 

 dertook to show what Princeton has 

 stood for and stands for. "The name 

 Princeton," he remarked, "is supposed to 

 be synonymous with the stiffest intellec- 

 tual conservatism." The philosophical 

 temper dominates at Princeton, just as 

 the literary spirit characterizes Harvard. 

 If the question be asked, What the Uni- 

 versity of Chicago stands for? one may 

 answer without hesitation, for the scien- 

 tific method! 



The scientific cast of mind is ascend- 

 ent in the halls and laboratories of this 

 new university of the West ; or, at least, 

 one may affirm that it is becoming so. 

 It is due in part to the presence of so 

 many specialists who have received their 

 professional training in Germany and 

 have brought back something of the 

 German scholar's aptitude for investiga- 

 tive work. 



Even in the Divinity School the in- 

 fluence of the scientific spirit is felt by 

 both teachers and students. In the work 

 of advanced students, as in the depart- 

 ments of physical science, the para- 

 mount idea or aim is the acquisition of 

 a method by which truth may be found, 

 and they are characterized by a willing- 

 ness to go wherever truth may lead 

 them. Theology is not the fixed thing 

 that it was formerly imagined to be. 

 The professed aim of the Department of 

 Systematic Theology is "to reduce to a 

 scientific system, and maintain on scien- 

 tific principles, the teaching of Scripture 

 in the light of such other sources of 

 theological knowledge as enter into the 

 progressive self- revelation of God to 

 mankind." Mysticism is at a discount 

 in Dr. Northrup's classrooms. 



Of scholastic traditions Chicago has 



none as yet, but it has a certain 

 definite purpose or policy distinct from 

 that of the old college. The University 

 of Chicago stands for another educa- 

 tional ideal. 



The old college aimed to give the 

 student a liberal education, as it is 

 called, a wider mental horizon. Intel- 

 lectual discipline was emphasized. Some 

 good results were attained, for the man 

 who took the four years' course was un- 

 questionably benefited by the process. 

 There were, however, some defects in 

 the system. While the culture of the 

 old college tended to make his thinking 

 more clear-cut and logical, it did not 

 go far enough, in that no postgraduate 

 work was provided. Its alumni went 

 forth into the world and, after three 

 years of professional employment, they 

 received the degree of A. M., without 

 further study or even an examination. 



The humanities are not neglected at 

 the new University of Chicago — their 

 disciplinary value is recognized and 

 prized; but at the same time research 

 is emphasized, and advanced students 

 are encouraged and assisted to engage in 

 original investigation. To enlarge the 

 borders of knowledge is the end in view. 

 The way chosen is through specializa- 

 tion. In chemistry, candidates for the 

 much-coveted degree of Ph.D. must take 

 two or three years of laboratory work 

 under the supervision of a university 

 instructor; and the thesis, embodying 

 the results of their researches, 'must be 

 a real contribution to knowledge.' A 

 few sentences describing the work in 

 geology may be quoted: 



"The aim of this department is to 

 provide systematic training in geology. 

 . . . The endeavor is to furnish this 

 training in such a form as to contribute 

 to a liberal education, and at the same 

 time to prepare for professional and in- 

 vestigative work in the science. The 



