tTbe ^University of CbieagoPrice $K00 founded by john d. rockefeller Single CopiesPer Year 5 CentsUniversity RecordPUBLISHED BY AUTHORITYCHICAGOGbe tUiiversftE of Cbfcago jpreasVOL V, NO. 28 PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY AT 3:00 P.M. OCTOBER 12, 1900Entered in the post office Chicago, Illinois, as second-class matterCONTENTS.I. Congregation Week. I. The Twenty- firstMeeting of the University Congregation - 269-271II. Official Notices 271III. Calendar ...... 272CONGREGATION WEEK./. THE TWENTY-FIRST MEETING OF THE UNIVERSITYCONGREGATION.The autumn meeting of the University Congregation was held on Tuesday, October 2, 1900,at 4:00 p.m. There were thirty-four memberspresent, when the Chairman called the assemblyto order. In the absence of Chaplain HendersonDean Hulbert of the Divinity School offered theinvocation.Two new members were present to sign the rollof the Congregation, Doctors Mary Belle Harrisand Helen B. Thompson. The address of welcome to these members was given by Vice-PresidentCapps, who emphasized the fact that, while theCongregation was as yet in a formative condition,and its influence upon University affairs ratherindirect than immediate, it was nevertheless truethat the responsibility for the determination ofits ultimate place and its influence lay largelywith the alumni members, since out of the fourhundred members of the Congregation alreadymore than one half belong to the alumni. Two topics for discussion constituted the orderof business for the Congregation at this meeting.The first was as follows :That a limit should be put in the near future tothe development of the departmental library system.The briefs introducing the discussion of thistopic prepared by Mr. Burton and Mr. Judsonwere printed in the University Record of September 29.Among the members of the Congregation whospoke to the proposition were the following :Mr. W. R. Harper regarded this as one of themost important topics which had ever beenbrought before the Congregation. It was a fundamental educational question, not merely one ofadministration. On the settlement of this question depended also several practical issues; forexample :1. It is to be hoped that in the near future theUniversity is to have a General Library building.The University imperatively needs such a building. But should such a building be offered, whatis the conception which the University has formedof it ? What is to be its organization ? " Whatis the policy which shall control the details ofits construction ? The answer to these questionsinvolves the settlement of. this subject now beforethe Congregation.2. The same problem arises in relation to theconstruction of departmental buildings. Theclassical departments and the modern languagedepartments are looking forward to special build-270 UNIVERSITY RECORDings for their work. Shall there be provided inthese buildings space for great departmentallibraries ? The University as a whole mustdeclare itself upon the general question whichinvolves the answer to these particular problems.Mr. Hendrickson declared his preference for agreat general library and for the limitation ofdepartmental libraries. The combination of thetwo had been worked out at Harvard and at certain German universities with reasonable success.It would be a misfortune that the classical library,for example, should be cut off from other librariessuch as those of history and modern languages.A limited and carefully selected departmentallibrary containing the books suited to seminarcourses, etc., seemed to him more suitable than agreat departmental library containing all thebooks in any one subject.Mr. Judson suggested that it might be possibleto make the separate buildings which had beenadvocated the wings of a central library building, thus avoiding the segregation of books indifferent and distant parts of the Universitygrounds.Mr. Burton held that there were two separatequestions involved: 'i. As to whether it was wise to maintain a departmental library system as against a generallibrary system; and2. If the former is maintained, as to whetherdepartmental libraries should be maintained indepartmental buildings, or brought into closerelation in or about a single building.As to the first, he expressed his conviction thatthe departmental library system had proved itselfso helpful in the work of the University that therecould hardly be a question of abandoning it.As to the second, there might be difference ofopinion among different groups of departments.The science group would probably prefer to keepits libraries in close proximity to its laboratories.The historical group might prefer to be in closetouch* with the general library.Mr. W. R. Harper inquired whether it was tobe accepted as an axiom that a great generallibrary was better fitted for the needs of the University than a number of departmental libraries.Could not Junior College students be better servedby a separate library of such books as were suitablefor their work in a place set apart for them ?Might it not be possible thus to make separate collections according to the demands of thevarious classes of students ?Mr. Carpenter held that the problem wouldbe simplified and more easy of solution if distinction were made in the needs of the several classesof users of a university library. These classes arefirst the general reader and investigator from outside — best served by a central system. Secondly,students in more elementary courses (Junior College), who need easy personal access to a limitednumber of books carefully selected — servedequally well by a central or a departmental system.Thirdly, those pursuing advanced courses (SeniorCollege and Graduate) where reference is constantly made to a limited although large numberof books. For these a modification of the Harvardsystem of reserved books, preferably placed in adepartmental library, is best. Finally, a classwhose needs have hitherto been least recognizedbut which is quite as important as any of theothers, students and instructors pursuing specialinvestigations who need an unlimited or indefinitenumber of books. For their work access to theshelves of a large general library is absolutelyindispensable. The principles observed in thearrangement of the Columbia system seem bestadapted to meet the needs of all these classes.Remarks were also made by Messrs. Buck,Chandler, W. G. Hale, and Cutting.The following resolutions were offered by Mr.Burton :I. That it is the judgment of this body that thedepartmental library system should beretained.II. That a committee of three for each of theseveral groups of departments recognized bythe Board of Libraries, etc., of the Universitybe appointed, each committee to consider andto recommend respecting the group represented what is best for it and for the University in general.These resolutions were adopted.The second proposition was then taken up, viz.:That greater inducements to the cultivation ofscholarship among ' the undergraduates should beoffered by the University, e. g., by honors, prizes, etc.Committee, Messrs. Coulter and Shepardson.UNIVERSITY RECORD 271In the absence of the committee Mr. W. R.Harper called attention to the special significanceof this topic in view of the fact that certain prizesoffered to undergraduates had been created byfunds given for a limited period ; that that periodWas now drawing to an end, and the action ofthe University authorities in continuing theseprizes would depend largely upon the attitude ofthe University as expressed in the Congregationtoward the giving of prizes. He therefore suggested that more time should be taken for theconsideration of this question and its discussionthan remained in the present session of the Congregation, and moved that, when the Congregation adjourns, it adjourn to the last Friday inOctober for the consideration of this question andother unfinished business. The motion, prevailed.The Congregation reelected Mr. EdwardCapps as its Vice President for the ensuingquarter.Recommendation was made to the Board ofTrustees that President F. L. Patton, of PrincetonUniversity, be invited to deliver the Convocationoration at the December Convocation.The President appointed as a committee fornomination of officers for the ensuing quarterMessrs. Cutting, Mead, and Carpenter.After a motion of adjournment had been carried,the benediction was pronounced by the actingChaplain and the Congregation adjourned tomeet on Friday, October 26, at 4:00 p.m.At the Quarterly Dinner of the UniversityCongregation which was held at the QuadrangleClub on the evening of October 2, about fiftymembers were present. Toasts were respondedto by Professors James, Shorey, and Barker, and byPresident Harper. Professor James related someincidents in his recent residence abroad whichillustrated the attitude of Europeans toward the American people at the present time. ProfessorShorey discussed the place of literature in university life, pointing his remarks by some appreciative references to Assistant Professor Herrick'slast novel. The topic taken by Professor Barkerwas the relation of universities to the scientificstudy of 'medicine. Following the establishedcustom on these occasions the President of theUniversity brought the evening to a close by aconfidential talk upon several topics, dwellingparticularly upon the plans now under consideration for the appropriate celebration next year ofthe first decennium of the University's history.OFFICIAL NOTICES.Notice is hereby given that an adjournedmeeting of the University Congregation of theUniversity of Chicago will be held on Friday,October 26, 1900, at 4:00 p.m., in the Congregation Hall, Haskell Oriental Museum. The members of the Congregation will assemble in HaskellOriental Museum, second floor, at 3:45 p.m., forthe procession to the Congregation Hall.The Congregation will consider :I. The following pending business :a) Report of a committee on "practice" courses (Mr.Tufts, chairman).b) Report of a committee on doctor theses (Mr. Cutting,chairman).c) Report of committees on departmental libraries (appointed at meeting of October 2).d) The following proposition postponed from the meeting of October 2 : That greater inducements to the cultivation of scholarship among the undergraduates shouldbe offered by the University, e. g., by honors, prizes, etc.Committee, Messrs. Coulter and Shepardson.2. Such other business as may properly come before themeeting.By vote of the University Congregation.George S. Goodspeed,University Recorder.272 UNIVERSITY RECORDTHE CALENDAR.OCTOBER 12-20. 1900.Friday, October 12.Chapel- Assembly : The Divinity School. Chapel,Cobb Lecture Hall, 10:30 a.m.Mathematical Club meets in Room 35, RyersonPhysical Laboratory, at 4: 00 p.m.Professor Moore reads on " The necessary and sufficient condition for the interchange of order in adouble limit."Notes : " On an alleged proof of Fermat's theoremconcerning the equation xn-\-yn =^n," by AssistantProfessor Young ; "Theorems of Cantor's theory ofsets of points," by Mr. A. R. Schweitzer.Saturday, October 13.Meetings of University Ruling Bodies, HaskellOriental Museum :The Faculty of the Junior Colleges, 8: 30 a.m.The Faculty of the Senior Colleges, 10:00A.M.The University Council, 11:30 a.m.Sunday, October 14.settlement sunda y.The Settlement Vesper Service is held in KentTheater at 4:00 p.m.Mr. Hart, General Superintendent of the Children'sHome and Aid Society, speaks on the work of hisSociety. A choir of children from the Settlementsings.Monday, October 15.Chapel- Assembly: The Junior Colleges. Chapel,Cobb Lecture Hall, 10:30 a.m. (required ofJunior College students.)Professor Mathews speaks on "Harnack."Philological Society meets in Faculty Room,Haskell Oriental Museum, at 8:00 p.m.Professor Hendrickson reads on " Satira tota nostraest.'"Professor Hale reads on "History of the Genitivewith words of Sense, Thought, and Feeling in Greekand Latin." Tuesday, October 16.Chapel-Assembly : The Senior Colleges. Chapel,Cobb Lecture Hall, 10: 30 a.m. (required ofSenior College students).Botanical Club meets in Room 23, BotanicalLaboratory, at 5:00 p.m.Professor Coulter reads on " Recent Studies on FossilPlants."Wednesday, October 17.Division Meetings are held as follows :The Upper Seniors (Divisions I, II, III) meet with DeanJudson in Haskell Assembly Room at 10:30 a.m.The Lower Seniors (Divisions IV, V, VI) meet with Professor Small in the Lecture Room, Cobb Hall, at10:30 a.m.The Upper Juniors (Divisions I, II, III) meet with DeanTalbot in the Chapel, Cobb Hall, at 10:30 A.M.The Lower Juniors (IV, V, VI) meet with PresidentHarper in Kent Theater at 10:30 a.m.Zoological Club meets in Room 24, ZoologicalLaboratory, at 4:00 p.m.Paper by Miss Mary Hefferan, "Variation in theTeeth of Nereis."Thursday, October 18.Chapel-Assembly: The Graduate Schools. Chapel,Cobb Lecture Hall, 10:30 a.m.Friday, October 19.Chapel- Assembly : The Divinity School. Chapel,Cobb Lecture Hall, 10:30 a.m.Saturday, October 20.Meetings of University Ruling Bodies, HaskellOriental Museum :The Administrative Board of the UniversityPress, 8: 30 a.m.The Administrative Board of Student Organizations, Publications, and Exhibitions, 10: 00 A.M.The Faculty of the Divinity School, 1 1 : 30 a.m.Material for the CALENDAR must be sent to the Office of Information by THURSDAY, 8:30 A.M., in order to be published inthe issue of the same week.