The New System of Studies for Freshmen.

Today the elective system of study which has been gradually developing at Harvard, during the past forty years, and especially since 1867, takes another great step forward. The incoming Freshmen Class is privileged beyond any class which has preceded it. For them the scheme of studies for freshman year, hitherto entirely compulsory, has been made mostly optional, the amount only being fixed; and Harvard becomes even nearer than before a real university. The plan which is subject to some slight changes as necessity and experience determine is here described in full.

First of all there still remain seven hours each week, of prescribed work. Every man will be required to take either freshman German or French, as heretofore. Rhetoric and English composition has been made a freshman, instead of a sophomore study, and the class will meet for instruction three hours weekly. The other regular work is a course of lectures, one each week, in Physics, during the first half year, and Chemistry during the second half. The following elective courses are to open to the freshmen. Latin, A, B, C, and D, corresponding to the old prescribed work for first year men. In Greek, five courses, A, B, C, D, and E, likewise made up from the old freshman Greek, with some slight additions. In German, to men who have passed an entrance examination in that subject, the regular courses, 1 and 2, are open. In French, to men similarly placed, French, 1, 2, 8 and 9. The introductory courses, History, 1 and 2, under Prof. Macvane are, also open. In mathematics, the old freshman work with slight additions has been arranged in six courses, A, B and C, full courses, and D, E, and F, half courses, and may be elected by freshmen. The former physics for freshman year has been made into two full courses, A and B. In addition to all these, Chemistry, 1 and 2, and Natural History, 1, 2, 3 and 4, have been thrown open to freshmen. As the Greek and Latin courses named above, are all full courses, there is a grand total of twenty-four full and seven half courses, from which to select the equivalent of these full courses, the amount of elective work required. Besides the courses regularly open to them, freshmen who are particularly fitted, or who have anticipated some of the required work will be allowed a greater range in their choice of studies. The only restriction in the choice is that not more than two of the three shall be taken from one department. The college also maintains the right to withdraw any one of the courses, for which a sufficient number of competent students fail to sign before November 15. The rooms where the freshman courses will be held, and also a full list of the instructors will be placed on the bulletin boards in University this morning.