246
��THE GRANITE MONTHLY.
��be fruitless, and probably injurious, but
so to use and apply ii as best to avert or neutralize its possible, or cei*tain dan- gers, and make it subservient. <>n the whole, to christian and patriotic ends.
To those i'n Is ii becomes clearly tin- duty of all good men and citizens to sus- tain, regulate and dignify our scientific institutions. They should not be lefl to any bad accidents. They should not be suffered to languish in any one tonality, and become disproporrionately powerful and exorbitant in another. A good foundation, wherever wisely laid, and thus far bnilr upon successfully and honorably, should be strengthened, and the superstructure furnished agreeably to its natural occasions. New Hampshire should not be overshadowed, in thi< re- spect, by any sister State. The .Scientific Department of Dartmouth should be kept up to its design, in due proportion to the Academical. and to the important district of country which it represents. It should haVe determined friends and patrons, and they should look well to its administration, that it may be conducted on the righteous and benevolent princi- ples and with the ability and z^al con- templated by its high-minded and gener- ous founder. The young men who might resort to it. from whatever quarter. should find here means and opportunities as ample as could be afforded elsewhere, and should perceive themselves to be trained answerably to the demands now every where made upon scientific men.
Dartmouth has deserved well of the State and the country. It has done, prob- ably, its full share for the learned pro- fessions. Its late scientific endowment gives it an additional advantage. To strengthen adequately this new member will be to add vigor and tone to the In- stitution as a whole. Wherefore, let this and every member be helped together. that the whole body may grow by that which every part supplies, and thus sub- serve, effectually and permanently the general interests of the State.
N. LORD.
��Derby Line. Vx..May 24, 1SG7.
My Dear Sir : — Your favor and circu- lar relating to the Chandler Department in Dartmouth College are received, and I am happy to answer, if you think any thine- 1 can say will be of service.
The very searching and extended examination of the several classes in that Department, which I had the pleas- ure of witnessing last year, added to the considerable acquaintance I before had with the School, warrant me. I think, in indorsing all you state in the circular of
��the course and method of instruction, the character of the students, and the claim of the School to the sympathy and encouragement of the public. ! du not
know how. in a four years* course, more can be don" toward a valuable culture than is there actually accomplished. The h.-arty interest and zeal in stud}-, which are so generally noticeable in the Department, result in part, doubtless, from the fact that the substantial ami practical character of the course of in- struction causes it^ value to be appre- ciated by the students. It is to be re- membered, also, that the effectiveness of Study, as a mental discipline, depends more on its earnestness than its subject. Generally, therefore, it is clear that for even disciplinary purposes, those studies should be selected which will actually awaken the most interest and the best effort.
It is a matter of congratulation that this Department has not been permitted to heroine, like most institutions of its kind, a mere school of science and en- gineering. Beyond this it aims at a lib- eral collegiate culture, substituting for the dead languages a more complete study of natural science, the mathe- matics and modern languages. A scien- tific course of but three years, with little preparatory study, ought not to be com- pared with a four years' classical course
pn ded by three years of preparation.
Vmi have very wisely extended your course to four years and gradually raised the standard of admission. It is to be hoped that xevy soon there will be no difference in the amount of study re- quired by the two departments of the College, either to enter or to graduate, but that the only difference will be in the nature of the studies pursued, each department thus adapting itself to the wants of its own class of pupils. There will then be space in the Chandler De- partment for a more critical and philo- sophical study of literature and modern languages, and the school, thus elevated and properly endowed, will completely answer a want it has already dene much to supply, and which a large portion of the public have long deeply felt. It will meet the need and wishes of that very large class of young men. who desire a full, substantial, severe and generous collegiate culture — a liberal education — but who. anticipating an active life, pre- fer that their culture should be founded on studies, not almost certain in cases like theirs, to soon become unavailable, neglected and forgotten.
Hoping that the perseverance, talent and devotion which have already ena- bled you to accomplish so much for the
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