The morning call., 1892-03-25
HIGHER EDUCATION.
a Brilliant Address by Harvard's Presi
dent.


dent.
President Eliot of Harvard College read
an address to large and appreciative audi
ence in Irving Hall last night on higher ed
ucation and the sphere Of usefulness filled
by universities. He maintained with much
firmness that to the worlds great institu-
tlons of learning is due the worlds prog
ress. Ii is so now. and it has always been So
10 fulfill so great a mission universities
must be as nearly perfectly equipped as the
advantages of the time will permit. They
must have wise management and the most
LEANED instructors and be possessed OF all
kinds of works in every branch and depart
ment Of knowledge. Harvard spends from
$4,000 20 $50. 600 year for books and could
we'll spend more. The university must illus
trate all conditions; not Of one art or one
science. but Of all arts and sciences, and of
all generations. It's museum must teach the
abou1ding beauty and loyelineSs of creation
II the endowment system fails the uni
versity must fall back on Government aid
1t permanent institution and can not go
out of existence for lack OF support.
The university is the place Of research
for new and forgotten truth. By its re-
searches great inventions are made pos 81 Die
and the foundation of all inventions laid by
hard and persistent study Of obscure stu
dents.
The university develops peculiar and
interesting species Of human being. He
knows nothing Of the value of money, ex-
cept as it will aid in the success of bis
work. De dslikes 10 see his name in the
newspapers, but hopes IN 100 years to see il
II some respectable work OF learning. He
rarely possesses common-Sense, and the
market place and forum are deserts TO him.
Universities are not the exclusive resorts
of the rich, ~ many suppose. Harvard's
rolls contain the names OF a few rich mems
sons aud many very poor, but the great
majority are from the middle classes. OF
the latter. three-fourths are not the sons of
educated men. Society in the universities
is immensely democratic. and particularly
in American institutions of learning are the
social lines less conspicuous than in any
other sphere of American life.
Nearly all universities in Europe are
abandoning the restrictive limits of denOm-
national character, and the same is becom-
ing more so in America every year. Yale
was originally Congregational, but is now
free from sectarian control. They are com =
ing to believe that mans conduct does
not depend on his creed. 1t diminishes the
influence of any scholar il his education
is restricted by denOmnatiOnal lines. An
Episcopalian is less influenced in his own
denominationai life for having been mar
rowed in his education by his own creed.
All universities would be better if denomi-
national lines were wiped out.
The university always promotes pure
political lie, public spirit and patriotism.
The greatest statesmen, the greatest public
benefact0rs and the greatest patriots are uni
versty men and got their ideas there.
Universities are lasting institutions-the
| most lasting of any except highly organized
| churches. For proof of this trace back
ward for hundreds of years any of the old
| institutions. Yale and Harvard have seen
| their birihplaces change from English col
| onles to independent States They are
older than any court or governmental insti-
| tuition 10 Massachusetts, or Connecticut.
The enduring character of universities
shows the solidity OF the groundwork prin-
ciples on which they are built, and how
different they are from society. Society
teaches wealth, not health; the university
teaches health, not wealth. The luxurious
| of society cannot understand the queer
tastes of the scholar; and the scholar has
nothing in common with the luxury OF So
ciety.
A democratic country, of all others, should
appreciate the spirit of colleges, for there
is where democracy thriyes most. Dem0c-
racy suffers from the oppr ession of MAORI
ties and monopolies. a spirit that cannot
exist in colleges.