Universities, Research and Brain Waste 23 



Some adequate reference it seems to me should be made to science 

 in the teaching of history in the schools. Modern history, as I under- 

 stand it, is an account of how a people, starting out under certain con- 

 ditions at a given time in the past, have arrived at where they now find 

 themselves. The most important agent involved in the transition, the 

 largest factor by far concerned in modifying the conditions of livittg 

 during the past two centuries, has been science. Is it not of the first 

 importance that every boy and girl should be made aware of this fact? 



By stimulating the interest of the pupils of the preparatory schools 

 in science, by visualizing university opportunities and by establishing a 

 system of scholarships such as we have already referred to, we could 

 doubtlessThcrease considerably the number of students of ability in our 

 universities. Those who do not go to the university, but leave the 

 elementary or secondary school to earn their living, would at least 

 carry away with them a certain respect for science and a recognition of 

 the fact that' the university has a useful function to perform in the life 

 of the comnriinity. This would later on have its effect in helping to 

 create a public opinion which would react more favourably to proposals 

 for financial aid to universities and science. 



A university should be sufficiently staffed to care for the needs of 

 its students. Our own University is undermanned. The tutorial 

 classes should be smaller. This is no good reason, however, why the 

 members of the staff should be overworked. Junior instructors, who 

 have research inclinations, should be given a chance to show the mettle 

 that is in them. The more mature men, who have already proved 

 themselves, should be given time for research. Only yesterday I was 

 talking to a member of the staff who told me that for three weeks past 

 he had been working till three in the morning and that for seven days 

 in the week. The man in question is a research worker, but the wcrk 

 referred to had nothing to do with research. This is, of course, excep- 

 tional and it will not ordinarily be necessary for my colleague to work 

 so strenuously. Even so it is a little inconvenient. The same man, 

 too worked till midnight daily during the last month of the vacation 

 getting the materials required in his laboratory in readiness for the 

 opening of the term. I asked him whether he received any pay for 

 work overtime. His reply was an incredulous smile which, interpreted, 

 meant how could any member of a university staff be so ingenuous as 

 to ask such a question. 



The case I have cited is an extreme one to be sure. There are 

 plenty of members of the university staff, however, who have more 

 than enough to do and there is none who has not enough to keep him 

 busy. Of this the layman can rest assured. Further staff, of course. 



