The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-03-16
NWING to repeated conflicts between
trustees and faculties OF univer-
stiles we have heard much about

y
stiles we have heard much about
the need OF academic freedom in the sense
that teaching and research should be
free of outside interference and that the
personal freedom of members of the
faculties should not be restricted by
boards OF trustees There are other as
poets of the subject, however. which
have not received much attention, and
which are Vital for healthy develop
ment o. university life Boards of trus-
tees are not the only potential enemies
of the freedom of the teacher, The fac
ulties themselves are so constituted that
the academic teachers are apt to con-
slider themselves a privileged class in
whose hands the development OF univer-
sity teaching and the advance of science
rests. Universities can not be the home
OF the universitdS Htterd'1tm. of the
world OF knowledge, If their faculties are
closed corporations and IL university re-
search and instruction are monopoly
Of those who have secured recognition
by appointment by the board of trus-
tees of an established university. The
younger men OF this class are generally
appointed on recommendation of the
faculty, which. by this means. controls
the character of the coming generation
OF teachers and Investigators. A person
who has knowledge that he desires to
impart but who stands outside the aca-
demic circle has no opportunity of reach
ing academic students The limitation
OF usefulness brought about by these
conditions Is most evident in cities of
The size and character of Boston, Chi
cago or New York. In these cities live
! numerous scholars of high accomplish
ment, many OF whom would welcome the
opportunity to formulate the results OF
their studies. Every serious student
knows the advantage that he himself
| derives from the opportunity to present
the result OF his researches in an or
derby manner. the clarifying effect OF
| such teaching for the instructor and the
stimulating effect that 1t has upon the
| young student who Is privileged to listen
to such an exposition OF original work
To these men the opportunity should be
given to offer advanced instruction when
ever they wish to do so. The university
| should stand for the freedom OF teach
ing OF all those qualified to teach.
1t will be objected that such a policy
| would open the doors OF the university
| to cranks. continues Prof. Franz Boas
OF Columbia University in a recent issue
| OF the Nation. l do not believe that this
danger is great 1t might easily be
| guarded against IT, in each science, a
committee existed which could grant to
| investigators permission to give uni
| versity instruction according to the merit
OF their scientific work Such COM
mittee should not be a faculty committee,
because the very object OF the plan
would be to make the admission 10
| teaching free of faculty control and to
place It entirely on the basis of mcri-
| toriouS work In most sciences there
exists societies which have n standing
| sufficiently high so that committee
consisting, let us say, of their past presi-
dents could pass on the merits of lndi-
viduals or committees consisting of rep
| resentatives of various universities might
| perform their task. Both methods would
| minimize the danger that local, university
| interests might influence the decision.
1t would be well If the right Of aflilia-
| ton with n university might be be-
| slowed as an honor without applica ton.
| merely as a recognition Of work that has
reached certain standard of excellence
All this means that our universities
ought to take the necessary steps to
give up their isolation and grant to
| other educational and scientific agencies
voice In the control of their affairs.
Without such steps no real progress "a
| possible. We cannot continue to allow
our educational affairs to be dictated
| by Isolated BODIES or trustees ana taCul-
ties who necessarily look after the in
terests of their own institutions, with
out any attempt at coordination with the
work OF other institutions, At the pres
ant time this method has strained our
! whole system we'll nigh to the breaking
point.
! Competition of the type here advo-
Gated is unwelcome to many faculty
members who like to control the work
! Offered IN their departments. In some
cases there may be a dread of opposing
theory or opinion, in others the fear OF
distracting students from the course OF
| instruction that has been laid out for
| them. In still other cases the fear of
losing students through outside compe-
titIon may play a role. None OF these
objections. however. should stand in the
way OF the liberalization of the academic
staff, because the control of opinion, the
! rigid determination of a course Of study
and jealousies of competing teachers are
, a.. equally opposed TO progress.
The realization of such a plan as that
suggested Is beset with certain financial
difficulties. In those sciences in which