Evening star., 1896-03-10
tone up the work Of the so-called higher in

stitutions
Experience shows that when college
work has been elevated and strengthened,
institutions of secondary grade always feel
the impulse and follow the example. AS a
matter of necessity, intermediate and pri-
mary grades follow. The thing, theref ore.
which promises most for oul educational
work is new, or. at least, stronger impulse
working from above. The growing dem and
for university work, strictly SO regarded,
is demand containing the highest posi-
BILE promise. 1t takes time &C develop the
machinery of an educational syste en-, and
the last equipment to be put in naturally is
that concerned with the highest grades of
work. In country as new as ours it is
not surprising that it is only within q COM
parativelE recent date that the demand has
become marked for strict university work.
One of the best evidences of social develop
ment lies in the fact that this demand has
arisen.
THE universities of the best grade many
of them long il operation, many of the pro-
duct of the last decade, are rising grandly
to this demand. More Institutions yet of
this grade are needed. More yet is needed,
tco, in the way of discrimination between
college work and university work proper.
This need is likely to be more and more
met by the equipment of institutions which
deal only with work beyond the college
grade. Practically, it will be new de-
parture to have institutions which base
tfelr work upon the pre-suppostion of an
Undergraduate course, leaving to other in
sltuttons all the work which now is asso-
Grated with the college curriculum and TAX
ing their product for strictly advanced
study.
The advantage of such institutions To
the whole field of education will be at once
apparent The work of all institutions con-
tri5uting to the student body of such a uni
versity will be braced and strengthened
every way, and what will be possibly of
even greater Importance is the feeling of
unity which in time will grow I'D in the
institutions contributing to a common Gen.
ter. What has been said is true concerning
education regarded merely from a secular
point OF view. 1t is possibly even more
true when applied to education furnished
under religious auspices. Criticse as we
may the idea Of a Christian education in
the higher branches, the fact remains that
vastly the larger number of students in our
country are in institutions which empha-
size the religious idea.
ut is, l suppose, clearly understood that
this is to be a university under the auspices
and control of the Methodist denomina ton.
1t is not by chance that the different de-
nominations have made provision for INTEL
.ectual development. The principle has
'een too largely acted upon, whether or no;
is clearly confessed, to leave any room
or doubt that a great part of the educa-
onal machinery of our country is to be
perated by men vino have a distinctly re.
iigious purpose in their minds. Without
trenchlng, therefore, upon grounds Sec
tartan or in any way narrow, We may re-
fer to the noble work which this institution
is destined to perform for the great de.
nomination which stands back of it,
That denomination already operates
many and honorable schools. The number
of such schools will constantly increase
The burdens of many of them will he
liGhtened by the development of this in.
stitution for the performance of the work
of highest education. Many which are now
attempting in more or less successful fash
ion to do this highest work will presently
be relieved OF the stress and strain incident
to work which lies beyond the limits which,
they are best fitted to prosecute, and all
will be drawn together by the thought of
this great central institution, toward which
1t is inevitable much of the best product OF
schools Of lower grade shall turn for the
ton has planned wisely. Its educational
equipment becomes more centralized and
| unified. And out of it will come tremend-
Gus influence for the forwarding of the
strictly religious work, in which already
the denomination has done so much.''
DIR. Wiitman'S speech was followed by a
few words from Mr.. Gurney, in which he
referred to the pleasant relations existing
between Canada and the United States
and especially of the interest which the
Methcdists on the other side of the border
are taking in this new institution of learn
ing.
A long-handled spade was then called into
requisition, and each of the speakers, the
officers and trustees Of the university, and
representatives of different church soci-
eties, took up spadeful of earth, and the
beginning Of the new university was made
The doxology was then sung. and the bene-
dIction was pronounced by Rev. DR.. l.. B.