EVOLUTION OF THE COLLEGE CURRICULUM. 249 



Well, yes, if superficiality in everything is the 

 alternative. It is well for a scholar to know some- 

 thing of each of these and of each of the subjects 

 in the most extended curriculum. But he purchases 

 this knowledge too dearly if he buys it at the ex- 

 pense of thoroughness in some line of study in 

 which a real interest has been awakened. '' A 

 mistake is made," says a recent writer, " in treat- 

 ing studies like boarders. They are taken in and 

 housed at so much a term, and at its end hostess 

 and guest part with mutual good-will." Some 

 closer relation than this is essential to scholarship. 

 Then, again, with certain men in college the 

 alternative is either a close specialization or no 

 college life at all. Sometimes a man may wish in 

 college to devote his entire time to a single subject, 

 as Physics or History, making himself an authority 

 on that subject, but without any effort for broad 

 culture at all. This is not often a wise course; 

 but wise or not, no one will deny that a college 

 career spent in this way is better than none at all, 

 and in after years such men are rarely a source 

 of shame to their Alma Mater. There is a certain 

 well-known naturalist whom I could name, who 

 was some ten years ago excluded from the Indiana 

 University, not because he was idle or vicious or 

 weak, but because he wanted to spend most of his 

 time in the study of Natural History. The college 

 had then no place for such a man as that, though 

 the same college is proud of him now. Who is to 

 say that it was better for him to leave college 

 than that he should be allowed to follow his own 

 bent? No knowledge comes amiss to an investi- 



