May 



1909] 



NA TURE 



the bold contrast of the scenery, but the picture 

 conveys only a general idea of the beauty of the 

 scene. 



After another interesting hour among the clouds, a 

 gentle descent was made to earth at Hadlovv Down, 

 the trip lasting 2 hours 26 minutes. To escape, even 

 for a brief interval of a few hours, from the turmoil 

 of London, and to be, in the space of a few minutes, 

 amongst such magnificent scenery as the view above 

 the clouds affords, is one of the greatest fascinations 

 of ballooning, even if one has to be carried where the 

 wind wills. William J. S. Lockyer. 



THE REFORM OF OXFORD UNIVERSITY. 



BEFORE entering upon any discussion of the 

 scheme presented by the Chancellor to the Uni- 

 versity of Oxford, and of the consequent action taken 

 by the Hebdomadal Council, it is important to make 

 a few introductory remarks on the conditions under 

 which the effort for reform from within is about to 

 be made. 



In the first place, there is no question or debate 

 about the inestimable value of collegiate residence. 

 On this point all in Oxford, and it may be hoped 

 all outside it, are agreed. Secondly, the strongest 

 difference of opinion on questions of university policy 

 e.xists, as it has existed in the past at Oxford, with- 

 out the least personal feeling. It is useless to attempt 

 to conceal the fact that under the existing system 

 there is and must be conflict between the interests 

 of the university and the colleges, but those who take 

 the strongest line on the one side will be among the 

 first to admit, nay, to proclaim, the devotion and self- 

 sacrifice which are brought to the support of the 

 other. In many cases, indeed, a university policy is 

 most firmly sustained by men whose interests are 

 bound up with the colleges. The question is what is 

 best for Oxford, and through Oxford for the Empire, 

 and to hold a strong opinion in such a controversy 

 does not weaken a loyal and sympathetic cooperation 

 with those who maintain the opposite position. 



The point of view which will be maintained in the 

 present article, and from which the Chancellor's book 

 and the resolutions of Council will be examined, is 

 that of the university as opposed to the colleges. Wc 

 maintain that Oxford will gain as a seat of research 

 .and learning and in its influence — already beneficial 

 in the highest degree — on the lives of its students by 

 icstoring to the university much of its ancient power 

 and authority, and by leaving the colleges as dignified 

 ;md historic homes, where, if teaching is carried on 

 at all, it will be under the control of the university. 



The first series of resolutions deals with the three 

 governing bodies of the university — Convocation 

 (M.A.'s who retain their names on university and col- 

 lege books). Congregation (such M.A.'s residing within 

 a mile and a half of the centre of Oxford), and the 

 Hebdomadal Council. This latter important body, by 

 which alone legislation can be initiated in Congrega- 

 tion and Convocation, consists of three ex-officiii 

 members, the Vice-Chancellor and the two Proctors, 

 and eighteen members elected by Congregation. Of 

 these eighte;;^n, six must be heads of colleges, six 

 professors, and six M.A.'s. The power of Council will 

 be best understood by the statement that, except on 

 its initiative, no modification can be made in the 

 existing examination system, no expenditure of a sum 

 exceeding too!., no loan to a reader of book or manu- 

 script out of the Bodleian Library. 



Tt is impossible in the brief compass of a single 

 article to do more than sketch the broadest outlines, 

 but it is submitted that details here necessarily omitted 

 do not substantially modify the accuracy of the pic- 



NO. 206'?, VOL. 8ol 



ture suggested to the reader. Thus Congregation in- 

 cludes, but is not substantially affected by including, 

 a complex list of ex-officio members ; the Chancellor 

 is a member of Council, but is very rarely present; 

 the Bodleian has the power of lending to the Rad- 

 clil'fe Library, and consequently to the readers of the 

 latter. 



Lord Curzon proposes that the three categories of 

 Council should be given up, and Council itself has re- 

 solved so far as possible " to abolish or modify the 

 existing division into three orders." There is no doubt 

 that the power of the university would be seriously 

 weakened by the abolition of the professorial category 

 unless provision be made for university representation 

 of some other kind. The heads are collegiate appoint- 

 ments, for even at Christ Church, the headship 

 of which is in the gift of the Crown, it is cus- 

 tomary to select a Dean from the governing 

 body. In addition to the power given to the 

 colleges by the presence of the six heads on Council, 

 it should be remembered that the Vice-Chancellor 

 must, under the present constitution, be the head of a 

 college. The Oxford of an older day, with its greater 

 leisure and greater freedom, gave to the colleges heads 

 almost invariably picturesque and sometimes inspir- 

 ing. In an organisation mainly developed with refer- 

 ence to the rush and tumble of the modern race for 

 first-classes between the colleges, the headship of the 

 future will generally be, if not the retiring pension, 

 at least the pension of a retiring tutor or bursar. If it 

 be impossible to modify this system, an effort should 

 be made to render the income of the positior^ more 

 commensurate with its duties. \ small increase of 

 stipend would amply compensate for the loss of much 

 drudgery and an acceptance of the dignified and not 

 exacting position of chairman. In these circum- 

 stances, too, it would be beneficial to abolish the 

 category of heads in Council and the custom of neces- 

 sarily selecting the Vice-Chancellor from among the 

 heads. For ourselves, however, we should greatly 

 prefer to leave the emoluments and the university 

 status of the heads unchanged, but to give the uni- 

 versity a voice in their appointment. Among the 

 headships are some of the few fairly well paid posts in 

 Oxford, and it would be an immense gain to the uni- 

 versity, and an even greater gain to the colleges, if it 

 were generally understood that they should be filled 

 by men for whom leisure and opportunity, and the 

 release after long service from teaching, would mean 

 more time spent and greater efforts made in the 

 cause of learning. 



The two Proctors, popularly supposed to be mainly 

 concerned with the behaviour of undergraduates out- 

 side their college walls, are in reality the representa- 

 tives of the M.A.'s, and in this capacity hold their ex- 

 ofjicio seats on Council as well as on nearly all the 

 important boards of the university. Lord Curzon 's 

 proposal that they should serve for two years, and 

 go out of office in rotation, would undoubtedly facili- 

 tate business, but is open to criticism for the following 

 reason. The educating effect of a proctorship is re- 

 markable. It is an important advantage that every 

 year a member of the governing body of two colleges 

 should learn, by personal experience that the Univer- 

 sity of Oxford is something more than a name. The 

 Proctors certainly, do learn this lesson, and a man 

 who has held the office, although only for one year, 

 looks on his, university with different eyes. We should 

 seriously question the wisdom of reducing the number 

 of those who receive so illuminating an experience. 

 The principle of Lord Curzon 's proposal would be 

 carried into effect and its main advantages secured 

 bv rotation with a half-yearly period. 



That Congregation should be restricted to those 



