The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1883-02-25
A Very Suggestive Remark.

A Very Suggestive Remark.
In the course OF his speech ut tho Harvard
Clubs dinner at DELMoNICo's ON Wednesday
evening, President ELIOT made this very
significant and suggestive remark:
hut gentlemen there certain dangers about pecu
mary aid The nation is going into the business. see
o: pecunary aid to indg States Now have learned
from my slight experience in single place Of education
that II IL easy, by njudicous aid to pauperiIe
man. even though he he pretty fair the whole
BY all njudcious Of hem al mens you may
do fundamental injury to the character And believe
will turn out in this nation that the greatest discretion
u needed in the administration Of national and to educn
t0n within the States else harm will he than
good. We have before us example OF great and
noble profession which has been deeply injured by bcne
ncial endowncnts. mean tho clerical profession, y
profession in which there the greatest dearth Of
men, although ms profession has received more bene
ncia cndowmcnts than any other profession In this
country"
Those are the words Of man Of large ex-
pericncc in educational affairs. and Of great
practical wisdom regarding them. Nor has
there ever been q time when their truth
needed to be more enforced on the pubic
than the present Even the States Rights
South Is now clnmorinG for millions Of money
from the Treasury at Washington to pay for
the support of the common schools OF which
1t stands in need. At least, representatives
Of the Southern States are urging such an
appropriation, regardless OF political consis-
tency, and careless about tho vicious prcce-
dent the granting of it would establish.
For Congress to make an appropriation to
set up and run public schools in the Southern
States would not only violate sound political
principle. As President ELIOT suggests,
such reliance ON Washington would also be-
get spirit OF dependence against which
every proud people should array itself 1t
would b. better for the South to endure the
disadvantage Of illiteracy until 1t could it.
self Instruct its young, than to gain the in
struction Mt tho price Of Its self-rGliance.
Tho particular illustration President ELIOT
gives OF the Ill effects OF beneficial cndow-
mcnts is full Of significant warning. More
money has been obtained for tho education
OF Christian ministers in this country than
FOR any other sort OF professional training.
Tho clerical is the ono profession for which
young mon arc almost universally educated
without expense to themselves Tho students
arc usually beneilciarics. Not merely are
they given their instruction In the theological
seminarics and divinity schools without
charge, but they are Also in tho majority OF
cases probably, supported while they arc
there. either out Of cndowmcnts or by the
charity Of churches and individuals. Money
Is solicited for these institutions as II for
charity schools Tho theological student Is
very generally regarded as n paupcr.
II 1t were not that tho students are sup
ported, would these divinity schools need
more than very moderate cndowmcnts
They do not require n large and expensive
faculty. They have no need Of costly scion
tiilc apparatus. md tho comparatively small
number of their students makes great build
ings unnecessary But many OF tho young
men who attend thcm, all full grown, are
provided with quarters free, board free, and
nrc even clothed, 1t may be-. cithor ut the OK
pensc OF the institution or that OF charitable
people OF their religious faith. At least, 1t is
80 in large proportion of tho cases.
Is 1t at all surprising. then, that tho thco-
logical scmnarcs are Obliged So generally
to content themselves with poor material In
the way OF stuGents-poor material intel
l"ctually. and even morally? Nor Is
that oil. Tho law schools and tho en-
ginccring schools OF high reputation have
no trouble to ret students, though they
charge fees for tuition. They are crowded
with spirited young men, many OF whom will
subject themselves to great personal sacri-
fees to enjoy tho benefit of the instruction.
How Is II with the divinity schools? Their
comparatively paltry classes are only re-
cruitcd with the greatest effort. The young
men arc usually picked up among tho
churches after tho most dligcnt search
They are tempted to come in, urged, cXhort-
cd. drunmed up.
Aud. indeed. 1t Is creditablo to our youth