New-York tribune., 1902-06-15
VIEWS OF PROFESSOR E. E. SLOS-
son. OF THE UNIVERSITY
OF WYOMING
From The Independent.

From The independent
The history of oxford and Its present standing
do not point Il out to the ordinary mind as the
most promising place for the intellectual centre OF
the federation OF the world. The zeal and IN
genuity that the college authorities have shown
in the past in devisng rules and customs which
have hindered large part of their own country
men from enjoying to the full the advantages OF
Oxford have not encouraged Americans to believe
they would be tolerated there, much less welcomed
Indeed, OF all the great universities OF the World
Oxford has offered the fewest inducements ana the
most impedments e the foreign student Many
a Young American has tried to break into oxford.
found that the authorities knew nothing Of the
standing of the institution from which he came,
he would be obliged to conform TO petty regu-
lations such he had never found even In the
D bic school, and, above ali. that there was little
chance work in personal collaboration with great
investigators. A friend OF mine who was drawn
by the fame of Sylvester to Oxford found that there
lectures in advanced mathematics because
as he said the mathematical faculty had a cold
in his head: and after being snubbed for not wear
ing dress suit he went TO Germany, like the
rest of his countrymen.
It may be said that the average American is
prejudiced against oxford. and we must confess
there is truth in the charge. 1t is for him the
symbol OF what he most fears and hates from
political social and religious standpoint 1t repre-
sents TO him what his ancestors fought against
in 1776 and what he talks against every Fourth OF
July. It is the that slips easiest to his tongue
when he feels called upon (Which is frequently 10
decIaim against "clostered learning" ''monasuc
ideals" and caste education.
This prejudice IS doubtless largely due to ignor-
ence. But for his ignorance OF the advantages OF
Oxford the American student is not altogether to
blame. Whenever meet Mr. NJ 4. Oxon we bore
him with questions in the Yankee fashion, but
somehow he fails convey TO US the reasons FOR
MS evident belief that oxford is the greatest educa
tfonal institution in the world, or even to show
that it is an educational institution at all In our
sense of the words. We ask him what opportunities
there are for work. and he tells US how late yoI
can sleep in the morning. how exclusive It all Is
what privileges are granted the nobility and the
clergy and how much more brilliant the stage set
ting and the costuming than any historical drama
on the stage. We ask him to tell US OF the share
that Oxford has had in those marvellous discoV-
cries Of the last half century which have made for
us a new heaven and new earth, for we know
how an alumnus loves 10 boast Of these things But
he patiently explains that the aim of oxford Is
culture rather than mere research, and instead OF
making narrow specialists like those of German
universities. devoting lifetime TO the native case
Of the third declension or to some insignificant
plant, the oxford graduate is a man OF the world
a scholarly gentleman. 1t pleases US to hear him
say this. for ever since had been Obliged to
give up going to Leipsic We had peen lncniea 10 10
and misdrected. Therefore we hasten 10 inform
friends their return from GERMANY pom which
he expands somewhat and tells US that OXIord was
though dssenters were now crowding ill., they were
kept in their places He also relates most anus anus
from the gallery at the DISTINGUISHED men who
culture might conflict. We change the subject and
ask him about the laboratories and he grows & elo-
This sounds promising, but when we inquire
staf1ed siass there now he thinks not If we
question him further he gets as irritated as an
less esrni9g and concludes by the statement that
oxford is not an education but life" Possibly
might ask other questions after this, but l
The American thinks that the. educated man
by what he knows as by his freedom from preju-
dces and irrational conservatism. by his eagerness
customs The American thinks that university
Th9d % m BE than an 99 0 o en IN 1h Ra
van OF progress. has often been behind, and; like
dragged from point % point as the people ad-
yanced He admires oxford because 1t Is ancient
1t gives culture he knows. but he fears It is not
likes Ai55 Gothic windows but thinks that one Who
looks through them will not get wide view Of the
What are afraid Of is that the student in
causes" may acquire somewhat of insularity which
will be out Of place on our continent @ that he may
the common warmth of steam heated cars; that
b b sI on ep5 Wall ne arnnd po n crnEned @ %
be seen of passing neighbors in the good old Amer
our boys ,hr their a il college is the
counts when they see passing on every side op-
10 take it easier when they get out. Is there
not danger that ,r they may & lose something Of
ence of mossy ruins and grow etolated beneath
the shadow of English ivy? The American boy
believes in fair play He does not think it either
manly right to exclude any from
petition the ground of sex. He may perhaps
have been beaten in the classroom by girl school
and felt the hurt of il, but he did play
the baby act and refuse her the prize of victory.
Possibly II he becomes a senior wrangler he will
ton against the competition of the weaker sex.
But hope
At any rate. We are grateful 70 Cecil Rhodes for
an interesting experiment In education. and
shall watch with eagerneSs what of
public men our Oxfordized Americans turn out to
be. In the mean time would suggest that some
philanthropic Turk endow scholarships in the Uni
Versity OF Cairo, so that may send some
young men there to study the Koran and Moslern