OXFORD ON THE UPPER GRADE 15 



But the pass men and those who seek a general education 

 rather than professional proficiency will after all be those who 

 most deserve attention at Oxford and Cambridge — as they are 

 the men who should go forth persuaded of the value of education, 

 reclaimed from Philistinism, although the majority may not 

 attain to any very high intellectual standard. For such men, 

 everything has to be done — we have not even begun to think 

 out proper methods of educating them. There should be no 

 delay, however, in doing this, as in the future the ancient 

 Universities must be judged according as they succeed or not in 

 dealing with this class of student. 



Throughout Lord Curzon's document, there is, to use his 

 own words, an earnest desire to broaden the basis and to raise 

 the intellectual standard of the University at every point. This 

 can only be accomplished if the problem be studied both within 

 and without the University from an educational standpoint. 

 The Universities are not independent corporations but are 

 closely interlocked in all their operations with the schools ; but 

 as they occupy the superior position, they must take upon them- 

 selves the functions of legislators and lead the schools — as these 

 apparently will never change of their own accord, and at present 

 tend to dominate, owing to the insensate competition among the 

 Colleges, for their best pupils. 



While placing the system of training pursued at all our Uni- 

 versities upon a far broader and philosophical basis, we need 

 to widen the conditions of entry, in order that the preliminary 

 instruction given in our schools may be made more practical, 

 more thorough, more consonant with the requirements of the 

 times. From the point of view adopted in this article, the reform 

 of the old Universities can only be effected from within by 

 those engaged in the work : once guided by true ideals they will 

 be successful ; until, however, they are dominated by a new 

 current of animating ideas there will be no real progress. 1 



H. E. A. 



1 " Oxford is probably unique of its kind in the world ; its many old and 

 characteristically beautiful and well-preserved buildings, with trim grass lawns 

 and handsome trees, are all stately to a degree and very magnificent. It is 

 quite impossible to picture it at home until one has seen it and I now understand 

 the devotion of an Englishman to his University. The system works admirably 

 for the education of 'Gentlemen' but it cannot lead to much in science and it 

 needs an extraordinary interest in science to prevent a Fellow from sinking into 

 indolence." — Helmholtz, in a letter to his wife. 



