The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-12-02
AMERICAN RHODESMEN.

There has been good deal Of criti-
cism in English newspapers about the
scholars who attend Oxford University
under the auspices Of the great boquest
Of Cecil Rhodes. These criticisms arc
now in n way officially voiced by DR..
Parlsin Of Oxford, who is the executive
secretary Of the Rhodes scholarship
trust AS such, lie is naturally looked
upon as speaking somewhat officially
in regard to its administration. and as
to the general working ont of the
Rhodes plan, so far as relates TO
American scholars having part therein.
His visit to this country scomcd TO
offer him an opportunity to say what
was in his mind upon the American
scholars, and be did so in an address
to the National Association of State
Universities.
The summary of what he said in re-
gard to these American students Is that
he regards one-third Of them as belong
ing to high grade, another third as
fair, while as to the remaining third
che would apply tho observation Of
Pope on flies in amber, wondering how
they got there" Assuming that DR.,
Parkin spoke without prejudice, as one
is obliged to do, it must be admitted
that no has held tho balance pretty
level. When he admits that one~tbird
are superior. opc-third acceptable. and
only one-third are undesirable as stu
dents, surely that is saying a good
deal. II has been fairly stated that
what is desired in this consideration
is not anything by way of flattery, but
the cold facts from an impartial and
competent critic. How far DR.. Parlin
is impartial may be question. We
Judge that he is quito satisfactorily soi
and when he gives such good account
of two-thirds Of the American students,
surely the American people ought 10 be
fairly content, As has been fairly
stated, the record of these American
Rhodes fund students in the United
States indicates their general SUI
| periority, and their record at Oxford
confirms it; and when only onethird Of
! the whole number fails TO impress
| English university men as crcditable to
American scholarship, it remains for
America to brush up on that tagging
part, and see that we make it as small
US possible.
AZ the same time. il must be held in
mind. as the New York Tribune points
out, that some of the criticisms made
upon these students may he based upon
the different standards OF English pro-
ficiency in studies as compared with
American standards. II is not neces-
sary TO assume that the English stand
ards arc superior TO our own, only that
they arc different: and this difference
may put the Objectionable one-third OF
American Rhodes scholars under a
handicap which they do not, in fact
deserve to carry, 1t is probable that DIR
Parkin would make similar criticisms
upon the studies and scholarship of any
of tine universities or colleges of the
United States, because they differ in
standards from the English standards
and so we are not considering his
sighting allusions to the halting one
third too seriously, for a good deal OF
his criticism can, undoubtedly, be eX
planned BY mere differences which dc
not deserve TO rank as discreditable tt
American students or TO American
scholarship
But it is not only English opinion
and DR.. Parkin;s IS sighting reference
TO at least portion Of the Rhode!
scholars that they have to suffer: fol
, President Remsen Of the Johns Hop
kins University virtually confirms DR.
Parkin of Oxford by saying that "Ox
ford must not conclude that it receive.
the best intellectual endowment from
the American colleges. The exact op
J posite is the case This. surely. j
about as extreme On the other sid
as could possibly be expected from an,
responsible educator Of high class
President Remsen is, we feel sure, to-
1 severe upon the Rhodes scholars. /
c is OF course true that the best OF tn
Q Johns Hopkins men, Of the Harvar,
c men, of the Yale men, of the Columbi
r men, of the Princeton men, do no