The morning times., 1896-01-04
DR.. GIlhAh's LECTURE
One Of the Venezuelan Com
mission Ta.ks on UnlVers ties.
DEVELOPMENT is TRACED
He Was Introduced TO the Audience
by Mr.. Hubbard, who Referred
to His Late Appoint ntment-Seventh
in the Course of Geographic So
cicty Talks-A Resume.

The seventh evening lecture. of the VIM
ter course given by The National Geo
graphic Society was delivered last even
ing in Mcizerott Hall by DIR. ID. C. Gilman.
president of Johns Hopkins University.
Added interest was given to the iectur re
| because OF the appointment Of Dr. Gilman
by President Cleveland as a member OF
The commission which will Investigate
the Venezuelan aounddry, dispute, arsi q
large audience was IN attendance.
DR.. Gilman was introduced by Mr.. Gard
uer G. Hubbard, the president OF the so-
cicty, who alluded to the honor recently
| conferred upon the speaker OF the even
ing, ard closed his remarks with q very
complimentary reference 10 the ability.
Knowledge, uprighiness aud integrity OF
DR.. GilmaD's character.
DR.. Gilman chose as his topic THE Geo
graphic Development of Universities" and,
going back 10 the earliest days of etiu-
cational institutions, he traced their growth
and developu,ent through the succeeding
centuries To the present time. The great
changes in educ;tt ional methods and the
marvellous advancement that has been
achieved in recent years was fully brought
out and comnncntcd upon by the speaker
in manner which showed that he had
ject.
HIS OPENING REMARKS.
DR.. Gilman began his remarks by saying
that il he understood Alright his invitation
TO appear before the society. he was not to
believer either an address or an essay, but
something between the two, and more in the
nature of lecture such as college pro-
fessor delivers before his pupils, and in this
manner lie would address them.
He first took up the meaning of the term
university. Hesaid that as it was en-
p Dyed today IL WAS practically new word
and had not the slightest connection with
the original. As used i'm the beginning it
signified corporation, the entirety, the
whole of no matter what, church, city or
gathering of literarymen and it was notuntil
the end Of the twelfth or beginning of the
thirteenth century the term began to assume
its present significance.
DR.. Gilman spoke of the ancient seats Of
learning, of Babylon, Theopolis on the
banks of the Nile, where many of the most
learned of the ancients received their first
taste OF knowledge and where 1t is said
Moses was educated. Passing on TO later
times he mentioned Rome which in turn
became a great literary center. In the
ninth century the Arabs were the most
cultured people and Bagdad was center
of learning.
In the eleventh. twelfth and thirteenth
centuries Cordova. Bologna and Paris came
to the front aud have since maintained
their supremacy. The University of BO-
logna was by common consent conceded
to be the great center of academic learn
Ing, and near the erd OF the twelfth CEN
tury the students organized a society and
called themselves a university, ard from
that time the present meaning of the word
was accepted.
THE EARLIEST HOME.
Italy was the earliest home of modern
science and Paris the second of the first
great universities.
About 1900 privileges were granted
which advance educational methods in a
great measure. Paris became the city of
teachers and the first post-gradu uate course
was established. Next in the line OF ctiu-
cational advancement Oxford is reached.
obscure. 1t was first composed OF u number
of small schools, and not until the year
1167 was 1t known as university.
Before the discovery OF America nine; cen
great universities he'd been founded in
Italy. thirteen in Spain a dozen in Germany
and in England, those which are best
known tcday had all found a foothold.
Coming down to the present century
Dr.. Gilman spoke of our own great uni
scrties and paid &C on.pliment 10 Thomas
Jefferson, WHO founded the University of
Virginia. He concluded his remarks by
saying that there were two ideas which
mast rot lie lost sight OF. The university
is a sciC oil of the highest rank where young
men are brogghti in aRdtaught. and thcspirit
of Investigation mast go hard in band
with education proper.