Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-08-23

nence. In our case this method may be
adopted and entered ON at once The de.
velopment of it must of necessity be grad.
ual, as the public interests may demand an
\ enlargement, and as the means of effectinp
it are provided. For this kind of Univer
sity requires a large body of Professors.
Each science and each also of its more i'm
portant subdivisions, every department Of
literature and of art must have its separate
teacher. In the Universities on the CON
tinent of Europe the Professors and In
structors are counted by scores and fifties.
The cost, then, of keeping up the corps of
teachers will be very great; and so of the
Libraries and collections in Natural History
and the apparatus for the illustration Of
Physical Science. In all such things all our
Institutions are now seriously defective.
Taking our University as it stands, the
Board who have its interests in charge
might add, SO soon as proper selections can
be made, teachers enough to fill the most
necessary departments. Possibly the late
number, if filed up again, might answer
to start with; for these chairs do comprise,
in their proper sphere, those branches for
which the loudest demand is now made
This might answer if coupled with the
assurance that the system shall be as rapid
ly as possible extended and if, moreover
each department be made in good degree
independent. Something of this kind
would be effectual, probably, in restoring
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and help at an early day to fill its halls
with studious youth again. In this way it
would soon furnish, with such help as the
State should be proud to give, the means
of its own enlargement. The only difficult
ty seems to be at the outset; and this should
be esteemed slight one, if the Trustees
would only have a little faith in tho natur-
al operation of the necessities in the mat
ter of education, of our people. Let them
make such provision for these wants as is
implied in the two conditions that we have
named, and we have little doubt of their
success.
| There has been of late great outcry for
what is called {" the University system. -
| Of course, the most of those who have re-
peated that cry have only most vague
notion what the phrase means. So far as
[ can learn its import, it means little moro
than the carrying out in practice the two
conditions thathave been mentioned above.
In such cry there is O consciousness of q
general want, however uncertainty it may
be felt, and however inaccurately express
ed real want, however much of caprice
may be blended with it, and which must in
some way be satisfied. Our people. them
are evidently calling for an enlarged system
of instruction. They would have more
branches taught; not now, perhaps, many
more, but still more and withal the plan
so framed as to admit of further enlarge
ment, as our wants shall be multiplied,
and the range of scientific enquiry be OK
tended.
Since the opening of the present century
not few new sciences have sprung into
existence. Many departments of know
ledge, in which our fathers saw dimly and
walked haltingly, have given up their treas
ures to modern iDquirers, and we have
been made thereby masters in many new
ways of the world around us, while also the
conveniences and comforts Of our every
day life have been indefinitely enhanced.
One need only refer to Geology and Chem
istry and manifold branches of Natural
History. In all these constant progress too
is made, and the advance of scientific dis
covery seems to be but just begun. Chem
istry has been almost revolutionized in the
last decade. Physical Geography and Com
parative Philology are taking new positions
almost every year. Our learners wish to
keep abreast with this progress, and will
not be satisfied with any Institution, claim
ing to be University, which does not give
them ample assurance that this wish shall
be gratifed to the full. More has been
done, we believe, in this direction at our
University than it has had credit for. It's
managers have been by no means unmind
full of the movement around them. But
they seem not to have done enough. At
any rate, now is the time for change in that
regard, and we are persuaded that if they
will resolutely undertake this duty, and
make generous use of the means they
may be furnished with, and give fit evil
dence that they are in earnest to make the
University of North Carolina what it ought
to be, the people will respond with full
hearts to all their efforts, and sustain them
as they never have been sustained.
If the demand of the times is for more
practical education, that demand must be
met and answered-not to the neglect of
any interest of mental discipline and high
culture-but yet met and answered. No
doubt other means will be provided, also,
for satisfying this want. There will be
Polytechnic Schools, and Schools of Tech
nology, and Schools for special applications
of the Sciences and Arts, as they may be
needed. It is not expected that the Uni
versity shall do all this work. Yet it must
be the pioneer, and it must always be the
place to which the studious shall resort to
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