New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-09-26
FREEDOM OF THOUGHT IN COLLEGES.

FREEDOM OF THOUGHT IN COLLEGES.
Though at Brown University itself the frc-
ton incident upon the recent submission ana
withdrawal by DR.. E. Benjamin Andrews OF his
resignation from the presidency OF that institu-
ton has now, happily, been smoothed away.
echoes of the agitation aroused by the dis
culinary action Of the University Board OF
Trustees continue to make themselves heard in
the world Of collegiate and educational opinion
President Schurman Of Cornell Is the latest
leader In the field Of higher education to dis
cuss IN an official utterance the delicate ques-
tlons raised by the effort OF the Brown corpora
ton 10 define its implied relations Of super
vision and censorship toward the teaching body
-ouestions which involve the vital and per-
n,eyjnp issue of how far the teachers freedom
of thought and speech should go, and az what
point his responsibility to the institution which
necessarily stands sponsor for his doctrines
should begin. DR.. Schurman seems disposed TO
assert an extreme view Of the instructors reia-
tions with the foundation IN whose scheme OF
teaching he plays an inseparable and integral
mart For he contends in the recent inaugural
address with which he opened the University
wear AT Cornell. that the freedom Of the teacher,
both In speech and opinion, should be limited
nv no other consideration than his sincere de-
sire to spread what he regards as the truth.
Cornell President Schurman IS reported as
saving recognizes that the majority may be
"wrong and that the minority may be right.
.srherefore absolute freedom Is the soul OF the
constitution. We believe here that one man with
Gods truth Is a majority, and every teacher
"is expected 10 do what Socrates did, although
she outraged the Athenians and suffered mar
"tvrdom for ito communicate TO others his
"own belief and convictions. or else answer to
"a charge of sacrlege. l believe the Institution
'should cease TO exist thousand times sooner
"than that a single professor should be coerced.
"A member OF the instructing staff must be free
"to present all phases OF questions, to speak on
both sides, and a teacher who does otherwise
violates his high mission and misses the SUI
.prcme function Of his vocation
Freedom of thought is, Of course indlspen-
sable. IL any genuine or lasting progress is to
no made In the world of science or intellect. Yet
the right 10 maintain and express opinions and
the right to promulgate them under the seal and
with the implied sanction Of an Institution Of
LEARNING. 10 whose interests and welfare they
are deemed by its corporate guardians utterly
repugnant. are far from Identical; and in his
zeal to emphasize the desirabillty Of scholastic
freedom DR.. Schurman undoubtedly minimizes
the obligations laid upon the teacher who &C.
cepts an auxiliary role in any universlty's col
lective scheme Of education.
That the ideal of scholastic independence set
by President Schurman s, however, being more
and mere accepted in American institutions OF
learning may be freely admitted Our colleges
and universities are beginning to realize that
heresles Of opinion are never less dangerous
than when they are permitted to run an I'M
moiested course. and that Intolerance is. on the
whole. more serious menace to educational
progress than mere error possibly can be. The
incident Just closed at Providence. II IL demon
strated nothing else has proved conclusively
that educated sentiment looks askance at any
unnecessary interference with that freedom or