The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-01-02
IN EDUCATIONAL CENTER.

AN EDUCA TIONAL CENTER.
The venerable historian, DIR. Won Dol
linger, OF Bavaria, at meeting OF the
Munich Academy OF Sciences, in celebra-
ton OF the birthday OF the Prince Regent,
delivered nm address on the part taken by
North America in literature, In the course
OF which he stated that the great him
drance to literary and scientific progress in
this country was the want OF n central
university and The sipshod character
OF our newspapers. Completing these
troubles there is tho negro and the
immigration questions. Yet, notwith-
standing these drawbacks, the veneer
able historian predicted tho supremacy
OF the Anglo- Saxon race through
out tho world, and that Germany
would have but small share in the intel
lectual world Of the future, which will be
dominated by the English-spcaISing race.
Accepting this prediction rs a New Years
gift, we cannot conceal from ourselves the
singular coincidence OF DR.. Dollinger's
stress on our want of q central university
and the complaint 10 the same effect made
by Prof. White so long President Of Cor
nell University, in apaper In the current
number OF The Forum, in which he crit.
ciscs the Trustees Of Columbia College,
New York, for their failure 10 appreciate
Their advantages OF location and their OPP
portunitics in endowment thus 10 realize for
tho great metropolis and for the United
States the results for science and literature
that have been achieved by tho great
universities OF Paris, Berlin and oxford
and Cambridge. lie praises the Johns
Hopkins University for its work, and r..
icrs In the same vein To that Of Cornell
aud the State University Of Michigan.
Harvard, Yale aud Princeton are, Of
course. mentioned in praiscworthy
way. Still, the need OF a great central
university nj Washington is confessed.
DIR. White did nolsay aword about the pro-
posed Catholic University ut that pointas in
any degree satisfying this want. II is to he
purely unconditional, aud is, therefore,
out OF the range aud reach of the scope Of
a great educational center In iull sympa-
thy with modern scientific methods, or
the liberalism that Is generally taboocd
by all religious bodies. great aud small.
Why Dr. White does not suggest the
concentration Of the Nations educational
interest TO make the Johns Hopkins
such a center is little singular.
lts foundation Ia absolutely free,
and It's management, so Far, has been
in the highest degree AMI satisfactorily
in accord with the broad liberalism Of iis
founder. II has already become n nucleus
Of scientific thought and investigation,
aud has done original work that has go
cured for Il the commentator aud M.
plauso OF European scientists and odu.
caiors. Besides, Il is within an hour Of
Washington, has an enviablc location in
one Of our great and growing cities, and
thus oilers every advantage that scholars
aud investigators are in need of lor the az
compishmcni Of their special purposes In
any line OF historic development or scicn-
iiGc investigation. Il would scem. there
loic. that It Is not new university that
We need ~ much ~ u concentration on
one or other Of those W. have to make the
desired center, at least for the East. As
to the West, the Soulh aud she Pacific.
ihcy will make their own educational CEN
! tors.