Evening star., 1897-01-02
A NATIONS SCHOOL
Need Of the Republic for a Great
University.
II WOULD ADVANCE DEMOCRACY
Dad C4e~< loxlaa G..oe Lie Nio,A.c
David Starr Jordan Gives His Views
in the Forum.
LOCATED AT WASHINGTON

The urgent NeeQ OF a NatOnal tnlNeT-
sty'' is the title of an effective article 10y
David Starr Jordan in thesForum for Janu-
ary. Mr.. Jordan shows the splendid re-
suits that might be realized from the
establishment of great university at the
capital He regards such an institution of
learning as a national and not local
need of the District of Columbia, and be-
lieves its influence would become world
wide in the advancement of republican
principles. After introducing his subject
Mr.. Jordan says:
Need of a National University.
This century has seen some epoch
ing events in the history of cur republic.
The war of union, the abolition of slavery
one and the same in essence-mark the
same movement of the republic from me-
diaevalism to civilization. But the great
deed of the century still remains undone.
Ever since the time of Washington our
law-givers have contemplated building
university al the nations capital. fhey
have planned a university that shall be
national and American, as the uniTersi-
ties of Berlin and Leipzig are national and
German: a university that shall be the
elimination of our public school system,
and that by it's vivifying influence shall
quicken the pulse of every part of that
system. For more than a century, wise
men have kept this project in mind. For
more than a century, wise men have seen
the pressing need of its accomplishment.
For more than a century however, the
eXigencies of politics or the indifference
of political managers have caused post
ponenent of its final consideration
Basal Material Already Gathered.
Meanwhile about the national capital, by
the very necessities of the case, the basal
material of a great university has been al
ready gathered! The National Museum and
the Army Medical Museum far exceed all
other similar collections in America in the
amount and value of the material gathered
for investigation. The Library of Congress
is our greatest public library; and. in the
nature of things. it will always remain SO.
The geological survey, the coast and geo.
detic survey, and the biological divisions of
the Department of Agriculture are con-
stantly engaged in investigations of the
highest order. conducted by men of uni
versty training, and possible to no other
men. The United States fish commission
is the source of a vast part of our knowl-
edge of the sea and sea life Besides these
there are many other bureaus and divisions
in which scientific inquiry constitutes the
daily routine. The work of these depart
ments should be made useful. not only in
its conclusions, but in its methods. A uni
versity consists of investigators teaching.
All that the national capital needs to make
a great university Of it Is that body of
real scholars should De maintained to train
other men in the work now so worthily car
ried on. To do this would be to bring to
America. in large degree all that Ameri-
can scholars now seek in the University of
Berlin. Students will come wherever op-
portunities for investigation given. No
stand ards of work can be made too high;
for the severest standards attract rather
than repel men who are worth educatin
The Need of the Nation.
1t is not the needs of the District of CO.
lumbia. which are to be met by a univer-
sity of the United States. The local needs
are well supplied already. 1t is the need Of
the nation. and not of the nation alone
but of the world. A great university in
America would be school for the study of
civic freedom. A great university at the
capital of the republic would attract the
free-minded of all the earth. 1t would
draw men of all lands to the study of
democracy. 1t would tend to make the
workings of democracy worthy Of respect
full study. The new world has its lessons
as well as the old, and its material for
teaching these lessons should be made
equally adequate. Mold and ruin are not
necessary to a university: nor are tradi-
tions and precedents essential to its efec-
tiveness The greatest of Europes univer-
stiles is one of her very youngest. Much
of the greatness of the University of Berlin
Is due to her escape from the dead hands
of the past. 1t Is in this release that the
great promise Of the American University
lies Oxford and Cambridge are still choked
by the dust of their own traditions. Be-
cause this is so men have doubted whether
England has today any universities at all.
What 1t Should Be.
The National University should not be an
institution of general education, with its
rules and regulations, college classes, good
fellowship, and foot ball team. 1t should
be the place for the training Of investiga-
tors and Of men of action. 1t should admit
yho 10 no. or uvhn hao
not q definite purpose to accomplish. 1t
has no time or strength to spend in laying
the foundations for education. Its func
tion lies not in the conduct of examinations
or the granting of academic degrees 1t is
not essential that 1t should give profess
sional training Of any kind. though that
would be desirable. 1t should have the
same relation to Harvard and Columbia
and John Hopkins that Berlin University
now holds. 1t should fill. with noble
adequacy. the place which the graduate
TALLY occupy. In doing SO it would furnish
a stimulus which would strengthen all SIM
liar work throughout the land.
Graduate work has yet to be taken Sc
riously by American universities. Their
teachers have carried on original research,
IL at all, in hours stolen from their daily
tasks Of plodding and prodding. The
graduate student has been allowed to shift
for himself, and he has been encouraged
to select a university not for the training
It offers, but because Of some bonus in the
form of scholarships The free lunch"
inducement to investigation will never
build up a university. Feilowships can
never take the place Of men or books or
apparatus in developing the university
spirit Great libraries and adequate facil-
tiles for work are costly. and no American
institution has yet gathered together such
essentials for university work as already
exist at Warrington.
Some Of the half-hearted friends Of the
National University have been fearful lest |
partisan influence should control 1t. They
fear lest It should become q prey to the
evils which have diSRraced our civil service: