PRESIDENT NEVL\\s ADDRESS, 71 



with the laurels of the College, were about, laculum in manu^ to com- 

 mence life, the author proceeds to ofter some veryjudicious remarks on 

 the subject of College education : first, in reference to the tendency, on 

 the part of students in our literary institutions, to pursue Sl partial edu- 

 cation — to remain satisfied with an imperfect or irregular course. This 

 is regarded as forming a characteristic evil with the colleges of Pennsyl- 

 vania generally. It rarely works well, when a young man enters an 

 institution with a view of continuing only two or three years, to select 

 his studies from different classes. . The individual generally accom- 

 plishes comparatively little, and becomes gradually dissatisfied with 

 his position. 



We have invariably recommended students, if they cannot remain 

 to be graduated, to fall in with all the studies of the course in one 

 of the regular classes, and to pursue them regularly until they leave, 

 and we are pleased to be sustained by the experience of Doctor Nev- 

 in, who uses the following language : 



" On this subject my mind is fully settled. I have always discouraged the sys- 

 tem of irregular study, and shall continue to do so in time to come. I have known 

 many to regret that they had suffered themselves to be betrayed into such a course, 

 but do not remember ever to have met with one who felt that he had wronged him- 

 self by pursuing in preference the regular course." 



Secondly, fault is found with the disposition manifested by so many 

 of our candidates for graduation to drop off from their class in the 

 midst of their course, leaving college with an unfinished education, 

 and entering upon professional studies. This tendency, wc think, i.s 

 correctly ascribed to a defective public sentiment. In New England 

 no such system is practiced ; much more value is attached to a degree. 

 A young man does not rest satisfied with any thing short of it, and he 

 is willing to struggle with difiicullie.«, practice self-denial, and endure 

 great privations, rather than forego the advantages accruing from a reg- 

 ular course, and cut off tiie prospects of graduation. We agree with 

 the sentiments expressed by the Doctor in the following quotation : 



"An incomplete collegiate education is always a misfortune. A man of good 

 mind may indeed remedy the defect in some measure by subsequent diligence in 

 the way of self-cultivation ; but he will be always himself the first, in such circum- 

 stances, to allow the full force of the defect, even in his own case. * * * As 

 in a work of art, the plan must be faithfully executed throughout, to make it of 

 true worth, while any particular defect necessarily detracts from the goodness of 

 the entire work ; so here, we say, an education, to be accredited as sound and 

 solid to any extent, must be complete. The man who stops in the middle of his 

 course, not only misses that part of it which should follow, but may be said to infiict 

 heavy damage, at the same time, on all his previous acquirements, llis education, 

 as a whole, is stunted, and cannot come in any part to its full growth." 



