Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1885-07-05

The former do IL chiefly BY tutors and text
books; the latter BY protesfors and lectures.
The American university should take .
character Of its own, suited to the circum.
stances of its birth and its growth. The
scattered colleges would still have to do the
work of giving higher education to the young
men of America. But limited number II
universities, wellendowed and set up in
favorable localities, would indefinitely ex-
tend the range of American scholarship
and original investigation. 1t should be 80
arranged that student graduated at any
Of our scattered colleges should be able to
20 on to the universities to receive tLs
special instruction which he may wish.
The American
Universities need not be all Alike.
They might be all after one general mo-
del, but with diversity along with their
sameness, 'just as, If q number Of archsrs
had aimed successfully at mark upon
wall, and this markswere then to be removed,
We could, by an examination OF their ar
row.msrks, point out the probable position
of the spot aimed at with certainty OF
being nearer to it than any OF their spots.
(Ruskin.) Each might differ from the
other according to its position and the ends
il sets before and the wealth committed to it.
A university in quiet country place would
not wish to have law school or Q medical
school, as it has no law courts and no hos.
piiAl& Where lherssre no mines, we.pea3
not set up mining school. A city uniyef.
si.y would find q school Of agriculture to
be an inconvenience to it. For myself,
feel that it would be quite beyond me to set
up universities suited to every one locality.
But of this am sure that, if the friends OF
education and of Princeton College would
place at our disposal the sums they used to
give me, when we were putting the college
in order, could now establish an excellent
university at Princeton.
Ii am Of opinion that, in the university,
both the faculty and the board of
Trustees Should Retain Their Place
of trust. The discipline should continue,
with the faculty divided, when the college
is large, into sub faculties, to take charge OF
each class. The trustees should be the
bond of connection between the outside
world ard the teaching body, serving much
the same purposes as the Government does
to the State endowed universities OF Europe.
They should provide the funds, take the
general management, and act as a jury IN
all educational discussions
The public are demanding a reform on
another point, and that is in regard to the
Mode of ConferriDg Higher Degrees,
and especially honorary degrees. The
ems on which such degrees as Doctor Of
Philosophy, Doctor of Science, Doctor Of
Literature. and the ike should be granted,
might ne reviewed with profit, and with
public appreciation. The general senti
mept is ifat they should be given only
after cocrse Of study in special depart
ment has teen pursued, and an examina-
ton held upon it.
There is deep and growing dssatistac-
ton with the mode in which honorary de.
prees are conferred at commencements and
on other occasions. They are bestowed on
no principle that ! can discover. The end
intended by all academic titles is to call
forth, encourage, and reward scholarship:
They are prostituted when they are turned
to any other ends. 1t is alleged that they
are given at times, merely from personal
friendship. | believe that such cases are
not numerous in our higher colleges. The
avowed principle on which they are com
monty bestowed is to secure friends to the
college, in ministers OF religion in teachers,
in wealthy or influential men. But this end
is not ALWAYS secured The public are
shrewd enough to see through the whole
thing and despise the action and the actors.
Trustees should see the sHeer that gathers
on the face OF intelligent people when they
hear or read Of degree bestowed on some
person whc has done nothing TO deserve it.
A decent,
Respectable Minister gets n ID. d.,
and it is supposed that he is thereby pre-,
engaged to the college, TO which he will send
all the boys in his congregation. But he Is
surrounded by half dozen ministers who
feel that they are quite as good as he is, and,
having been overlooked, they are tempted to
send their boys elsewhere.
Surely way may be devised by which
these evils. about which the public ls now
sensitive, may be avoided, and honorary
degrees given only TO men who have pro-
NOTED scholarship or done some great work
fitted TO elevate mankind. The recon.
mendation for degrees should not be left
with q common board, which has no means
of making a scrutiny. 1t should pro-
ceed fsom a company Of select men who
nale careful inquiry as to the qnallhca'
ticns OF the persons nominated. 1t might
te left with ihe seLate or council, when
there is sucd body: when there is not, the
Bo5rd Of Trustees might appoint standing
committee, consisting OF its most scholarly
members, to sift all applications and report
o the board. AS to American colleges
scattering titles over the world, the practice
might low cease, and every man be lett to
seek the honor frcm his own country, where
they can best Judge of him. This would
certainly have one good effect; 1t would pre-
vent American degrees from becoming the
laughing stock Of Europe.