The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-11-26
.CoNFERRING DOCTORS DEGREES.


C0NFERRING DOCTORS DEGREES.
Tie prodigality of parchment INDUCED in by
some OF our universities about the commence
ment season is truly wonderful Having it in
their power to make Doctors of an indefinite
numoe of mankind, they seem disposed to ex.
ercise their prerogative to the utmost Every
trustee, of course, has friend end this friend
he deems it a special duty to have dubbed a
ID. L. or LII. d., without inquiring overcare
fully into his qualifications for the title Brains
may be below par, education at discount !;
but it matters not. Like charity, the Doctors
diploma covers a multitude of SINS 1t makes
little difference what the DEFICIENCIES of the re-
cipient may be; the mystical letters, backed up
bya sheet OF vellum, fairly engrossed in Latin,
excuse them all. They are necessary to cap
the climax of scholastic dignity and ecclesiasti.
cal worth in the eyes of an ignoble crowd.
But we know that " familiarity begets con.
Tempt" and the lavish rate at which doctor.
ates have been conferred of late years is Ger.
tainly not calculated to enhance their value.
If this state of things continues the question
will soon be, not "Who is a Doctor? but
Who is not Doctor?" and the untitled
man will be the more remarkable an5 there
fore In measure the more honorable Of the
two. The fact is already beginning to be felt !;
50 much so, that some of our clergy have even
declined the proffered degree The market has
been glutted, and, as a necessary conseque
the demand has in a measure ceased.
Moreover, it is not alone the number ofthose
who have been made Doctors, but in many cases
their manifest unftness, that has brought the
degree into disrepute. 1t was recently stated
In the COngregationalist that letter had been
received from gentleman created Doctor of
Divinity this summer, which abounded in errors
OF spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Such
cases are not rare; and even when there is no
such gross ignorance of the rudimentary
branches, there is too often lack of that high
learning which distinguishes man above his
fellows. If the title of DocToR means anything,
1t means learned man, and should be bestowed
only where there is learning to Justify it.
1t behooves our Colleges and Universities to
see to this, and, in comforting their honors, use
more discrimination than they have done du-
ring the past three or four years. degree is
very properly bestowed upon such as are really
eminent for legal learning, scholarship, or the.
illogical acumen. 1t is token that the world
appreciates their labors, and respects assduity
and talent. But the moment that such honors
become Insignificant, by reason of their COM
monness, or, being conferred through personal
feelings, cease to be the rewards of specia
merit, they are mere nullity, and might better
be entirely abroga;ed.
1t Is the duty of every Trustee utterly to 10.
more friendship and favor in this matter, and TO
be governed exclusively by high and honorable
motives. No matter how popular a man may
be, no matter how prominent position he may
occupy, no matter how much he may have done
for this denomination or that institution, he
should not, for any such reasons, be dignifed
with an honorary degree. Proficiency in law,
theology, science, language, or general learning
should be sine qua non, a condition insisted
upon with no variabeness or shadow of turn.
ing
The ease with which our honorary degrees
are obtained, and the curious results to which
their promiscuous bestowal leads, brings to
our minds good story, which may be profitable
as well as entertaining.
Some years ago, the University of St. An
drews, one Of the most famous in Scotland, hav.
ing rather lean treasury, determined to re-
plenish 1t by a new branch Of commerce, aud
announced that it would sell its Doctors De-
grees at EGO apiece. Many took advan age of
this liberal offer; and among the rest, Ger.
tain minister, who thought his services would
be more acceptable to his flock, were he pos.
sessed OF handle to his name, put the required
sam in his purse, and went up to St. Andrews
A man servant accompanied him, and was
present when his master, having previously
footed the bill, was formally presented with the
official parchment
On his return home, the new Doctor sent for
his servant and addressed him as follows:
Moo, Sandy, yell eye be sure to ca me the
Doctor; and gin onybody spiers at ye about
me, yell be sure to say, The Doctors in his
study, or the Doctors engaged, or the Doctor
will see ye in crack, as the case may be-"
That a depends" replied Sandy, "on
whether ye ca me the Doctor, too" The rev.
erened Doctor stared. "Aye, its Just So" con.
tinued the other, " for when foond it cost sac
little, cen got diploma mysel. Sac yell
just be good enough to say, Doctor, put on
some Goals or, Doctor, bring me the whiskey.'
And gin onybody spiers at ye about me, yell
aye be sure to say, The Doctors in the pantry,
or the Doctors in the stable, or the Doctors
digging potatoes, as the case may be."-Amer-
scan Educator.
PAYING TOLL" The principal avenue of
our city," writes learned friend in Detroit,
" has toll-gate just by the Elmwood Cemetery
.oad. AS the cemetery had been laid out some
time previous to the construction of the plank
road, it was made one of the conditions of the
9ompany's charter, that all funeral professions
should 60 back and forth free. One day, as
Or. Price, celebrated physician, stopped to
pay his toll, he remarked to the gate-keeper-
Considering the benevolent character of
our profession, think you ought to let US pass
free of charge"
"No, no, Doctor" the keeper readily replied
" we couldn't afford that. You send too many
dead heads through here as it is"
The Doctor paid his toll, and never asked
any favor after that.
. DR.. LIVINGSTONE ON AFRICA.-The Africans
look upon US white people as only another tribe
OF men and when / attempt to tell what their
numbers may be, they put me the question
Are they as many as a cloud of locusts !"
If l say yes, they ask further, whether, if each
OF the white people were to take locust into
his hand, they would finish the whole cloud
o course l say l think they would.
Then they viii add
"Your Queen must be very rich, indeed, when
che has soanu noonla -