University of Vermont - Ariel Yearbook (Burlington, VT)

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D ll E 'ii i w f'llllSfXlXlD :Hg g U, u l u gn H P SCIENCES what Ipas the Qlullege uf Hrts anti Satiznces tu ilDffet H Stutlznt? Dean Perkins colleges, was only a college of Alrts It o-ffersveijv liititle or very much. lt depends largely upon the studenlt. Obviously, the various Courses offered are the same for all, but each individual takes a Course in his own way. If a student regards a college course as a great opportunity that will not ble met ever again and puts into it his 'besit endeavor, such a course must of necessity be of unspeakable value to him. WO'Llld that all could realize this. lf, however, a student has no purpose that amounts to ilntspiration, but thinks only of per- sonal ease and a mistakein idea of a 'igood time While in college, his college life is apt to be of little use to him or to anyone else. W Courses in any college require more of students than receptive minds. Tlhese surely, but also direct effort after that which is really worth While. For- seventy-five years and more, the Uni- versity of Vermont, like all New En-gland and to a small extenlt, of Sciences. All technical Wo-rk Was carried on in technical or professional schools. It is difficult for the present gen-eratifon ito underrstan'd how great is the difference between the college of Hof-ty or sev- I7 el IIE

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U A 'I T51 1 1? And none had been awake to greet The coming of the maiden Sjlringf' UH' ul In

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IQ! ll 'I enty years ago and that :of the present. Nrowhere can the old Arts College be found, though some, as Williams and Amherst, retain more of its characteristics 'thiain most. The interminghingof more or less technical courses with the older is found everywhere. It is quiite unnecessary to admit that to -some extent this is an 'aldvantageg indeed it has been :absolutely demanded by the needs of mo-dern timw. No sane educator would for a moment Wish to go b-ack to the :older curricula. On this account it is very diffi- cult to differentiate 'the College of Airts and lSciences as We have it here, from other colleges. Ourr College of llfledicine is sufficiently distinct, but not so are the other Colleges. I have no doubt that it were much better if itlrere could be greater difference than is now possible. The Arts College would then supply a satisfactory foundation for the more .technical Work of Enigin-eering and Agriculture. To my thinking the id-eal ktraining would be ia 'three orr four-years' course in the Arts College and then, with such a preparation., take up the strictly limited Work of the more professional colleges. Perhaps this would require some modification of the Arts curriculum, for We are now, not altogether satisfactorily, attempting in some measure 'a combination of general and technical studies. 'But I Wish to be understood. This is ideal an-d in many cases not practicable. If some sort of a combination of courses is the best that one -can take, such train- ing is best for him. Certainly much depends on the student, more than iupon any particular course of training. Examples which abundantly prove this are very com- mon. Olther things being equal, one course will be more helpful to one student, another to someone else, but things are not usually equal and always the final result must de- penid very largely upon the studenrt himself, nolt upon what course he has taken. Any course, even a very narrowly technical one, will fit an able student for usefulness and success in his future lifework. I What has been written is, I warn aware, applicable largely to any course in any college, but for reasons already given, I have wished to write in a somewhat general way. Tlhinking only of what could properly be called an arts course I should say that its particular mission is to supply a greatly needed foundation for any of the narrower and more technical work which many must undertake. The firstitwo of the Courses named below are especially of this sort, the others being more or less technical. And these should, if possible, be supplemented by post-graduate Work in one of the great universities, if one would have as complete an education as possible, More specifically the following are the courses offered by the College of Arts and Sciences: 1. The Classical, which is perhaps the most highly cultural and which requires bo-th Greek and Latin. 18 Cl - I Ei