Part 1 (1/2)

Colleges in America

by John Marshall Barker

NOTE

The author of this volurowth, functions, and work of the Aes It has been a pleasure to visit ather facts, receive iarding the authorities have been helpful in the preparation of the work: ”A History of Education,” by F V N Painter; ”The Rise and Early Constitution of Universities,” by S S Laurie; ”Education in the United States,” by Richard G Boone; ”Essays on Educational Reformers,” by Robert H Quick; ”Education,” by Herbert Spencer; ”Universities in Germany,” by J M Hart; Huxley's ”Technical Education;” Froude's ”Essay on Education,”; ”The Ae and the Aes,”

by Professor W S Tyler; ”Aes: their Life and Work,”

and ”Within College Walls,” by President Chas F Thwing; ”Universities on the Continent,” and ”Culture and Anarchy,” by Matthew Arnold; ”Educational Essays,” by Bishop Edward Thomson; ”Christianity in the United States,” by Daniel Dorchester; ”College Life,” by Stephen Olin; ”The Intellectual Life,” by P G Hamerton; ”Essays on a Liberal Education,” by F W Farrar; ”History of Higher Education” in the several States, prepared by the Bureau of Education; ”Reports of the Commissioner of Education for 1890-'91;” and the periodical literature bearing on the subject

INTRODUCTION

I cannot be unwilling to avail myself of any opportunity to turn the attention of the Christian public to the Christian College It is a noble public and an equally noble object I can conceive of no worthier or eneration that the next one whichunder its influence and for which it is therefore so thoroughly responsible, should receive a Christian education

To put Christ at the center and ener said in speaking of Calvin's school policy), is exceedingly difficult But it is exceedingly iers about it are great and ever greater They cos and everybody in this age of unprecedentedly rapid and splendid rowth of speculative infidelity whether of the philosophical or scientific phase They spring out of everything which lowers the Bible fron consideration by which alone it can hold the place in education which the Old Testaave it, and which all the books of all the other book-religions of the world ly possess They are born of all that false theorizing about the liovernment and the liberty of conscience which issues in the demands for utter secularization of every institution of the State, while at the saovern that education must be by the State They are intensified by the divided opinion of the church universal, of which the Catholic and Greek sections hold that education ious and under the care of the Church; while the State-Church Protestant section holds that it ious under certain conditions, and the extreious because conducted by the State, and a rather di protestant section in free-church nations holds that the higher education should be Christian, while the secondary and priers are not only imminent but actual The whole effort to support a Christian education in the public schools is sole” One section is thrown over towards secularis fro of the little child, the favorite indication of the millennium's arrival, is frustrated amid the clamor of the free thinkers and the uncertainty of the Church and the necessities of the State We are slowly but surely, if we go on in this way, taking our children out of Christ's arms and our youth from beside His footsteps And that is at once the ainst Him, and the most terrible injustice to the to stay this destructive tendency? ”God bless histone's spirit, ”whoever he may be,” that will help to heal this open wound of the world

I think Mr Barker's little book will help It supplies iven in brief and explicit statee of theiven It is addressed to all readers and should find the those who have hearts to pray and those who have hands to help It will prove to be of rare interest to all whose duty it is to teach, and it has much wise counsel for those who are to study

The treate for the cultivation of the moral and spiritual nature (Chapter IV) deserves special attention Its declarations are firh and its selected opinions apt and forcible It ought to end the reign of any institution in which religion is not put at the center and kept as efficient as human instrumentalities can make it The demand for professors of pronounced Christian character and convictions is timely and is fearlessly made

The discussion of the currents and counter-currents of influences in college life cannot but be useful, with a possibly increased eanizations of undergraduates for active partisan work in politics The time for these fruits is ”not yet”

Ade material in the world and that it behaves itself best And there can be no lack of agree chapters concerning the usefulness of colleges to the individual and the community May it serve to kindle and to extend when kindled the wholesome enthusiasm its respected author manifests both by word and work

SYLVESTER F SCOVEL

The University of Wooster, July 9, 1894

COLLEGES IN AMERICA

I

THE RISE OF UNIVERSITIES IN THE OLD WORLD

The Ae system is deeply rooted in the past It will be better understood if we trace briefly its historic connection with the ancient and European seats of learning Higher education has been proes were founded adoms of Judah and Israel, schools of the Prophets were located at Bethel, Gibeah, Gilgal, Jericho and Naioth The Academy of Athens, the Museum of Alexandria, the Athenaeum of Rome were once centers of intellectual activity and spread their influence over the civilized world