55^ Report S.A.A. Advancement of Science. 



really the essential spirit of the University. The opposite extreme 

 was the attempt, which a good many had regarded as premature, 

 to establish a number of separate Universities. It was perhaps 

 hardly time for that. But he thought there was less disadvantage for 

 the future of South Africa in the establishing of several weak Univer- 

 sities than in the absence of any genuine Universities at all. 

 Professor Crawford had discussed that point, and as he (the speaker) 

 was in agreement with him, he would not repeat the arguments. 



iiut between these two extremes there came in what he thought 

 would be the best possible line which evolution could take — the 

 grouping together of a few institutions, to support one another in the 

 establishment of the necessary reputation. He had only been three 

 months in South Africa, and he could not speak with authority on> 

 local conditions, but he could perhaps say one or two words regarding 

 South Africa as it appeared to those outside, better than those who 

 had lived here for a long time. And he felt bound to be somewhat 

 emphatic upon this point — that it was necessary to establish a reputa- 

 tion in South Africa for University Education. Their existing 

 institutions had not a very good reputation at the present time, and 

 it seemed to him that the best hope for the future was to strengthen 

 the hands of the few institutions which were trying to do real 

 University work. There were two or three institutions which would 

 hardly deserve to be called Universities. They required buildings 

 and endowments, but, more than all, they required the best possible 

 staff. Everything depended on the men who had the work to do. 

 Such a movement would help to get good men, to get more money 

 to pay them with, and to give them better positions by being professors 

 in independent Universities. The institutions also required to take 

 all the Faculties into consideration. On that point he entirely agreed 

 with the representative of the Cape University. He would not admit 

 any institution as being a University unless it had several faculties 

 represented. 



It seemed to him that they might take the three or four institu- 

 tions which satisfied those conditions, and although they might not 

 be quite strong enough at present to become independent Universities, 

 they would help one another, provided they were formed into a 

 group sufficiently loose to enable them to develop their own indivi- 

 duality, for individuality was as necessary for a University as for a 

 person. One of the greatest drawbacks of federation or affiliation 

 on ordinary lines was that it compelled the various component parts 

 to be alike. They did not want them to be that. He thought the 

 requirements might be met by a scheme something like that put 

 forward bv Stellenbosch, but he would prefer that it should not be 

 in connection wiih the existing University. The existing University 

 had other duties. But it was essential to adequate development that 

 the different Colleges should hold their own examinations, subject 

 merely to criticism. If thev had absnkitelv independent Universities, 

 criticism failed. But they would be able to maintain a fairly level 

 standard by appointing external examiners, and if there were several 



