Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-12-19
FOUNDING A NATIONAL UNIVER-
SITY.
What Three College Presidents of This
City Think of the Scheme.
(From the New York Tribune

L. 20 says, Will IolGIoUCo 10 naU1OQaI
education: Having already invited
your attention to the needs of the Dis
trict Of Columbia with respect to the
public school system, [ here aCd that
[ believe it desirable; not so much with
reference to the local wants of the Dis
trict, but to the great and lasting benefit
OF the entire country, that this system
should be crowned with university,
in all respects in keeping with the ma
tlonal capital, and thereby realize the
cherished hopes of Washington Oh the
subject The idea of a national
university is by no means a new one.
The subject has received careful atten-
ton IN years past from college pres
1dents and professors, but the message
OF President Hayes on the subject will
doubtless cause renewal of the dis
cussiOn.
President Alexander S. Webb, of the
College Of the City of New York, said
yesterday that he regarded the founding
of national university, in the common
acceptation Of the term, as impracti-
cable and really useless. There was,
IN fact, little demand in this country
for advanced educational advantages
other than the best colleges now fur
nished, and the limited demand which
did exist was supplied by the profess
sional schools and the postgraduate
courses which had been established by
several colleges. 1t was necessary for
most young men at about the age Of
~ to enter upon the practical work of
life. Their own needs and the views
and habits Of the communities in which
they live required it. In educational
matters, as in other affairs, the law of
supply and demand was in force When
there was a class of men who, at or
about the age of 20, desired to begin a
course Of stndy for which the ordinary
college curriculum has fitted them, and
which only a national university could
supply, then such an Institution might
be expected to come into existence.
eff, however" said President Webb,
"the message looks to the appointment
of a national faculty, with power to con-
fer degrees, that would be different
matter. Such faculty would not pre-
suppose a university course or univers-
ity buildings, and would not take it's
members from their present homes,
except for occasional meetings. Such
faculty, which men of learning
throughout the country would trust,
and for which the scholars Of Europe
would feel respect, might be empower
ed to confer advanced degrees, and such
degrees would be worth having Stu
dents might study courses prescribed
for them by such a faculty at their
homes. 1t was, perhaps, in this sense
that the president favored a national
university"
President Barnard, of Columbia col
lege, speaking upon the same subject,
said that he had never looked with
favor upon the establishment of ma
tional university 1t was a project in
which certain ambitious men were in
terested, and the matter had been often
discussed. Indeed, memorials had been
proposed and forwarded "Such me-
MORALS" dPresidentBarnard,' II have
always refused to sign. There are many
strong reasons to be urged against
national university, and very few in its
favor. | have no time to go into the
subject at any length, but if my opinion
is asked, | reply emphatically that l
am not in favor of national univers-
ity"
Chancellor Crosby, of the university
of the City Of New York. said that he
should regard a national university as
q national calamity. He remarked :
"All institutions for higher education
grow out of the religious sentiment of
the community That is the natural
channel through which all the old uni
versities Of Europe had their origin.
Only universities which have theology
can teach. philosophy. Their theology
nomination, Protestant, Catholic, or
Jewish, but it is the religious element
that gives life and point to all philo-
sophie teaching Now, no national in
stitution can have any distinctive
theology. 1t would be contrary to the
genius Of our republican institutions
A national university could, therefore,
only properly be an institution for the
sciences and for an atheistic theology,
which [ trust very few desire. Again,
the universities Of Europe had their
origin at time when the church wish
ed to break up family ties, and for this
purpose young men were put into clois
tiers far away from home. But we be-
lieve in the power of family influence
for public morality. Therefore we
should have our educational institutions
near our homes, and instead Of one ma
tional university we ought to have two
Or three universities in each state
We have undoubtedly too many col
leges-four hundred in all. The thing
is overdone, but we must not go to the
other extreme of concentration. / be-
ieye, furthermore, that there is no de-
mand for such an institution. The
wants of a higher education are already
met by established institutions. Then,
too, university cannot be made by act
of congress. 1t must come naturally
in the order of things. 1t must grow.
I think the scheme is q foolish one
A FEW days ago a teacher in one of
the primary schools, in school in a
city not far from Boston, was instructing
her lowest class in natural history.
Her subject was the cat and its habits,