Universities, Research and Brain Waste 21 



the heaviest undergraduate courses on the continent. With this founda- 

 tion one would have said that we should have developed along graduate 

 lines more rapidly than has been the case. Some of the American 

 universities, however, have greatly outdistanced us in the development 

 of graduate and research work. Let us hope that we shall overtake 

 them. Our students who have received their bachelor's degree in one 

 of the honours courses compare more than favourably as a rule with 

 those who have completed an undergraduate course in the correspond- 

 ing department of an American university. The result of a com- 

 parison with the best product of the universities on the other side of the 

 Atlantic is, however, not so favourable. The conception of a university 

 at its best is on a somewhat higher plane in Europe than in America. 

 The same is true also of the secondary school. A young man of excep- 

 tional ability being trained in Europe is likely to be somewhat in advance 

 of where he would find himself at the same age if he were being trained in 

 America. On entering Oxford or Cambridge a student specializing in 

 mathematics is about two years ahead of a student entering the Univer- 

 sity of Toronto in the same department, while he is just one year older. 

 The discrepancy in classics is quite as great. This does not hold in the 

 case of the natural sciences which receive less attention than mathematics 

 and classics in the Public Schools of England. From what we have just 

 said, however, it would appear that it should be possible to so modify 

 the methods of instruction in our Canadian secondary schools as to 

 save a year to our brighter boys by the time they are ready to matricu- 

 late. A comparison with results obtained on the continent would lead 

 to the same conclusion. 



The university attendance in the Province of Ontario in proportion 

 to population compares favourably with that of any other country 

 except Germany, after all due allowance has been made for inequality 

 of university standards in different countries. Nevertheless 6 out of 7 

 pupils who pass the High School entrance examination never matricu- 

 late. About 7 out of 9 do not attempt the matriculation examination.* 

 Among these boys and girls there are sure to be many who would profit 

 by a university course. Much good material must here go to waste. 

 Why should we not have in Ontario, or better still throughout Canada, 

 a system of scholarships which would provide the highest possible 

 education for the exceptionally gifted? Australia makes such provision 

 for her gifted boys and girls. Why should we do less for ours? 



*The figures here given are based on the results for the matriculation examinations 

 during the five years 1910-14, and on the results for the High School entrance examina- 

 tions during the five years 1906-1910. 



