SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT 543 



tional force" and the "educational plant," of "eflBciency" and "out- 

 put," of " investment " and " returns." One university not more than 

 a thousand miles from where I sit has a noon whistle. If things keep 

 on at this rate, some day when it blows, some hungry or time-grudging 

 scientifically managed professor will drop an expensive piece of appa- 

 ratus, and the state will pay dearly for its whistle. 



No one, however, need worry lest this sorry day come in very truth. 

 Teaching is an inspirational calling. Love of the intellectual life is 

 its foundation and its effect. Inspiration may not be handled, weighed, 

 measured, bought or sold. No college professor ever succeeded because 

 he was "managed." The possible loss through irregularity in the col- 

 lege professor's work is nothing compared with the certain loss should 

 he learn to work in the spirit of the clerk or the union man. 



II 



A second aspect of the college professor is less familiar. I mean 

 that in which he is seen in the larger or richer institutions, where the 

 greater amount of money has made it possible for him to realize more 

 fully the ideals of his class. 



It is in this second aspect that the college professor is most freely 

 criticized. The general public, usually in the person of some one with a 

 political or journalistic axe to grind, runs an eye through the columns 

 of the semester program, and is surprised to find a professor scheduled 

 for twelve hours, or ten, or even as few as six. 



" Six hours ! " exclaims the general public. " But of course that 

 means six hours a day." 



"No, six hours a week. Be assured of the incredibly outrageous 

 fact." 



The general public is aghast. 



"What? Three thousand dollars a year for teaching six hours a 

 week for nine months? Why, that's $13.888888 ... an hour ! " 



No wonder the general public is aghast. It was scandalized even 

 before, when told of the professor in the smaller institution who received 

 a smaller salary for four or five times the instruction. If it is the 

 case of a state institution, and the general public pays the professor's 

 salary and owns him, there is likely in these days to be at least the threat 

 of investigation and "general cleaning up." For the public has been 

 educated by the professional demagogue to assume that dirt is normal. 



The demagogue does not encourage the public to reflect. It would 

 interfere alike with his pleasure and his profit. 



And yet reflection is easy. Like the professor in the small college, 

 the university professor has administrative duties. He is chairman of 

 a large department, perhaps, and that sometimes means oversight of the 

 work of a score of instructors and the expenditure of large sums for 

 books and apparatus. If he is not, he must nevertheless keep office 

 hours, attend meetings and conferences, conduct a correspondence with 



