Admination Requirements of 17th Century Not So Easy--College One of New England's First Fruits

Students in the University who disliked the College Board Entrance Examinations which they had to take to enter Harvard should be thankful that the entrance requirements of the University in the 17th century have not been maintained down to the present.

In a volume entitled "New England's First Fruits", published in London in 1643, an article on Harvard College, the College being evidently numbered among New England's "first fruits", a brief description of the University and a list of the "Rules and Precepts that are observed in the College" appeared.

The first three rules in their ancient phiaselogy and spelling are quoted below:

1. When any scholar is able to understand Tully, or such like classical Latine author extempore, and make and speak true Latine verse and prose, suo et aiunt Marti; and decline perfectly the paradignes of nounes and berbes in the Greek Tongue: let him then, and not before, be capable of admission into the College.

2. Let every student be plainly and earnestly pressed to consider well, that the maine end of his life and studies, it to know God and Jesus Christ which is eternall life, Joh. XVII.

3. And therefore to lay Christ in the bottome; as the only foundation of all sound knowledge and learning; and seeing the Lord only giveth wisedome, let every one seriously set himself by prayer in secret to seek it of him Prov. ii. 3.

As if this advise to lead Christian lives of temperance, hard-work and worship were not enough. The rules went on to enjoin all students to "eschew all profanation of the God's name," and further, that 'they studiously redeeme the time" and "diligently attend the lectures without any disturbance by word or gesture."

In the early history of the college, its authorities evidently took it upon themselves to safeguard the morals of the rising generations, a state of affairs on which we of today may look in surprise, when we consider that we allow our national, state, and city governments keep the world clean and safe to live in. This tendency is shown in the stern command which was written of in this account of "the progress of learning in the College of Cambridge, Massachusetts Bay" to the effect that "none shall, under any pretence whatsoever, frequent the company and society of such men as lead an unfit and dissolute life."