Persons educated at public seminaries are of two classes. One is
that of professional men, and physicians and divines who are to be
qualified for entering upon their professions immediately after
leaving the college or university. The other is that of gentlemen,
and those who are designed for offices of civil and active life.
The former must be minutely instructed in everything adding to
their several professions, whereas to the latter a general
knowledge of the several branches of science is sufficient. To the
former, especially that of Medicine, several professors are
necessary, as the business must be subdivided, in order to be
taught to advantage. For the purpose of the latter fewer professors
are wanted, as it is most advisable to give them only the elements
of the several branches of knowledge, to which they may afterwards
give more particular attention, as they may have a disposition or
convenience for it.
Lawyers are not supposed to be qualified for entering upon their
professions at any place of public education. They are therefore to
be considered as gentlemen to whom a general knowledge is
sufficient. It is advisable, however, that when any subject, as
that of Medicine, is much divided, and distributed among a number
of professors, lectures of a more general and popular nature be
provided for the other classes of students, to whom some knowledge
of the subject may be very useful. A general knowledge, for
example, of anatomy and of medicine, too, is useful to all persons,
and therefore ought not to be omitted in any scheme of liberal
education. And if in a regular school of medicine any of the
professors would undertake this, it might serve as an useful
introduction to that more particular and accurate knowledge which
is necessary for practiced physicians.
The branches of knowledge which are necessary to the teachers of
religion are not so many, or so distinct from each other, but that
they may all be taught by one professor, as far as is necessary to
qualify persons for commencing preachers. To acquire more
knowledge, as that of the scriptures, ecclesistical history, etc.
must be the business of their future lives. But every person
liberally educated should have a general knowledge of Metaphysics,
the theory of morals, and religion; and therefore some popular
lectures of this kind should be provided for the students in
general.
One professor of antient languages may be sufficient for a place of
liberal education, and I would not make any provision for
instruction in the modern languages, for tho the knowledge of
them, as well as skill in fencing, dancing and riding, is proper
for gentlemen liberally educated, instruction in them may be
procured on reasonable terms without burdening the funds of the
seminary with them.
Abstract Mathematics, and Natural Philosophy, are so distinct, that
they require different teachers. One is sufficient for the former,
but the latter must be subdivided, one for natural history, another
for experimental Philosophy in general and a third for chemistry;
in consequence of the great extension of this branch of
experimental Philosophy of late years. The botany, mineralogy, and
other branches of natural history are sufficiently distinct to
admit of different professors, nothing more than a general
knowledge of each of them, and directions for acquiring a more
extended knowledge of them is necessary at any place of education.
Two or three Schools of Medicine I should think sufficient for all
the United States for some years to come, but with respect to these
I do not pretend to give any opinion not having sufficient
knowledge of the subject. Places of liberal education in general
should be made more numerous, and for each of them I should think
the following professors (if the funds of the Society will admit of
it) should be engaged, _viz._ (1) For the antient languages. (2)
The Belles Lettres, including universal Grammar, Oratory, criticism
and bibliography. (3) Mathematics. (4) Natural history. (5)
Experimental Philosophy. (6) Chemistry, including the theory of
Agriculture. (7) Anatomy and Medicine. (8) Geography and history,
Law, and general policy. (9) Metaphysics, morals, and theology.
A course of liberal education should be as comprehensive as
possible. For this purpose a large and well chosen _library_ will
be of great use. Not that the students should be encouraged to read
books while they are under tuition, but an opportunity of seeing
books, and looking into them, will give them a better idea of the
value of them than they could get by merely hearing of them, and
they would afterwards better know what books to purchase when they
should have the means and the leisure for the perusal of them. A
large collection of books will also be useful to the lecturer in
_bibliography_ and would recommend the seminary to the professors
in general, and make it a desirable place of residence for
gentlemen of a studious turn.
2. In order to engage able professors, some fixed salaries are
necessary; but they should not be much more than a bare
subsistence. They will then have a motive to exert themselves, and
by the fees of students their emoluments may be ample. The
professorships in the English universities, which are largely
endowed, are sinecures; while those in Scotland, to which small
stipends are annexed, are filled by able and active men.
3. It is not wise to engage any persons who are much advanced in
life, or of established reputation for efficient teachers. They
will not be so active as younger men who have a character to
acquire. They will also better accommodate their lectures to the
increasing light of the age, whereas old men will be attached to
old systems, tho ever so imperfect. Besides, they are the most
expert in teaching who have lately learned, and the minutae of
science, which are necessary to a teacher, are generally forgotten
by good scholars who are advanced in life, and it is peculiarly
irksome to relearn them.
4. I would not without necessity have recourse to any foreign
country for professors. They will expect too much deference, and
the natives will be jealous of them.
5. Three things must be attended to in the education of youth. They
must be _taught_, _fed_ and _governed_ and each of these requires
very different qualifications. They who are the best qualified to
teach are often the most unfit to govern, and it is generally
advisable that neither of these have anything to do with providing
victuals. In the English universities all these affairs are
perfectly distinct. The _tutors_ only teach, the _proctors_
superintend the discipline, and the _cooks_ provide the victuals.
Philadelphia, Apr. 10, 1801.