AMERICAN COLLEGE PROFESSORS. 127 



while they are far more than counterbalanced by the great number of 

 small salaries in the same institutions. These ' large salaries ' in 

 themselves are not such as to be inviting to strong men; they are in- 

 viting, however, because with them there is offered also some of that 

 ' literary leisure ' which is so much desired by the student. 



As the result, college chairs are filled in great part by men who, 

 at the most, are but partially dependent on their salaries. In a sense, 

 this was always true. When the hours of teaching were less scattered 

 and the requirements less severe, college men in cities often supple- 

 mented their salaries through congenial work outside ; while in country 

 colleges, where an almost prerequisite qualification for several of the 

 chairs was ordination to the christian ministry, professors added to 

 their income by preaching. But those conditions no longer obtain, 

 and in some institutions a professor, even if he have the opportunity, 

 may not undertake any outside work without special permission — a 

 perfectly proper regulation. In any event, except in rare instances, 

 no opportunity remains for a professor to engage in outside work 

 during the college year unless he devote only a part of the time to 

 college work, for, as already said, practically the whole business day 

 is demanded. To live in comfort, to retain the respect of the com- 

 munity, one must depend largely on means already acquired. 



That this condition, or, rather, combination of conditions, will have 

 a prejudicial effect on the personnel of the profession is not open to 

 doubt; and additional danger lurks in the system of fellowships, which 

 is nothing other than that of hiring young men to pursue graduate 

 studies. Even now, though the system is, so to speak, in its infancy, 

 graduates judge of universities not so much by the standing of the 

 professors or by the grade of instruction offered, as by the value of the 

 fellowships. Students about to graduate have been known to ask their 

 professors what inducement the college offers them to remain — more 

 than that, have been candidates for appointment at more than one 

 institution. Evidently the time approaches when prospective candi- 

 dates for the doctorate will scan university catalogues as prospective 

 students of theology are said to scan seminary catalogues, to discover 

 which has the longest list of highly productive scholarships. 



Formerly a graduate desiring to become a professor usually re- 

 ceived appointment at once as a tutor and eventually worked up into 

 some professorship. That was when the courses were all somewhat 

 elementary in character; but now special preparation for a particular 

 chair is demanded. The graduate spends at least three years in study 

 as a specialist, very frequently including a year or more at some 

 European university. On the scientific side, at least, this work is 

 severe, leaving no time for other occupation except at the cost of a 

 dangerous expenditure of energy. Preparation for college teaching 



