The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-05-19
A NEW ENGLISH UNIVERSITY.

in England is row seriously mOutcd, strong |
memorial tD that end having been laid before |
the rri,y Council. 1t Is proposed to confer
upon Ovens College. an institution OF high re-
pu.c in Lancashire. tho power Of granting de-
crecs and tho name OF tho University VI Man
chester. The discussion occnsioned by this
movement has drawn attention to some striking
shortcomings in the English educational sys-
ten.
The prestige OF two opulent and ancient
universities has had the effect OF yelling from
most Observers ono Of England's deficiencies.
namely. thcIgrave inadequacy of her facilities
for tho higher education. Relatively to her
population. she Is in this respect one Of the
most backward countries OF western Europe.
Germany, for instance has upward Of twenty
Universities. with an average Of nearly thou
sand students ut each. Switzerland has three
seats @! the higher culture. and Holland u like
number, although neither country contains
four millions of inhabitants. Belgium. too.
and even Scotland. with their comparatively
small populations. have as many scminaries of
learning Of the highest class England. This
state Of things is the more surprising because
The increase OF wealth among tho middle classes
Of the English nation places university cduca-
ton within the reach of far larger number OF
youths than is elsewhere the case. Neverthe-
less. there are at present from Berwick to
Iunu Emu. out TOUR lnstlutOnh hutHOflIou 10
grant degrees namely. Oxford. Cambridge.
London. and Durham. or these. the litter
counts for little being restricted in its opera
lions and ecclesiastical in character. while the
University OF London offers no tuitional appl-
nnces requires no collegiate training. but
merely undertakes TO test proficiency by exam
nations On the other hand the limited area
OF education covered by oxford and Cambridge
may be measured by the fact that the whole
number OF undergraduates In actual attendance
O, both places does not much exceed four thou
sand.
1t has been proposed to widen tho field Of nc
ton Of the older universities by the afliliation
OF other colleges In various pnrts Of England.
but 1t is doubtful whether such an arrangement
would meet the popular want- The truth Ia. that
Oxford and Cambridge are impregnaby and
VIGOROUSLY class institutions regarded by the
mass Of the people as the abode of the elect the
private preserve Of the well born and the anu
ent. Until recent years their capital aims were
the tuition Of the arlstocracy and the mainte-
nance of ecclesiastical monopoly. and their re-
sources were but very slightly detected from
these objects by the exercise of caprcious char
tiles. No doubt their exclusive temper
has to some extent. been broken down.
and two Parliamen,arylco commissioners are sitting
nj the present date. from whom 1t is reasonable
10 expect more substantial reforms. IL may be
that the clerical element will be still further cur
tailed. that the monastic spirit will be extin-
gushed. that part of the enormous revenues
will cease TO be premium upon opinion. and
be applied to the endowment OF research. But
experience has shown that these institutions
are awkward. IL not 'half-hearted. in adapting
themselves to the Intellectual wants OF the ma
ton. and Notwithstanding many changes in
their curriculum. they still persist In ignoring
whole provinces Of fruitful inquiry. This in
veteratc conservatism Of itself supplies an ar
gument for the foundation Of q new university
which should enter the field OF instruction with
new ideas. new methods. and an absolute free
dom from prejudice and routine.
One thing seems TO be regarded on all hands
as incontestable. that II any part otthe kingdom
deserves a university II Is the district OF which
Manchester is the centre-which contains three
millions Of inhabitants-whoso railway system
Is greater than that OF any other section. not
excluding London and whose consolidation OF
capital is said TO be unparalleled in the United
Kingdom. 1t might be undesirable IL II were
possible. for the youth OF this neighborhood to
frequent Oxford or Cambridge since the whole
tone OF those places tends to weaken the taste
for commercial pursuits. and to unfit young
men for what must be their walk in life
Manchester. moreover. in the midst of dense
population. is favorably placed for a school o
absence of a university is said to inhlct grea
injustice upon legal practitioners in Lanca
shire. These considerations are fortified by
the circumstance that not n shilling Of endow
ment Is demanded Of the State, that the Gov
eminent is simply asked to recognize an estab
lshed fact to confer the name Of UNIVERSITY
upon an institution which already seems
TO have proved its competence to dis
charge the functions. Owens College. indeed
which was opened less than thirty years ago. hai
now capital funds amounting to more than
million and half Of dollars. together with
large annual sum at its disposal for scholar
ships and prizes. Besides an ample librarl
and museums Of natural history and geology. /
has an admirable chemical laboratory. and
owing mainly TO the latter circumstance tn
Manchester Royal School OF Medicine was in
corporated with the college six years ago. No
less than forty-eight professors and lecturer
compose the teaching staff. and the totl
number OF students is 57S in addition 4
those lsome 900 who attend tho evening
classes. II Is worth noting that eight OF thu
German and all the Swiss universities had few
or students than Owens College in the las
academical session for which statistics are a
hand. At Aberdeen. too. the number of stu
dents in all departments during the session
1894 was but G03 while at St. Andrews the at
tendance was much smaller. Ii is remarked
also thar the number OF students frequentini
Owens steadily increases. and there is litt
doubt that should the college be raised 10 tn
rank Of II university large augmentation
would take place.
There is, OF course. opposition to this projec
on the part Of conservatives in Church AM
State, although the claims OF Owens College ar
treated with much respect. 1t is contended tina
the addition OF a university to the present mum
Der would tend to lower the standard Of dc
grees. and that Manchester might be Temples
70 fix its degree mark at point less difficult o
attainment than that Of It's rivals. No such re
suit, however. seems to have followed the estab
Ishment Of the University OF London. and Il
the present instance tho force OF the argu
ment is nullifed by a shrewd suggestion
oil tho memorialists. They propose tina
In tho scheme for the bcstowal OF degree
by the new university provision shall be mad
Tor the appointment Of examiners not profes
sors or lecturers Of Owens College. as gunran
Tee that the standard Of its examination sha
be maintained at due height. This stpulatio
QarFs fs1. -. ,l.,