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His plan of reform includes a revision of the laws; their administration by a tribunal of three, with full powers of dismission, etc.; stricter examination, both annual and for admission; annual increase of studies during the
College course; a change in the character of the recitations, and restriction of personal expenses of the students.
Whenever the tribunal of three are satisfied that a young man does not fulfil the purposes for which he came to College, they should be required instantly to dismiss him, for his own sake, for the sake of his friends, and for the sake of the College, since from that moment he becomes a nuisance; for, if it be mere dulness, he is out of his place and lowers the standard of merit, and if it be idleness, folly, or vice, he is continually spreading mischief around him. . . . . The longest vacation should happen in the hot season, when insubordination and misconduct are now most frequent, partly from the indolence produced by the season.
There is a reason against this, I know,—the poverty of many students, who keep school for a part of their subsistence. . . . .
On this point he gives facts and statistics to prove this concession and arrangement to be unnecessary, and continues:—
And it would be difficult to prove that it is always even poverty that is encouraged, for of sixteen beneficiaries in the Senior Class, only nine were last winter so poor as to be compelled to resort to school-keeping; so that, on all accounts, I think it is apparent the College can fulfil all its duties to the poorer portion of the community, without resorting to the winter vacation. . . . .
For myself, I will gladly perform all the duties that fall to my office as Smith Professor, and give besides a full twelfth of all the additional common instruction at College, for the three next years, provided this reform may take place, and such branches be assigned to me as I can teach with profit to the school.
I am persuaded every other teacher would be equally willing to pledge himself to extra labors in such a cause. . . . .
But one thing is certain.
A change must take place. The discipline of College must be made more exact, and the instruction more thorough.
All now is too much in the nature of a show, and abounds too much in false pretences . . . . . It is seen that we are neither an University—which we call ourselves—nor a respectable
