New-York tribune., 1906-04-09
SCIENCE In AMERICA
Educational Tendencies Discuss
by Ambassador Reid.

RsiOV- 80 t'iieu % EIi-fl,
From no other place IN Great Britain cant.
reception be more welcome 20 an Au1or,.,, -, -,
from Bristol This IL the constituency, ~.
Edmund Burke to the House OF Comnon1 !. -
friend % America. Centuries before thar h -.
this town Of Bristol then and FOR man, -
afterWard the second IN size IN all EnoIs-, -
the ship Of John Cabos found ana -
which went cut unde= the patent of Henri 49,
the discovery of unknown lands: and sf,.. =.
Ing possession or Cape Breton IL vas % tbf- -
Of Bristol that ship returned bearing vi,b \, -
Edmund Burke called the title 20 E,nef-s -
IN America. Let me recall Just one Other -
why the very name Bristol sounds sweet 4. -
iean ears In the winter of 1630 n C;Ovsrvo. ~
thTop and his coIonists were near starvati,, -
FebrusTy s. 1881, vas appointed dav ~ -
humiliation and prayer FOR reIies from th.,r -
/ distress On that very day ths good shin ~
William Pierce. master laden A. Bristol Win -
visions for the colony. entered Nantaslst -
and 80 this town turned the Nlassaehussttu 49,.
fasting into one of thanksgiving. pray van -
Lord Mayor. 20 believe that no good thinr csc -.
come TO Bristol that Will not make American. \.
joice
And nov, after my best thanks for you- o,,-
Gus welcome, let me come at once to what r.s..
stand to be the entsrpFising purpose undsrivfn-,r
smiling and seductive banquet. The most irlpsr,.
town IN the west OF England is Convinced = =
told. thst itB University College ought "a b -
20
indiscTetion. may mention its hope that the ~
dent OF the board OF education. himself 49,.
letters and wit as we'll as statesman is hen, !.
smile upon the plan.
Certainly your purpose seems to A diuiussr.-,,s
outsider altogether natural pralseworthv ana n,
too ambitious Ny information as TO the rf-r--
% your independent university colleges and o,t-
institutions % higher education is not ezsr,. -.
n am correctly informed. there are sixteen NJ
versitieS IN the whole Of Great Britain and Irsl-rr
/ for population OF 42.000tsn. Ar American cou--
up the 4S4 institutions OF higher education -
and less good, for the eighty and odd millions !,
/ people in the United States He counts Al ,,-
I sixteen universities I'm that young Land nor ~
worthy OF a list headed by Harvard. Yale Colr-
bia. Princeton and Cornell He adds the fvu.r
hvs or thirty other universities that thousa -.
/ tainly n9t ali deserving 70 rank IN this Hut an
still respectable IN endowment attendance tagln-s
tors and instruction. that compare not unfavoFb,
with young universities IN older lands and couu,i
tute steadily growing blessing 70 the new con.
nunities which they lead The American mind en-.
eludes from such survey that the demand nav fr
q university here seems quite in the natural sni
even necessary order Of developments arnsnE p-1.
pie 70 whom We trace our origin and with whom
We ara proud - claim knship.
But 7 suddenly reminded that this e pFa.
cisely the sort % subject Ambassador has 10
! business 70 meddle with Education Iz with ~ a
interest largely removed from politics and on the
( H. as
state supported. free and universal the whole cou-
try IL practically agreed One Who reads EnalIrf
newspapers or listens % public discussions son
learns that here Il wears a less peaceful 'front.'
seems, In fact At this moment threatening 10 b.
come almost as contentious subject your poH-
tics present. Far be IL from me to utter one sy-
liable on domestic English topic Of that kind,
bid adieu az the very outset 70 your Bristol sches
and call YOU al 10 bear witness that have eE-
pressed opinion whatever about tat least no
opinion worth mentioning,
But perhaps may venture 20 follow the kind in
tirnatiOn given By your authorities and say a
little 20 what has been our experiences in Amer
lea along such practical paths YOU think
Of treadiIg here. It may not seem 20 YOU that us
have gone further than YOU, or that our eTp0It
ence will prove useful for your conditions. but
least course has been somewhat different
When our educational system began to tsn
form there were but two universities IN England
the only two YOU ever had until 1852. For gsnsa,
tons We looked to them setting the high2
standard and giving the best result. whether
scholarship in culture and character. All aw
early institutions-Harvard Yale King COLES
Dartmouth. Williams Amherst, William and Mary
Princeton. and many anOtheT-foIloWed. as well a.
circumstances would permit. such course IN Latin
Greek. mathematics and philosophy AZ Oxford
and Cambridge would lead TO the degree OF bach
elOr of arts. but in time found that the a.
mands OF new people. and of a continent thar
had be subdued to the Of civilization. caicl
more and more for some higher education Of .
different kind
Thus. while your great schools stiI adhered
chiefly to the huuanitiss. ours began diversenca
which every year finds more decided toward scenfa
and it's applications The tendency was always
toward practical results. and they we're soHeuna
striking. For example. a single institution, thu
small. and known then as the University OF the gig
OF New-York. had the honor 70 introduce TO tas
world through two Of its professors. The tsesfal
ard the photograph The one. Professor Nai--
devised and brought 70 successful use the system
OF telegraphv nov known by his name throushou
the world The other. Professor John W Dral-'
seized Daguerres discovery OF the action o. SUI
light silver and was the first n set the suns
rays to perpetuating the human features.
But nov the close observer can perceive chaa-'
IN both countries. One cannot be Iorg among yol
without hearing that = great object in the dsFeeF
meut Of your newer universities IS TO prouots sc'-
tidc and chronological studies. and one cannot q
tend many educational meetings IN America VIZ
out realizing the beginning Of belief that fof
/ part Of our people it would be advantagsous
| turn their education little from The scisna-
and archaeological bent it took IN the last een'-
and give greater attention now. in the unders.-
/ uste years at least. 70 the old studies u" -
I scholarship and literature
I We are passing beyond the stage when our -
captains Of industry we're fond of decarlns -
such university education untitled man io' - -
ness. Few Of them now fail TO give the prsi'le-
other things being equal 20 the man win 49,
from some good school 81 higher le1rnins,
none OF those who have achieved success Vi
such training fail TO regret the want Of T.
this point a recent declaration made by youI ~
lord Rayeigh at Dulwich ColleSe Is pel.A
He Is reported avoWing tho belief that II his y. -
education had been turned more 10 the His.-
side he would have had more 90 show for ns -.
So also a fact TN the development OF our
4 a
They are often growing more strict ii ser
sometimes in requiring. the general higher 80
I tior represented by the bachelors dssree " -,
/ as a preliminary to admission. while others - y