The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-11-15
NEW IDEAS ABROAD
The Learned Professions Are Not
Confined to Law and
Medicine.
Engineering and Agriculture Claim
Place-President Schur-
mans Views.

Boulder Col, Nov. 15.-This was the
last day of the quarto- centennial celebra-
ton Of the state university. Despite a
heavy snowstorm, a large audience at
tended the exercises this forenoon at the
Presbyterian church, the principal fea-
Jacob Gould Schurman of Cornell uni
versity; who spoke as follows:
AT first the tendency was to treat the
tfme-honored professions of medicine, law
and theology as the only liberal profess
sions. The newer American universities,
to which Colorado belongs, have protested
against this new era and unwarranted
conservatism. They have felt that the
great vocation Of the modern world
should be added to the enumeration of the
learned professions Of the middle ages.
The new professions Of engineering, ar
chitecture, veterinary medicine, agricul-
tural and others claim equal recognition
with law and medicine. Law and medi-
cine are good professions. But they are
no better, worthier or more honorable
than engineering or agriculture.
Culture, like virtue, like religion, is
its own end. We are so constituted that
we long to know, and the minds aspira-
ton after knowledge is an entitled to rec
ognition as the hearts aspirations after
goodness. A man may be honest because
it pays to be honest, but he is not an
honest man. A man may pursue liberal
studies for the sake of results to be ap-
piled to utilitarian objects, but such a
man will never be liberaly educated. The
poets will not breathe their secrets for
him. The thoughts of the philosophers
are voiceless to him. No object of beau
ty can be a JOY to him and no law of
nature can strike him with admira ton or
declare the glory of God.
1T is encouraging to note that where
students have an opportunity of present.
L. - 10
for admission to our universities. COM
paratively few Of them take advantage Of
the opportunity. This means that Latin
has intrinsic merit enough to hold it's
place in the schools. And 1 regard it as
a very significant phenomenon that dur
ing the last few years Latin should, both
relatively and absolutely, have made de-
cided gains in the high schools Of the
United States. AS to Greek, no man es-
teens it as a study more highly than I
do. It has been suggested that the A. B.
course should be reduced not only from
four years to three, but from four years
to two, SO that students of law and medi-
cine might at the end of their sophomore
year as A. BIS enter upon the study Of
law and medicine In professional schools
which close their doors to all but A. B. s.
And the deans Of professional schools have
suggested that it was possible for stu
dents in the academic departments of
their universities to cover the present
four-years' course in two years. Nothing
could be more fallacious. Liberal culture
cannot be forced. 1t is very strange that
educators themselves should be guilty Of
the capital crime of supposing that the
process Of education could be nastened
at railroad speed
. The celebration closed with an alumni
dinner at 1 o'clock. at which toasts and
responses were made by well known -du-
Gators and prominent citizens of Colorado.