One other practical value in encouraging the study of science among women I am inclined to mention, though it falls on the professional rather than the educational side. It would be a great gain if the women had sufficient scientific interest and knowledge to lead the children in their earliest years to see the world of things about them. Thoreau has said something like this: "What is a course in literature or science or poetry or the most admirable routine of life, compared with the discipline of seeing always what is to be seen?" Neglect in forming this habit of intelligent seeing in the beginning years can never be made up for. Most of us are blind walkers through the world of Nature. And those who come in later years to love natural objects must gain by the plodding methods of maturity what might have been almost unconsciously acquired by the spontaneous receptiveness of the child-mind, had that mind been directed to use its senses, to move open-eyed and open-eared through the play ground of its youth.

SHOULD INSTRUCTION AS TO MANNERS AND DRESS BE INCLUDED IN THE CURRICULUM ?

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Mrs Winifred Edgerton Merrill, Albany Allow me, Mr Chancellor and members of the Convocation, to express my thanks for this opportunity of presenting what I consider to be at present the most pressing and by far the most important question in the education of woman: 66 Should instruction as to manners and dress

be included'in our curriculum?"

Our common experience is such as to render it superfluous for me to indicate the value of politeness, of acquaintance with social ordinances, in short of all that gracious and kindly consideration for the convenience, comfort and pleasure of others which can only result from attention carefully and systematically directed to questions of courtesy and good breeding. Moreover, if it be a pleasure to look upon any well-mannered woman, is not the pleasure greatly enhanced if her body be clothed harmoniously? And can a woman more easily attain harmony in color and form in dress, without a study of the subject, than in producing agreeable effects in painting or music or any of the fine arts?

Instruction in good manners begins, or should begin in the nursery, and continues while the child remains under home supervision; and I submit to those members of this Convocation who are parents the question whether such instruction can be utterly sus pended for a single week or even a single day, with favorable

results? Why then should it be practically abolished in the college, the high school and the academy? Are our young women and our young men such models of good breeding and good taste in dress as to satisfy those interested in their highest development? Is there no significance in the fact that our sons and daughtars interpolate and transform the English of Addison and Irving, of Arnold and Curtis with expressions which shock the ear and offend good taste? Is there no significance in the loud voices and laughter which too frequently supersede "that most excellent thing in woman?" Is there no significance in the fact that the leading Greek student and also the leading mathematical student in a recently graduated class of one of our prominent colleges should be conspicuously careless in matters of dress and behavior? Is there no significance in the following extract from one of this morning's Albany papers, a criticism only too typical of public opinion: "Will the University Convocation explain why so few women know how to walk?"

Every so-called fashionable school gives daily instruction in matters pertaining to manners and dress. Should the college, which offers excellent facilities for the study of music, painting and sculpture, for gymnastics and athletic sports, be inferior with respect to the matters which contribute so largely to make young womanhood beautiful and attractive?

I trust that I may be pardoned if I say that I myself, a college woman, would send my daughter to a fashionable school, rather than to a college where little attention is paid to the dress and behavior of its students.

An experiment has recently been made in Boston, in connection with a coeducational college, by giving such instruction. A lady of great culture and high social position, full of deep interest in the welfare of college students has during the past winter been giving a series of talks upon manners and dress. The experiment has been attended with grateful appreciation on the part of the students as well as success in its object.

Allow me then in view of the great need of improvement and in consideration of at least one successful attempt in giving such instruction to leave with the members of the Convocation one question to which I beg them to give their attention: Is a chair of dress and manners practicable and desirable?

UNIVERSITY EXTENSION

Discussion

OPENED BY PROF. HERBERT B. ADAMS, JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY

In 1867, Prof. James Stuart of Cambridge university gave a course of circuit lectures on astronomy to local classes of teachers in Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield and Leeds. He adopted the device of a printed syllabus for the purpose of saving the labor of note taking. Some people in these towns objected to a young professor from Cambridge conducting an examination for lady teachers, and so Mr Stuart suggested, at the end of each lecture, certain questions which the teachers could answer at home in their own way, and told them they might send their answers to him by post. He thought he might get a dozen or 20 answers from a company of 600 people, but to his surprise, he got 300. He had promised to look them over and return them, and he fulfilled his contract. This device of written exercises has proved most profitable.

I have mentioned the first three pedagogical features of university extension: (1) the circuit lecture; (2) the printed syllabus; and (3) the written exercise. The fourth feature originated in connection with the workingmen of the north of England. Prof. Stuart was invited to lecture in the town of Crewe. A university man there resident told him that it would be impossible to give an extended course; that one lecture on some striking theme would be enough. Prof. Stuart chose the subject of "Meteors." The lecture was dated for the night of the 14th of November and the night before there occurred one of the most striking meteoric showers on record. Everybody came out the next night to hear about meteors. Instead of an audience of 400 or 500 people, there were 1500. Prof. Stuart endeavored to explain his theme, and made it so attractive that the audience voted to have a full course of lectures on astronomy.

Prof. Stuart was in the habit of using diagrams and of removing them after his lecture, but on one occasion he left them behind. When he came back the next week the janitor said, " Professor, those diagrams have interested the men very much. They have been in here day after day looking at them and I think they have some hard questions to ask you." Before the next lecture Prof. Stuart held a conference and it proved so interesting and profitable, that it

became a fourth and permanent feature of university extension work. Such courses as these were given by Cambridge men to cooperative institutions, workingmen's associations and clubs throughout the north of England.

An examination set by a university man, but not by the lecturer, is the fifth feature of university extension. Let me repeat them in order:

1 The circuit lecture, given in different places, but in continuous progressive courses, in contradistinction to the old time single lec

ture.

2 A printed syllabus containing all the topics, with references to good books, and suggestions for private reading and topics for individual study.

3 The written exercise accompanying each lecture.

4 The conference or class discussion, in which the student has an opportunity to ask questions of the teacher and the teacher has an opportunity to explain points which he has not made clear.

5 The final written examination set by authority of the university.

Let me give you a workingman's idea of university extension. An English miner says, "Any town or village which is prepared to provide an audience and pay the necessary fees, can secure a course of 12 lectures on any subject taught in the university, by a lecturer who has been educated at the university, and who is specially fitted for lecturing work. A syllabus of the course is printed and put into the hands of the students. This syllabus is a great help to persons not accustomed to note taking. Questions are given on each lecture and written answers can be sent in by any one, irrespective of age or sex. All the lectures, except the first, are preceded by a class, which lasts about an hour. In this class the students and the lecturer talk over the previous lecture. The written answers are returned with such corrections as the lecturer deems necessary. At the end of the course an examination is held and certificates are awarded to the successful candidates. These lectures are called university extension lectures. They impart, so far as each subject is treated, a university education." He does not mean a full university education, but so far as the subject is treated, it is university teaching of the best kind. It is now the ambition of teachers and of intelligent workmen of England to go to Oxford or Cambridge for even a brief period in summer and there enjoy lectures by university men.

The University of Cambridge has gone so far as to recognize ex

The authorities have pro

tension work in a very practical way. claimed that if an extension student shall pass the examinations in any six unit courses of 12 lectures each, in one group of studies like literature or science, and examinations in two other unit courses in some other subject than the one first chosen, and also examinations in algebra, geometry, and Latin (such as is required for freshinen) the candidate may be admitted to Cambridge, not only as a fully matriculated student, but with credit for one year's advanced standing. By two years' residence at Cambridge, such a student can obtain the bachelor's degree. This step has been taken by the University of Cambridge. Thus the middle wall of partition between the old conservative university and the English people is now broken down. Any natural genius discovered in a rural or manufacturing town of England, by doing good work, by saving his money and by passing these required examinations, can go up to Cambridge and get the advantage of a complete university education.

Do the workingmen of England appreciate this system? Let me quote what one of them says: "It is six years since I attended the first course of university extension lectures, and I have attended all the courses since. I can not tell how much I owe to these lectures. They have worked a revolution in my life. I am able to take broader views of questions, and my interests are widened. My life altogether is brighter and happier. There is something about these university lectures different from science and art classes. I can't say exactly what it is, but they do more for you and have more life in them."

This work was taken up in 1876 by the so-called London society for the extension of university teaching. As many as 5,000 or 6,000 students every year now attend courses given by eminent professors. The very best men in London take a hand in this work, particularly in the industrial quarter at the East End. The University of Oxford came into the field in 1878. Cambridge had already instituted the unit course of 12 lectures, and Oxford coming second into the field, found competition sharp. Many communities were unable to raise the necessary amount of money ($325) for a full course, so Oxford began to give shorter courses of four, six, eight or 10 lectures, on the theory that half a loaf is better than no bread. By giving a shorter course public sentiment can be quickened to a greater demand.

We shall have to adopt the Oxford plan in America. We have been so corrupted, educationally speaking, in this country by varietyshow lectures, that it will be very hard to hold a given community to