New Ideas at Harvard.

The administration of President Eliot at Harvard has been marked by an advancement of many new ideas in college training. The recently proposed alterations in the requirements for admission cap the climax. These new reforms have placed Harvard in a novel position among her sister colleges, and have given her the appearance, at least, of prosperity. The number of students has increased, and many new buildings have been erected. These facts are, of course, gratiying to the friends of Harvard.

There is, however, another department of university growth, which is a more important element in true university prosperity. The position of a college depends greatly on the stamp of the average student. That college which attracts the ambitious, zealous young men of our country will, in the future, be the leading college. Wealth, fortunate location, and noted professors contribute much to the success of any college, but a generation of earnest, ambitious students will do more toward this end than all the other causes combined. The following, then, seems to be a just criterion of the advisability of these new reforms. If the tearing down of the old barriers to entrance and the substitution of the new requirements will attract more men who have some purpose in coming here, then all should rejoice in the reforms. If, on the other hand, Harvard is to gain a few hundred more men, who will come here because they are sent here, then these measures should be deprecated.

Those who believe that he only is truly educated who can point out a Greek root in an English derivative, and quote Sophocles and Plautus, will hold the view that Harvard's walls will be filled by "superficial practicalists." Others who believe that educated men should be something beside curiosity hunters in the dead languages will claim that the young men who are to make future discoveries and benefit mankind with living truths, will see at Harvard an opportunity for beginning their good work. If this latter view be true, there is being planted the seed of a national university,

M.