182 POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



In so far as they have done so, their dictatorial power has been both 

 harmless and useless. The professor is, as a rule, a free man, even 

 though he may be looked upon as a fetus shut up in an incubator. 

 The type of professor, who is exclusively concerned with settling 'the 

 doctrine of the enclitic De/ or with distinguishing one beetle from 

 another, survives on the stage and in novels, rather than at the univer- 

 sity. In the scientific departments, at least, executive ability of a high 

 order is needed for the conduct of a laboratory or the prosecution of 

 research; and the demand is fully met. The university could not 

 continually supply presidents and administrators of all kinds were 

 there not a large supply of material. It has been said that university 

 faculties are poor legislative bodies; if true, this would not be sur- 

 prising, so long as their deliberations are confined to discussing 

 questions such as whether they shall wear gowns at commencement, the 

 decision being with the trustees. I believe that the university com- 

 munity is competent to direct the policy and administration of the uni- 

 versity and will soon do so. 



In these remarks I have used the freedom of speech that a teacher 

 may claim; but it has certainly not been my intention to run amuck 

 through our educational system. The man of science is by profession 

 an optimist. None can write the equation giving the world's trajectory, 

 but I believe that we are moving along an ascending curve. Never 

 before has the average intelligence been so high, never before has a 

 civilization been so securely established. Nor, I trust, are great men 

 lacking. They say that we are failing in art and in literature; but 

 those who are at the foot of a rainbow can see only the fog. In science 

 and in other great departments of human activity progress is at a 

 geometrical ratio. I also believe in the present and in the future of 

 this democracy. Not only is the average well-being of the individual 

 higher than elsewhere or hitherto, but we are contributing and shall 

 increasingly contribute to political, business and educational organiza- 

 tion; we are contributing and shall increasingly contribute to science, 

 to scholarship and to art. The knowledge and the culture of the world 

 have been freely given to us ; it is our part to return them with usury. 

 While in the energy of our pride we lord it over land and sea, we shall 

 discover the truth, the beauty and the righteousness that lie hidden 

 everywhere : 



In this broad earth of ours, 



Amid the measureless grossness and the slag, 



Enclosed and safe within its central heart, 



Nestles the seed perfection. 



