How Harvard Can Help Boston.

President Charles F. Thwing of Adelbert College, in an article in the Journal of Education for this week, discusses the advisability of Boston's making use of Harvard as a public university. A plan was proposed by which Boston should found a university to serve as a crown for her magnificent system of public schools. It was suggested to use some of the High School buildings, and with this saving it was thought that the current expenses could be reduced to $100,000. This was one plan. The other was to found scholarships to send men to other universities.

President Eliot has expressed himself in favor of the scholarship plan. Scholarships of $450, he said, would be sufficient for tuition, board, books and other necessary expenses. The saving in this scheme over that of founding an entirely new university would be enormous. It would cost the city of Boston about one-hundredth of what would have to be spent on a new foundation. President Eliot suggested that the scholarships be given to competent students, and that they be allowed to pursue their higher education in whatever university they pleased. If it was necessary to give local scholarships, let them extend to the limits of the state.

President Thwing's plan is practically the same as that of President Eliot, except that he confines the field of scholarships to Harvard and Boston University. He emphasizes the fact that the training obtainable at Harvard would be far better than that which the new university could give. The instructors, scientific apparatus, library - everything would be superior, and the nearness of Cambridge to Boston would make the plan comparatively simple.