The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-09-05
The DUTY OF American Universities.

uon OF the nrst universities of medieval
Europe are subject full of practical instruc-
uon ior the men Of our day and country.
They we're the offspring of the people-of the
popular thirst for acquiring as well as for i'm
parting acknowledgement, ss is generally be-
iieved. the creations of the wealthy and the
great Princes, prelates, popes and rich men
did' indeed, much to aid the progress of these
institutions when already in the full tide Of
success and fame; but, as they sprang from
the bosom of the masses, 50 were they-ex-
cept in England and long after their birth
there-supported by the masses, and replen-
ished with masters and scholars from among
the sons of the people.
There is one feature, however, which deeply
distinguishes the first universities of Italy and
Southern France from those of Paris and the
great schools which were the early centres OF
civilization in Western and Northern Europe
In Italy the most ancient universities, like
those of Bologna and Salerno, were the crea-
ton OF lay enterprise; the Church only came
in to aid the builders after the goodly structure
had assumed its main features. The schools
OF Bologna were founded by the Italian youth,
who, like the Romans of good family in every
preceding generation, had made the study Of
law an essential part of education and the
school OF Salerno was at first, chiefly or ex-
clusively, q medical school. Not SO in the
West. The most ancient of them, the
great schools Of Ireland, like that
of Lismore, were monastic schools.
The schools formed in England, Gaul
and Germany on this model were all eccle-
sastical schools attached to cathedras and
monasteries. Thus, the University Of Paris
was at first an Episcopal school, where not
only candidates for the priesthood, but men,
destined for every profession, were taught all
that was known of the sciences and liberal
arts. So was it at Cambridge and Oxford
their beginnings were in schools attached to
the chief churches and the teachers were for
the most part clerics, priests or monks. This
is fact familiar to all acquainted with the
history of these early times.
There is another feature to which We solicit
attention in the early organization Of the
three most ancient universities, which served
as type for all the others. At Bologna and
dents, who were in quest of the best teachers
Of law and medicine. There was general Gull
ture in Italy, and it's sons were willing to pay
for the highest instruction. They united in
corporation or guild, which invited the best
professors in law and medicine. They found
them because they paid them we'll. But the
students composed the corporation, and when
T.. \ ~ r
added to that OF law in Bologna and that Of
medicine in Salerno, the corporation (ursiuer-
sitas) continued to be corporation Of STU
dents (universtas scholarium). This feature
became that OF the great university schools
which existed for time in Southern Gaul,
and which was in existence in Spain down
to our own days at Salamanca and else
where. They were universities or corporations
OF scholars, who elected their officers, chose
and paid their professors.
The teachers, men of letters, clerks, did then
and there what oil professions and trades
around them had done-they became corpo-
ration and allowed no one to open school in
the city who was not one of their associates
Thus the University of Paris was in the be-
ginning corporation Of teachers or profess
sors (uniuerstas magistrorum), and in the
main, so it continued till it was swept away
by the revolutionary legislation of 1890.
Certain it is that these three great centres
of medieval science, to which Europe and
the entire human race owe an everlasting debt
of gratitude, succeeded in securing one in
estinable benefit for which we, here in
America, are now contending They obtained
the most eminent skilled talent existing at the
time, and they rewarded and honored it to the
utmost. Tue pecuniary compensation for
cultivated genius rich as it was, was but
trifing compared with the honor, the worship,
almost the idolatry, paid to men Of transcen-
dent culture. No dignity in the Church was
too high for them, and the highest in tie
State was bestowed on them in preference TO
the claims Of birth and blood
Colleges ought TO be only parts of q uni
versity; but in the schools which call them
selves colleges and universities is there the
serious conscientious endeavor to secure for
every chair the most eminent talent? Is
there among us-among the educators Of our
yOutH, ciSESyAASA VI ZIG 0iSpCSlblOH
to have none but the most skilful for teachers !
of every class, from lowest grammar to !
philosophy, theology, civil and canon law,
medicine in all its vitality important ramif-
cations and science in its highest theories and
widest applications
Parents are foolish if they do not seek for
their sons the best masters wherever they can
be found, while cultivatng the hearts of their
dear ones by home influences. American
youths are foolish if they do not seek the high
est knowledge wherever it can be found.
united with the purest morality. And the
time is fast coming when both parents and
children will act on this principle. There