Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 13.djvu/204

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THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY.

another, the elements of a modern language are required. But in very many cases there seems to be not even an attempt to really equalize the two courses of study.

From these facts we see that the average student in a scientific course enters upon his work with a mind less mature than that of his fellow in the classics. Both stay in college for four years, and then receive baccalaureate degrees. Is it strange that in most cases the classically trained scholar comes out ahead? Is it just to attribute his advantage to any lack of educational value upon the part of the sciences? In short, is the comparison between the two systems of education at all a fair one? Obviously, it is not. Until both systems have been tested side by side, both properly developed and with equally good student material to work upon, no reasonable comparison between them can be made. As long as the poorer students are concentrated in one course, and the better prepared in the other, the sciences will be at a grave disadvantage.

So much concerning the requirements for admission. Now let us consider the course of study afterward—what is it now, and what ought it to be? Surely we should expect to find the scientific students learning more science than is taught in the classical courses. Reasonable, however, as this expectation is, in many cases it will be disappointed. If we look over the catalogues of even our Ohio colleges, we shall find that in great measure the purely scientific studies are the same in both courses; the same amount of chemistry, of physics, of zoölogy, of geology, and so on. In one catalogue I find the classical course fully laid out, and after it the explicit statement that "the scientific department will embrace all the above course, except the classics." In a few institutions the scientific student does get a trifle more of science than his neighbor, as much as an extra term in physical geography or surveying. Some of these courses of study have absolutely no right to the name of scientific. Here is the beginning of such a course in an Ohio college:

Freshman YearFirst Term.—In the classical course, Latin, Greek, and algebra. In the scientific course, the same algebra, easier Latin, and Old Testament history. Second Term.—Classical course: Latin, Greek, and algebra, continued; geometry and physiology, taken up. Scientific course: The same mathematics and physiology, easier Latin, and New Testament history.

Sophomore YearFirst Term.—Classical course: Latin, Greek, zoölogy, geometry. Scientific course: Easier Latin, the same geometry, "physical geography, and geography of the heavens." Second Term.—Classical course: Latin, Greek, trigonometry, conic sections and analytics, botany. Scientific course: The same mathematics and botany, general history, Paley's "Natural Theology." And so on to the end of the senior year.

In this particular instance the scientific course contains one term in