The New York herald., 1876-09-13
Lecture on Education at the Inauguration
Of the Johns Hopkins University.
THE SCHOOL AND The UNIVERSITY.
Liberal and Medital EducatiOn-EncOurage.
ment Of Intelligent Research.
THE FUTURE OF AMERICA.


the invitation of the trustees OF tho Johns Hopkins
University to-day delivered address University
Education' at the University inaugural exercises,
which took place in the Academy OF Music Professor
Huxley declined to receive any remuneration Tor his
services on the ground that a pleasure TO him
10 contribute 10 the foundation of the University
Professor d. c. Gilman, President OF the University
welcomed and introduced Professor Huxley, not only
IS u man of science but AS a teacher, sayirg for
many years he had been Professor in the Royal
School OF Miners London and that he had recently
occupied a professors chair in the University of
Edinburgh.
Professor Huxley, upon being intro duced amid loud
applause from the large audience present. spoke S
iollows:-
GENTLEMEN BOARD TRUSTEES
JOINS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
The actual work of the university founded by Johns
Hopkins commences TO morrow and among the many
marks OF confidence and good VIII which have bacn
bestowed upon the United States there is mono
which value highly than that conferred by tho
authorities Of the university when they invited
mo to deliver address ouch OCCASION for tho
Svcnt whcA has brought US together is, in many re-
spects, unique. vast property is handed over to
administrative body hampercd by no conditions save
lhese-That the principal shall not be employed in
buildings; that the funds shall be appropriated in
equai proportions 10 the promotion Of natural know-
edge and to the alevation OF tho bodily suferings OF
mankind and, finally that neither political eccesi
Astica scciaranism shall be permit cd TO disturb the
impartial distribution OF the tes,aors bcnciacton In
my experience OF lie truth which sounds very much
like paradox, has often asserted itself, VIZ That
mans difficulty begins when he is able do
ho likes" solcng as man is struggling with obstacles
be has for failure shortcomings but when
fortune them all and gives him the power OF
ioing he thinks best, then tho time OF trial
There is but one right, and the possibilities OF wrong
are infinite doubt that the trustees of the Johns
Hopkins University felt the full force OF this truth
when they entered the administration Of thor trust
year and half ago; and can but admire the
tiviy and resolution which have enabled them, aiacd
by the able President whom they have selected to lay
lar into execution. have been endeavoring to see
how lar the principles which underlle the
plan accordance with those which have been
lablished my own mind by much and long continued
thought on educational questions Under ono aspect
university Is particular KIND OF educational institu
tion. and the views which we may take OF tho proper
nature OF university are coroliarios from those which
hold respecting education IN general l think
It must be admitted that the school should prepare
the university and that the university should crown
the edhce the foundations of which are laid In the
SCHOOL University education should not be some
thing distinct IRON elementary education, but should
be the natural outgrow'h and development of tho
latter. Elementary education should enable an
read and write his own language with
ease ana accuracy, and with oi literary
excellence derived from the study Of our classic writer's
to have general acquaintance with the history OF his
own country and with the great laws OF social
cnce; to have acquired The rudiments Of physical
science and lair knowledge OF elementary arithmetic
and geometry He should have obtaincd an acquaint.
hncc with logic, rather by example than by precep
shlc the requirement. OF the clements Of music and
drawing should have been pleasure rather than work
LIBERAL EDucArIoN.
II seems TO that such training as that to which
Ihave referred be termed liberal with perfect
ruracy in both the senses IN which the word rs en-
ployed. IL is liberal IN breadth. 1t extends over
the whole ground oi things TO be known and
OF faculties TO be trained, and 1t gives equal
importance TO the two great sides OF human activity
and In the second place Il IS liberal In
he sense OF being an education lifted Tor freencn Tor
hen to whom every career is open, ana from whom
their country may demand that they should be fitted
TO perform the duties OF any career; but 1t is OF vital
Importance welfare of community that those
who relieved from the neei OF making livelihood,
and still more, those who, stirred by tie divine I'M
pulse oi intellectual thirst artistic genius should bc
enabled devote themselves to the higher service Of
lncir KIND centres OF intelligence, interpreters OF
nature creators OF forms OF beauty and II is the
junction OF u university 10 furnish such men with
the means of becoming that which 1t IS their
duty and privilege to be For this end tho university
co:cr ground foreign TO that occupied by the
elementary school Indeed IL cannot; for the ele
all the Kinds OF real knowledge and mental activity
known to man The university can add no new de-
par,ments of knowledge. can offer no now fields OF
mental activity; what it can do is to intensity and
specialize tho instruction in each department.
MEDICAL EDUCATION.
After reference to the details OF the work Of
university the speaker discussed a, some length the
education OF medical students He said Ill Is clear
best operate with the medical school by making
due provision for the study OF those branches oi
kbowedgc which lie at the foundation OF medicine
Al present young men come to the medical schools
without a conception OF even tho elem physical
science learn Tor the FIST ...t there such
sciences physcs, cLc'iis an Iiysology aud arc
introduced To aLl,oiny Is ms thing. IL may be
iafcy said tina. for large proportion of medical stu
tents much OF the ..rst sess,a ID wasted IN learning
how to earnin iamiiiaizine themselves with utterly
urangc conceptions, and IN awakening thcir dormant
aud wholly unframed powers OF observation and or
manipulation. There is not the slightest reason why
ns should be and, in fact, when elementary edu-
eaton becomes that which have assumed II ought TO
be- this OF Things viii longer exist rejoice
70 observe that The encouragement OF research
occupies prominent place your Official documents
and Tho and liberal nau ura address OF your
Prcsdcat THIS subject oi the encouragement OF re-
search or as II IS sometimes called the endow ment OF
search has of late years greatly occupied the minds ot
men III England. Many seem 10 think That this ques-
on is manly OF money that you can go INTO tho
market and bay research and that thc supply Will FOL
low demand us IN the ordinary course OF commerce.
This view does not commend itself TO my mind l
the discovery of a method of encouraging
aud supporting original investigation without
opening the door TO ncpotism and Jobbcry. My own
convictions is admirably summed UP IN me passage OF
your Presidents address, that the best investigators
usually those who have also tho responsibilities Of
Instruction. gaming thus the Indictment OF colleagues
Tue encouragement OF pupils and the observation OF
Ihe charm which old mother country has tor them,
Of the delight with which tney wapd-r through the
streets Of ancient towns or climb on battements OF
medieval stronghods, tho names OF which arc inds-
Douby associated With the great epoch OF that noble
literature which Is our common inheritance
with tho blood-staned steps OF that
secular progress by which the descendant OF the
savage Brtons and the Wild pirates of the North Sea
have become converted into warriors of order and
champions OF peaceful freedom, exhausting what stiil
of tho old Berserk spirits IN subduing nature
and turning the wilderness INTO garden. But anuci
patton has less claim than retrospect; and TO
Engshman landing upon your shores iof ihe rst time
travelling Tor hundreds OF miles through strings Of
great ana well ordered clues, seeing your enormous
sctua and Almost infinite potential wealth. in all com
nodi,ies and the energy aud ability
winch turn wealth 10 account, there IS some
thing sublime in the vista OF tho future.
DO not suppose that | pandering ito what is
commonly Understood by national PRIDE cannot say
that | am in the slightest degree impressed by your
bgncss or your material resources AS such Size ID
not grandeur and territory does not make nation.
the IsspS
ABOUT which hangs a true submity and the terror OF
Sverhanrng tate IS. what are YOU gong TO do win all