New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-10-20
A NOBLE EDUCATOR

Professor LINCOLN who was buried in Provl-
dence yesterday after half century of active
service in Brown University received during his
closing years unique testimonial of the affection
and respect of his pupils A fund of 500, 900
was raised by the alumni Of the college, from
which he was to draw an annuity while he lived
and which was to be a standing memorial of
his work 1t was remarkable tribute paid to
one Of the really great educators of New-England
and attested the personal appreciation Of a large
body of students who had drawn inspiration from
his nobility Of character, his devotion TO good
letters and his thoroughness and enlightened
methods as teacher Many college professors
there are who do faithful work in their time, and
here and there will be one whose memory will
be perpetuated after death by the endowment
of new chair or the naming Of an additional
building on the campus; but it is almost an I'M
precedented thing for a body Of alumni repre-
senting the graduating classes Of fifty years to
unite with enthusiasm in providing the memorial
in the honored old age of the teacher.
The glory Of the medieval universities was
transitory their reputation and popularity depend
ing upon great teachers who rallied throngs Of
students around them. One man would make n
school Of learning famous, and while he lived
and taught the lecture halls would be crowded
with sympathetic youths touched by the fire of
his carnestness When he died the university
would languish and rival school with another
great teacher would draw upon its resources
Modern colleges are educational machines with
too many cOgs and wheels TO receive the impulse
Of single will One cannot now make
a university as in medieval times; but an edu-
Gator Of noble impulses and an Overmasterng
love of what is immortal in literature can still
be tremendous force in influencing the labors
of colleagues and in directing and quickening the
aspirations Of students. What Arnold was at
Rugby Lincoln was at Brown during his half
century of laborious service, Every associate
in adjoining class-rooms felt the stimulus Of his
enthusiasm for study, and was sobered by his
sense OF responsibility in training young men
for useful work in the world. Every student
breathed in his lecture-rOom higher atmosphere
than could be found anywhere else There was
no force in the old college Of Roger Williams's
State so ennobng and so invigorating as the
example and influence Of this warm hearted and
full-minded Latin professor
Educators as the world grows older seem 10
acquire technique and finish without gaining
creative or informing power There is perfcc-
tion of system and elaboration OF method, but
how rare it is TO find in school or In college
teachers of the type of Arnold and Lincoln en-
dowed with the incompatible gift of inspiring
enthusiasm for learning and good letters To
read HOrace's AIRS Poetica or Goethc'S Faust
under Lincoln was something more than to
master the grammatical difficulties of language.
IL in Byrons phrase to feel, not under
stand the lyric flow" 10 study not the mechanism
but the spirit Of literature, and TO be conscious