EVOLUTION OF THE COLLEGE CURRICULUM. 235 



these subjects are left out of the college curricu- 

 lum, the clamor for their admittance becomes un- 

 bearably loud. If all are admitted, the same 

 curriculum becomes like an American horse-car, 

 with standing room only and no space to turn 

 around. 



What shall the colleges do? Shut out these 

 subjects they cannot; for to exclude all modern 

 studies and modern ideas, to step out of the cur- 

 rent of modern life, is practically to exclude all 

 students. Rightly or wrongly, the students want 

 these things, and sooner or later the American 

 college must give what the students want. The 

 supply must meet the demand or there will be no 

 demand. No doubt we as professors know better 

 what is good for the student than the student does 

 himself; but unless we can convince him of that 

 we must let him have, to a great extent, his own 

 way as to what his studies shall be. We can see 

 that he does his work well, and we can help him 

 in many ways ; but the direction of his efforts must 

 in the end rest with him. 



The colleges of America stand in a different 

 position in this regard from similar schools in 

 England or Germany. These last are parts of a 

 definite system. Their financial support is such 

 that there is no need of paying any special atten- 

 tion to popular demands, if these demands are 

 deemed theoretically undesirable. Moreover, the 

 college degree in England and its equivalent in 

 Germany forms a passport of admission to social, 

 educational, or political privileges inaccessible to 

 the man without this degree. Hence entrance 



