UNIVERSITY EXTENSION. . 5 



bygone school days, and it shows itself in rows of flashed and 

 grateful faces. An essential part of the lecture scheme is the 

 printed syllabus, which is supplied at merely nominal price. 

 This gives the systematic outline so needful to the student, yet so 

 uninspiring in the lecture itself. In addition, the syllabus sug- 

 gests a careful line of home reading in connection with each 

 lecture. The lecturer also gives out one or more questions which 

 are to be answered in writing and mailed to him some time before 

 the next lecture. This home paper work is regarded as of the 

 utmost importance, since it brings out the thought and original- 

 ity of the student in a way that a simple lecture never could. 



When the lecture is over, a class is formed of alL those who 

 care to enroll themselves as students, the other hearers withdraw- 

 ing. The class lasts for about an hour, and also ranks above the 

 lecture in educational importance. It is here that the personal 

 intercourse between lecturer and students comes into play. It is, 

 indeed, very much like the college seminar, and is as conversa- 

 tional in its tone as the bashfulness of the students will allow. 

 The lecturer develops his points a little further, and explains any 

 difficulties that may have arisen. He also uses the occasion to 

 return the written exercises, and makes such criticisms and com- 

 ments as he thinks best. Often, misapprehensions are to be cor- 

 rected, and false views pointed out. Frequently there is the more 

 agreeable task of reading some particularly good answer, and 

 acknowledging the justness and perhaps the originality of a stu- 

 dent's comment. In all cases no names are mentioned, and great 

 care is taken not to wound the sensitiveness of any one. The 

 sharper tools of irony and satire are always contraband. 



One can readily see how much depends upon the personal 

 qualities of the lecturer. He must, indeed, be a man out of a 

 hundred, a well-qualified specialist, a brilliant speaker, and, above 

 all, a man of much fine tact and discretion. Each organization 

 has its regular staff of lecturers, who hold, in most cases, some 

 other appointment, and give only a portion of their time to exten- 

 sion work. A few, such as Mr. R G. Moulton, of Cambridge, and 

 Rev. W. Hudson Shaw, of Oxford, devote themselves exclusively 

 to the movement, and are its most successful exponents. But 

 many promising young men have also been attracted to extension 

 work — some through a genuine missionary interest in the spread 

 of culture, and some for less disinterested motives. It is not, 

 however, a proper field for experimentation. The work is diffi- 

 cult and needs men of known ability. The universities try to 

 guard against failure by duly testing the capabilities of all young 

 aspirants for lecture appointments. While it is most unfortunate 

 when the wrong man does get into the work, the mischief is soon 

 remedied, for his lack of success leaves him in a very short time 



