Report on a Course of Liberal Education. 307 



classes, and the assignment of each portion to the particular 

 charge of one man. Each of the three junior classes is form- 

 ed into two or three divisions ; and each division is commit- 

 ted to the superintendence of a tutor. Although he is not 

 confined to the instruction of his own division ; but makes 

 such exchanges with the other tutors as will give to each 

 the opportunity of teaching his favorite branch ; yet by 

 meeting them in the recitation rooms two or three times 

 every day, and by minutely inspecting their conduct on 

 other occasions, he renders a service to the police of the in- 

 stitution, which could be secured in no other way. It is 

 intended that the government should be, as much as possi- 

 ble, of a parental character ; a government of mild and grate- 

 ful influence. But the basis of this must be mutual attach- 

 ment ; such as can spring only from daily and peculiar inti- 

 macy. If the same teacher instructs eight or ten different 

 divisions, in rapid succession, it will be difficult for him to 

 feel, that he stands in a very near relation to them all. If 

 the same student attends on a dozen different instructers, in 

 rotation, he may respect them all ; but can hardly be expect- 

 ed to view them with any peculiar affection. 



The tutor of a division has an opportunity, which is en- 

 joyed by no other officer of the college, of becoming inti- 

 mately acquainted with the characters of his pupils. It is 

 highly important that this knowledge should be at the com- 

 mand of the Faculty. By distributing our family among dif- 

 ferent individuals, minute information is acquired, which may 

 be communicated to the Board, whenever it is called for. 

 Upon this plan also, the responsibility of the several instruc- 

 ters is rendered far more definite, than when it rests upon the 

 whole collectively. Each Professor is accountable for the 

 judicious arrangement of his own department ; and for the 

 success with which it is conducted, so far as this depends on 

 his personal efforts and talents. Each tutor is responsible, 

 to a certain extent, for the progress and correct deportment 

 of his division. But responsibility is little felt, when held as 

 common stock among numbers, without a distinct appropri- 

 ation to individuals. By a due proportion of professors and 

 tutors, we may unite the advantages of experience, with ar- 

 dor and activity ; of profound investigation, with minute at- 

 tention to elementary principles; of personal attachment and 

 individual responsibility, with such an adjustment of the dif- 

 ferent parts of the system, as will give unity and symmetry 

 to the whole. 



