50 



BGIBNCB. 



n 



[Vol. VIII., No. 180 



lowered, we may say, first, that there should be 

 prescribed studies in every year of the college 

 course. These must embrace what experience has 

 proven the fimdamental and disciplinary studies, 

 both for the purpose of training an accurate and 

 scholarly mmd and for bearing practical fruit. 

 The principal of these is language. Oui- own 

 language should have the first and the last place 

 in every scheme of instruction, but every educated 

 man should know at least two languages in addi- 

 tion to his own. The Greek language should by 

 all means be maintained as a requisite for the de- 

 gree of B.A., as being the most perfect and subtle 

 of languages, and as being the medium of the 

 grandest literature of the ancient world. In the 

 second place, no man is a scholar who has not 

 studied mathematics : therefore they should be 

 prescribed in a certain degree. And, thndly, no 

 man is educated who has not some knowledge of 

 I)hilosophy, including under this head the social 

 and political sciences. With a well-arranged plan 

 of obligatory studies, embracing language, science, 

 and ijhilosophy, should be combined an indefinite 

 number of elective studies. No electives should 

 be permitted in the freshman year. This year 

 should be spent in the thorough mastery of the 

 elementary branches and in becoming acquainted 

 with the general system of the college, so that the 

 pupil may be prepared to make his choice of 

 studies later an intelligent one. Only a few elec- 

 tives may safely be allowed in the sophomore year, 

 but in the last two years of the coUege coui-se they 

 may be freely introduced. In this elective system, 

 however, the student should not be allowed to 

 dissipate his energies in too many directions. Four 

 electives at most should be allowed him. 



While this should be firmly adhered to in the 

 course leading to the B.A. degree, other coui-ses 

 should be encouraged, and corresponding degrees 

 awarded on their successful completion. Each of 

 these degrees should be plainly designated hy its 

 title, so as not to be mistaken for the B.A. degree. 

 Our students in colleges are not increasing in 

 proportion to the population. One reason is that 

 they enter college too late, and it is only at the 

 age of twenty-six or twenty-eight that they are 

 able to support themselves by their profession. 

 This is longer than most boys can wait, and longer 

 than most parents can afford to have them wait : 

 so they are dispensing with the college course. 

 The remedy for this is to improve the work of the 

 schools so that a boy can enter college at sixteen, 

 and enter on his profession at twenty-two or twen- 

 ty-three years of age. A healthy boy of fair ability 

 ought to be able to accomplish this without diffi- 

 culty. 



Dr. McCosh's argument and practical sugges- 



tions were most favorably received by the mem- 

 bers of the convocation. 



On Thursday morning, July 8, the convocation 

 held its closuag session. Professor Hewett of 

 Cornell read a paper on the relations of the 

 colleges and academies, in which he pointed out 

 the fact that the systems of Germany, Massachu- 

 setts, and Michigan, were superior to those of 

 New York as far as the relations between prepar- 

 atory schools and colleges are concerned. He 

 urged that the colleges should unite in setting a 

 standard which the high schools and academies 

 would have to observe or else give way to private 

 schools. Inspection of preparatory schools by 

 competent officers was also recommended. 



On the conclusion of the discussion of Professor 

 Hewett's paper. Chancellor Sims of Syracuse uni- 

 versity took the chair, and opened the conference 

 of college presidents in the state of New York on 

 the question of classical requirements for the de- 

 gree of B.A. He was followed by President Dodge 

 of Madison university, Warden Fairbau-n of St. 

 Stephen's college, and Brother Conway of Canisius 

 college. Every speaker took the gTOund that the 

 reputation of the B.A. degree must be preserved, 

 and that Greek and Latin must be rigidly insisted 

 on as requisite for its attainment. 



The last business of the convocation was to dis- 

 cuss briefly medical education, the sentiment being 

 that a physician shotild be examined for his license 

 to practise by a board not composed of his instruc- 

 tors. At one P.M. Chancellor Pierson declared the 

 convocation adjourned sine die. 



Among the other papers of interest were the 

 following : Rev. Brother Noah, Tact in teaching ; 

 J. A. Lintner, The present state of entomological 

 science in the United States ; President Hyde of 

 Bowdoin, The relation of higher education to re- 

 ligion ; Professor Wilson of Cornell, The elements 

 of knowledge ; Principal E. H. Cook of Potsdam, 

 Systematic habit in education. 



THE INDIAN SURVEY REPORT. 

 The general report on the operations of the sur- 

 vey of India for the year 1884-85, which has been 

 received from India a month earlier than usual, 

 contains the record of work done by one of the 

 busiest departments of the government of that 

 country, the following abstract of which we find 

 in Tlie Athenaeum. The officers of the depart- 

 ment are constantly engaged in surveys in aU 

 parts of the peninsula, and every year a greater 

 area is added to the map as either triangulated or 

 topographically surveyed. Our attention may be 

 most profitably directed to the geographical dis- 

 coveries chronicled in the jiresent report, although 

 they do not include any thing so remarkable as 



