618 HENKY A. EOWLAND 



is well known that it is absolutely essential. The only question is 

 whether the education of specialists in science is worth undertaking at 

 all, and of these I have only to consider natural philosophers or physi- 

 cists. I might point to the world around me, to the steam engine, to 

 labor-saving machinery, to the telegraph, to all those inventions which 

 make the present age the "Age of Electricity," and let that be my 

 answer. Nobody could gainsay that the answer would be complete, for 

 all are benefited by these applications of science, and he would be con- 

 sidered absurd who did not recognize their value. These follow in the 

 train of physics, but they are not physics; the cultivation of physics 

 brings them and always will bring them, for the selfishness of mankind 

 can always be relied upon to turn all things to profit. But in the edu- 

 cation pertaining to a university we look for other results. The special 

 physicist trained there must be taught to cultivate his science for its 

 own sake. He must go forth into the world with enthusiasm for it and 

 try to draw others into an appreciation of it, doing his part to convince 

 the world that the study of nature is one of the most noble of pursuits, 

 that there are other things worthy of the attention of mankind besides 

 the pursuit of wealth. He must push forward and do what he can, ac- 

 cording to his ability, to further the" progress of his science. 



Thus does the university, from its physical laboratory, send forth into 

 the world the trained physicist to advance his science and to carry to 

 other colleges and technical schools his enthusiasm and knowledge. 

 Thus the whole country is educated in the subject and others are taught 

 to devote their lives to its pursuit, while some make the applications to 

 the ordinary pursuits of life that are appreciated by all. 



But for myself, I value in a scientific mind most of all that love of 

 truth, that care in its pursuit and that humility of mind which makes 

 the possibility of error always present more than any other quality. This 

 is the mind which has built up modern science to its present perfection, 

 which has laid one stone upon the other with such care that it to-day 

 offers to the world the most complete monument to human reason. This 

 is the mind which is destined to govern the world in the future and to 

 solve problems pertaining to politics and humanity as well as to inani- 

 mate nature. 



It is the only mind which appreciates the imperfections of the human 

 reason and is thus careful to guard against them. It is the only mind 

 that values the truth as it should be valued and ignores all personal 

 feeling in its pursuit. And this is the mind the physical laboratory is 

 built to cultivate. 



