OF DENISON UNIVERSITY 79 



respecting cause and effect is learned — the most important of all pre- 

 paratory stages ; after these the study of one's self comes naturally, 

 first of the tangible self and then of the intangible thinking self; for 

 elementary psychology is as attractive to a youth as is elementary phys- 

 iology, and no more difficult. In this manner, while the process of 

 gathering knowledge goes on, there advances with it the process of en- 

 largement and strengthening, while the process of refining is not ne- 

 glected in these and associated studies — it is only subordinated. But 

 a time comes when more than mere guidance, more than a gentle 

 effort to prevent irregular development is needed, when native tenden- 

 cies show themselves too strongly and restraint or positive direction is 

 necessary ; the process of culture, thus far merely incidental, must be- 

 come prominent And here is the place of the college. 



The main object of college work is not to train men for their life 

 work but to prepare them for receiving such training — a fact too often 

 forgotten now, when colleges are endeavoring to engraft university con- 

 ditions upon the college curriculum. The question is not what will be 

 best suited to the man's intended pursuit, but what will make him best 

 able to receive and profit by the immediate preparation for that 

 pursuit. 



Yet, while recognizing this as the main object, we must not neglect 

 another consideration. Life at best is very short, and the portion spent 

 in college, from 17 to 21, is that during which, upon the whole, the 

 mind is most receptive, retaining, as it does, a great part of the absorb- 

 ing power characterizing childhood, while it has gained not a little of 

 the ability to acquire by reasoning. It is wrong to permit this portion 

 of life to pass without giving opportunity to acquire knowledge. We 

 live in a time when men are expected to leap into active service at 

 twenty-five ; when opportunities for readily increasing one's stock of 

 general knowledge disappear quickly after life's work has fairly begun. 

 No wonder that we hear so often the cry of cui bono? respecting the 

 older and even respecting some of the newer modes of training Not 

 a few of those who believe that language and mathematics can be 

 taught and should be taught so as to cultivate the very faculties reached 

 especially by natural science studies, are inquiring earnestly, Why 

 should so much of life be spent in the mere process of getting ready 

 to get ready ? Surely something of real service beyond mere training 

 should be aciiuired during the process. The curriculum should be 

 prepared with this matter in view, as far as is possible, without inter- 



