Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-03-27
THE ORIGIN OF UNIVERSITIES

A few weeks ago the HERALD con-
tanned an editorial on the subject of
universities, intended especially to show
how utterly unwarranted was the ran
dom assertion of certain scoflers here
who said that they "never knew a
uniy. rsity town that amounted to any
thing.r The article contained the
names of large numb Der Of the greatest
universities of the world many of
them located i'm the largest cities in the
world and was an undeniable refuta-
ton of the most unworthy "argu-
ment" Of the enemies to the great pro-
ject to establish a university here For
centuries universities have been among
the most powerful factors Of national
development in the old world. From
kings to peasants the people have COM
bined to make them towers of national
strength and powerful agencies i'm the
material welfare Of the communities in
which they are located. To their
mighty influence the wonderful pro-
gress Of the nineteenth century has
been largely due. Today the number
of educational institutions i'm the world
which are classed by competent au-
thority as universities is ll9, employ
ing 1862 teachers, and attended by
l5O054 students, an average Of 1851 to
each institution. In a recent number
,T L.. Of nfl
writer has an interesting article on the
origin Of European universities, in
which he says:
Two maidens, Valkyr sisters, lead the
world, the Idea and the Sword; and the
Sword has been able to accomplish
nothing durable without the Idea.
Now what is the tangible and perma-
nent organ of the Idea? 1t Is the chair
of the philosopher, the thinker, the
scholar. \ group Of scientific chairs
constitutes a university. This is why
universities, among all the people in
Europe, have played so grand role
for seven hundred years.
When England wished to insure her
domination in Normandy she founded
the University Of Caen ll436). When
Spain wished to consolidate the Neither
lands, she founded the University of
Douay ll572). When Germany made
the unlucky attempt to Germanize Al
sace-Lorraine, after 1870, she COM
menced by completely reconstructing
the University of Strasbourg.
But universities have also been
founded as a consequence of internal
dissentions. In England in 1923, when
the Wings wished to have center, a
focus, an organ for their opinions, they
thought of founding the University Of
London, which they hoped would take
precedence Of the University of Ok
ford, the centersof Toryism. In Belgi-
um, in 1884, when the great liberal
party wished to battle efiicaciously
against the preponderating Catholic in
fluence in the University of Louvain,
if not in those of Liege and Gand, it
founded the University of Brussels.
When Germany, after the battle of
Jena, wished to recover from her polit-
ical and military bruises, what did she
do? She commenced by founding the
University of Berlin llSlO) NJ Ernest
Lavisse has related, with touching sim
plicity, the history of its foundation.
He brings into strong relief the decis-
i've words Of the King of Prussia, Fred
erick William? " 1t is necessary that
the state supply by its intellectual
forces the phi steal powers which it has
lost" What did that mean, in effect,
if not "to increase by education the
power of resistance of the German
spirit, i'm the same measure that OPP
preston increased?n But it was, per-
haps, Schleiermacher who dared, most
concisely and firmly, to describe its
future.
When that scientific organization is
founded it will have no equal: thanks to
its interior force, IL will exercise its bcne-
fcent rule to the borders OF the Prussian
monarchy. Berlin will become the center
of the entire intellectual activity of
Northern and Protestant Germany and
a solid foundation will be prepared for
the accomplishment Of the mission as
signed to the Prussian government.
To raise the Kingdom of Prussia, and
elevate the German Empire--by the
creation of a SCHOOL, What an under.
taking, we think. Fate, however, has
not given the lie to the thoughtful and
bold philosopher, and Berlin has be-
come, to the letter, the scientific and
political metropolis of the German peo-
pie. | will here keep to the two series
Of examples. Whether it is a question