The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-08-03
Colleges and ooIIe9. gifts.

We see by a contemporary that two citizens
of New York are about to present to the
Theological Seminary of Princeton, N. j.,
building of brown stone, to cost one hundred
thousand dollars. This building is to be used
for reception rooms lecture halls and a
museum. The tendency of citizens of wealth
to endow our colleges and institutions of
learning deserves the highest commentator.
There is no better form in which rich men
can employ their money than in building col
leges or endowing those that we have. Edu-
cation is as much the first step toward civil
cation rs light was to creation. If we educate
the people we may be sure of good govern
ment and the highest and purest form OF
liberty. Our educational system in America
is, in some respects, further advanced than
that of any country in the world, and yet it
is not without crudities and impertections.
We too frequently note ambition on the part
of men who have gained money to build col
leges or public buildings az monuments to their
personal renown. No one will deny the graf
ifcation of such q feeling, and it is little
enough to give the name of the benefactor to
library or a museum or some public work of
utility or art. The Bodlean Library in Ok
ford one of the finest in the world, represents
the mInifcence Of that Sir Thomas Bodley,
son of the Sir Thomas Bodley who lived in
the time of Queen Elizabeth and died before
Shakespeare. Sir Thomas Bodley gave him
self immortal fame and at the same time con-
tributed to the usefulness of the great Uni
ofO vfov Wbat in,
is not the establishment of new colleges, but
the strengthening of the old ones. There
should be series of great universities, and the
fewer the better, One strong college largely
endowed, with an abundant library and able
to secure the aii of staff of learned profess
sors, is of more value to the Union than
dozen small struggling colleges, without
books, without tutors, without the faculty to
teach more than the ordinary rudiments of
education.
1t would be much better for the educational
standard of America if we had five colleges
instead of fifty. The policy of Massachusetts
has been to centre upon Harvard, and Har-
ward probably comes nearer to the height of
q comprehensive university than any that we
have Yale has vigor and progress, and its
proximity to New York gives it a strength
which Harvard does not possess. These two
colleges are rivals in the estimation of our
people, as Oxford and Cambridge are in that
of the English; but they in some respects be-
long merely.t to New England, and have never
attained the national influence that should
surround the university. We have often
thought that Princeton might become more
thoroughly national than any Of our colleges.
Princeton is centrally situated, and within
short ride of our three largest cities-New
York, Brooklyn and Philadelphia-in fine
country and actuated by progressive cath
Ole spirit. The tendency to make Princeton
simply school of Presbyterian learning
would be mistake. Young men do not go
to college to learn about Calvin or Luther or
George Fox or Ignatius Loyola, but to learn
science, history and philosophy The great
university should make religion n sec
ondary matter. 1t should simply require
that its pupils should be gentlemen and should
study. What they do with their consciences
is not for the faculty to decide. The policy
of the Catholic Church, policy which pro-
hbits education outside of its own juris-
dction, is mistake which we should dis
like to see initiated by any of our Protes-
tant bodies. The Catholics went so far as
to prohibit a teacher as venerable and
illustrious as DR.. Newman from opening
college in Oxford. They would not allow
their young men to live within range of
one of the greatest universities of the
world.
The question whether universities will
succeed better in cities or in the country
towns is also worth considering. Harvard
is practically within Boston, while Yale is
part of New Haven We have our Column
bia College, and Philadelphia has its Uni
versity, but it has sometimes been thought
that the temptations of a great city are
apt to deaden the interest of young men in
their studies, and we suppose that experience
will show that the most successful univer-
sites are those which, like Oxford and
Cambridge, grow up in small town and
are near enough to the metropolis for useful
purposes and far enough away to avoid its
temptations. We trust that if worthy citi-
zens conclude to follow the example of the
Messrs. Stuart, who propose to build this
theological hall in Princeton, they will give
their money like them, not to found in
dependent Struggling colleges in the wilder
ness, but to strengthen those that we have.
Senator sherman for a sound Currency.
The speech of Senator Sherman, from
which we print elsewhere some important ex-
tracts, will put Senator Thurman to shame.
Mr.. Thurman remarked on Saturday that
there was difference of opinion in both
parties on the currency question, and hence he
conteMted himself with declaration that he
is personally for sound currency, and speaks
for the sound currency democrats But his
colleooue gnna4or Sherman fakae holder o,d