General report of the Commissioners under the Universities (Scotland) Act, 1858 : with an appendix containing ordinances, minutes, reports on special subjects, and other documents / Scottish Universities Commission.

Date:
1863
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: General report of the Commissioners under the Universities (Scotland) Act, 1858 : with an appendix containing ordinances, minutes, reports on special subjects, and other documents / Scottish Universities Commission. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    Graduation in Arts, Length of the Ses- sion in the Faculty of Arts. Glasgow, we sliowed, by a reference to the striking increase in the number of students of the Professor in Edinburgh, that greater importance than formerly is now attached to the study of English Literature, as a branch of education. The success which has attended the labours of the distinguished Professor, who now occupies the Edinburgh Chair, has contributed in no small degree to this result. Our inquiries satisfied us, that the students of that University derived the most marked benefit from attendance on his lectures ; and we concluded that it was desirable, that similar opportunities of instruction should be afforded to the students of the other Universities. In Glasgow, the number of the students in the Faculty, of Arts justified, in our opinion, the foundation of a separate Chair for the purpose; and already we have seen cause to be assured of its success. In St Andrew’s, and in Aberdeen, the subject has been assigned to the Professor of Logic ; and the value, which is attached to the course in these Universities, is shown by the fact, that, although in the one the class has been instituted for not more than two sessions, and in the other for not more than three, it is already one of the most numerously attended classes in either University. Considering the importance which belongs to the study of the English Language and Literature, as part of a liberal education, we did not hesitate to prescribe attendance on the course to all candidates for degrees in Arts. It is hardly necessary to observe, that the only attendance which we have pre- scribed, is that necessary for a degree without honours. For a degree with honours, the additional attendance to be given must be left to the option of each individual student. It is highly desirable, that every encouragement should be given to the prosecution of study, beyond what is barely necessary for a degree ; and with this view, the greatest latitude ought to be afforded to candidates in aiming at - a degree with honours. It was on this consideration that, in arranging the departments for graduation with honours, we so divided the subjects, as to present to students the opportunity of exhibiting high attainments in the particular department or departments best suited to their several capacities or tastes. Among the Universities of Scotland a degree in Arts has, in Aberdeen only, continued to be recognised as the proper termination of a student’s course. Both in King’s and in Mari- schal College, graduation has uniformly prevailed as a general rule, and the effect of the prac- tice in stimulating the exertions of the students has been most beneficial. We are glad to observe, from the returns with which we have been furnished, that the importance of gradua- tion, as a valuable part of the academical system, is now receiving a wider recognition in the other Universities also. In the short period, which has elapsed since we began our labours, a marked increase in' the number of candidates for degrees has taken place; and, considering the privileges which have been extended to graduates under the Universities Act, and other circumstances, we are induced to believe that this is merely the beginning of a still greater advance in the same direction, which will result, we hope, in restoring graduation in Arts to its proper position in all the Universities. In connection with degrees in Arts, it may be right for us to advert to a question, which has lately been much discussed in some of the Universities, as to the expediency of insti- tuting summer sessions for students in the Faculty of Arts. At present the classes included in the ordinary course of study in that Faculty assemble during the winter session only, which in each University extends over a period of from 23 to 25 weeks, from the end of October or beginning of November to the beginning or end of April. There is thus a con- tinuous vacation in each University of fully six months. It was represented to us, that evils arise from the suspension of the studies of young men at the University for so long a period ; and many persons, who are persuaded of the existence of such evils, advocate strongly the introduction of a different arrangement, by which instruction in the Faculty of Arts may be extended over a portion of the summer. This subject, from its importance, engaged our attention at an early stage of our pro- ceedings, and we made careful inquiries regarding it. In answer to these inquiries, the most opposite views were expressed to us ; and we found that, even admitting it to be desirable, that opportunities of instruction in the Facudty of Arts should be afforded to students during the summer months, any arrangement, prolonging the necessary attendance of the I students at the University over a much larger portion of the year than is now required, was I surrounded with very serious difficulties. The objection, with which we were most strongly impressed, lay in the difficulty, which it was said a departure from the present system would,! throw in the way of poor students, in completing their studies at the University. It is I undoubted that a very large number of the students in the Scotch Universities are in J exceedingly poor circumstances. Many of them engage during the summer in teaching 1 and other employments, in order to gain the means of supporting themselves at the Uni- - versify during the winter; and, even with the winter session at its present length, the 1 Professors receive, in the last few weeks of its course, frequent applications from students to l| dispense with their longer attendance for the session, on account of their scanty funds being I