The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-10-29

binary human pursuits and human in
terests."
To very considerable extent this re-
proach, if it is a reproach, is likewise
American. The opportunities, the hon
ors, the pleasures and the rewards of a
liberal education We're opened during
the first half of this century to those
only who had been disciplined in the
ancient languages, and this discipline
was continued through the greater part
of the subsequent non-electiye curricu-
lum. To verify this remark 1t is only
necessary to examine the catalogues of
the leading colleges of this country dur
ing the first five decades of this CEN
tury or to read the defence of classical
studies annually printed by Yale col
lege for twenty-five years prior to 1854,
Spasmodic efforts were made for the
foundation of new courses, but virtual
ly West Point and Troy were the only
established places in this country for
good technical instruction so late as
1S47. Whitney was so conscious that
the men of letters, in the group to
which he belonged, deprecated the
aims and objects of scientific education
that he wrote pamphlet which silenc-
ed, if it did not remove, the prejudices
of all who read it. It's perusal at this
time is invigorating.
But for twenty years previous to 1877
force had been at work in a little
country town of Germany destined to
affect the education of Christendom;
and at the same time to enlarge the
boundaries of human knowledge, first
in chemistry and the allied branches,
then in every other one of the natural
sciences. The place was Giessen; the
inventor, Liebig; the method, labora-
tory for instruction and research. Or.
Welch has lately reviewed in an adj
dress at Philadelphia the results which
proceeded from this innovation of a
genius.
Another event contributed to the ex-
pansion of education. About the mid
die of the century the first worlds fair,
held in London, had revealed to Eng
disappearing people the increasing SUI
premacy of continental nations in those
branches of industry which depend up
on the applications of science. The
British were alarmed. The papers of
the day, and especially the London
Times were vigorous in calling for i'm
proved methods of public instruction.
and especially for the better guidance
of chemists, miners, engineers, geolo-
gists and manufacturers, for all who
aspired to be leaders in the technical
nursuits upon which the prosperity of
Cd III
in close connection though not in this
order, came the department of science
and art and the museums at South
Kensington, the great provincial col
leres of science, the Cavendish labora-
tory at Cambridge, the new museum
at oxford, and other noteworthy adj
yances. From that day to this scienti-
fic education in England has been maxi
ing progress although Germany and
France and other continental states
still hold their ascendency; for now, as
then, the laboratories of those countries
and the abundant encouragement given
to scientific research by their govern
ment excite the admiration of cur
mother country and ourselves.
Is it not apparent that in the middle
of this century responsibility for the
advancement and diffusion of knowl-
edge was wider and deeper than ever
before? Imbued by this spirit of the
times, Smithson made his famous be-
quest. soon to be followed by similar
and greater gifts from others, a splen-
did line of endowments, which has
spread with advancing civilization from
Massachusetts Bay to the land of the
Golden Gate.
Geographical discoveries, previously
confined to islands and coasts, or to
narrow lines in desert or barbarous
countries, now began to assume CONT
mental magnitude. Earth, air and sea,
and even celestial space, were called
upon to reveal their secrets. The i'm
portance of accurate measurements
having now been completely establish
ed. instruments of precision became
more perfect, complex and varied, pro-
duced by noble army of inventors who
never dishonored the drafts which were
made by science on the bank of mech
anical ingenuity. Mathematics formed
a close alliance with construction and
invention. Astronomy, physics, mech
anics and engineering renewed their
the limitations of system. Publications
were multiplied; new associations were
formed, national and international
Specialization took the leadership and
before Humboldt died the era of gen.
eral scholarship was past, the new era
was fairly under way.
In all this progress the dominant note
has been the advancement of science
and not the accumulation of wealth;
truth and not personal gain. Why did
Darwin and Dana engage in Intellectual
toll in the intervals of physical disabil-
ity? Why did Faraday abandon COM
mercial work. at the moment when it
promised great returns? Why had
Agassiz mo time for money making?"
Certainly not because they dispised the
ease of life, but because personal gain
was nothing compared with the study
of nature and the advancement of