8 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



zation of higher Tiniversity education, and it proceeds by a new 

 method, the personal carrying of this teaching from the universi- 

 ties to the people. It is held to be more practical to take one man 

 to a hundred students than to take a hundred students to one 

 man. It is important to keep this object and this method free 

 from any confusion with other organized work, for the usefulness 

 of university extension lies in these lines, and not as a competitor 

 with already established agencies of culture. 



It is somewhat difficult to tell the story of university exten- 

 sion in America, for the idea sprang into action in a number of 

 different localities. Without attempting to present the full his- 

 tory of the movement, it may be said that three distinct ideals 

 have been advanced — the local plan, represented by Baltimore 

 and Buffalo ; the State plan, represented by New York ; and the 

 national plan, represented by Philadelphia. 



The local plan is the oldest. Its first home seems to have been 

 at Johns Hopkins University. Several years ago popular lecture 

 courses were given by Dr. Adams and his colleagues at various 

 centers in and around Baltimore, and as time went on the move- 

 ment assumed more and more the form, and finally the name, of 

 university extension. Several such courses were given during 

 the winter and spring of 1888. The method was quite similar to 

 that followed in England. The course consisted of twelve lect- 

 ures, followed by the customary extension classes at their conclu- 

 sion. The students were supplied with printed syllabi of each 

 course. Dr. Adams also rendered a most important service to the 

 movement by his interest in making it more generally known 

 outside of his own city. Similar initiatory work was done by 

 Dr. Bemis at Buffalo. In the fall of 1887 he gave a course 

 of lectures on economics, which were quite in the extension 

 spirit. 



The State plan is, I believe, peculiar to New York. It would, 

 indeed, be less possible elsewhere, since New York is the only 

 State which has a department created and maintained by statute 

 to " encourage and promote higher education." The movement 

 has had the constant interest and support of the best element in 

 both the city and State. The State Librarian, Mr. Melvil Dewey, 

 has been particularly active in its promotion. According to this 

 plan , the State assumes the direction of university extension, 

 working by means of an established central office at Albany, and 

 operating through existing institutions for higher education. The 

 Legislature has recently granted an appropriation of ten thousand 

 dollars for carrying on the enterprise. Already much good work 

 has been done in the way of lecture courses and printed syllabi 

 and text books. 



The national plan has been a slower evolution. It is an out- 



