The question of the paternal versus the nonpaternal theory of college government seems to be buzzing in the bonnets of a few of our elderly contemporaries. President Porter started the discussion by coming out emphatically in support of the former system in his recent report; then the Nation took him up in an editorial article expounding the two theories and explaining how the former or non-paternal theory is essentially the European idea, and the only reasonable system for a true university, and how the latter theory, represented by Yale, is the native American idea, and can reasonably be only applied to the preparatory school and the pseudo-college. Now for two weeks the correspondence columns of the Nation have been principally given over to supplements and rejoinders to this article by interested readers. Naturally the conclusive weight of argument has been with the advocates of the European or Harvard system, since every logical consideration is in its favor, and the forum of the Nation is rarely blessed by the stimulating presence of that class of gentlemen whose chief delight is in tearing to pieces anything that remotely hints of any imitation of European "effeteness." But a correspondent in the last Nation really states the essential points of the argument most clearly. The grounds of the discussion are simple enough, but are too often lost sight of by undiscriminating fathers in choosing between Yale and Harvard, and by thoughtless conservatives generally. This correspondent points out the well-enough recognized fact that the average age of entrance at Harvard now is about the same as that of graduation fifty years ago, and indeed of graduation now from some of the smaller colleges. This brings an entirely new factor into the question which did not exist then, but which now entirely changes its character. Then, of course, it was proper that a strict discipline and oversight of the students should be maintained by the college; now it is not to be asked for or desired. Furthermore, as to the elective system, "the choice of studies, as well as the abandonment of discipline, is the natural outgrowth of the raised standard of our better colleges, and it should go hand in hand with the upward extension of the college course." But, as this writer says, the great difficulty is to get parents and the heedless public to recognize the great difference between American universities like Harvard, Princeton, and Columbia, and colleges like most of our immature Western sisters; and because of this these institutions are continually retarded in their progress and growth.