TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION B, 595 



from ohe university to another, without prejudice to their acquisition of a degree. 

 It is the present system, ■whicli practically chains an undergraduate with links 

 of steel to the university at which he matriculates, that is at the root of many of 

 the evils under which our higher education is labouring. 



The university at which a youth matriculates is often determined by the 

 fatuous, although pathetic, wish of the father that his son should spend his time, 

 I will not say work, amidst the surroundings which awaken such pleasant 

 memories in himself; and the youth once within the magic portals has little or no 

 opportunity of rectifying the possible mistake of his fond parent, who has probably 

 for a quarter of a century been quite out of touch with university matters, or even 

 divorced from the intellectual world altogether. 



This foolish sentiment of loyalty to a university or even college is sometimes 

 kept up for generations, and I have met persons who have told me that their 

 family had always been Balliol or Trinity men, with the same sort of pride that 

 they would doubtless have informed me, had they been able, that their ancestors 

 came over with the Conqueror or had charged with the Cavaliers at Naseby. 



The prevalence of such a sentiment shows that our universities are principally 

 valued for their social attractions, as well as for their past history and ancient 

 traditions, in which connection it is always well to remember that a living dog is 

 better than a dead lion. 



The possibility of students dissociating themselves from the university of their 

 matriculation and freely migrating from one school to another would, in my 

 opinion, not only be of immense advantage to the students themselves, enabling 

 them to obtain the best instruction in each particular subject and greatly 

 extending their horizon and knowledge of the world, but it would operate most 

 favourably on the universities themselves, minimising the tendency to stagnation, 

 and compelling those who hold the purse-strings to provide for the strengthening 

 of weak departments. Nor should the possibilities of migration be limited to the 

 Universities of the United Kingdom or even of the British Empire, but the prospect 

 should be kept in view of ultimately effecting an arrangement whereby students 

 could enjoy the advantage of visiting the universities of other countries. 



Such migration is, of course, closely connected with the duration of the period 

 of university study, and in this matter reform is most urgently needed. The 

 traditional three years devoted to the acquisition of a degree is hopelessly 

 inadequate for the higher purposes of university training, especially when the very 

 immature age at which English students generally begin their university career 

 is taken into consideration. The period of academic study should be forthwith 

 extended to five years, as it is onlj- in this way that the university can be effec- 

 tively made a centre of research. Without a course of study of such duration, 

 and of which research forms a part, it is quite impossible that the highly trained 

 men who are now so urgently needed for practical avocations should be 

 produced. 



In this connection, again, we all know that much mischief has been going on 

 in recent years. Instead of the terms on which degrees are at present obtainable 

 being regarded as too lenient and easy, proposals are actually being put forward 

 in some quarters to enable persons attending evening classes to thereby qualify for 

 university degrees. Now, whilst it is of the utmost importance to provide 

 abundant opportunities for the talented poor to obtain a university education by 

 reducing the fees and by instituting a sulficient number of bursaries, it is impera- 

 tive that those who are to be stamped with the distiuctive mark of a universitv 

 should have devoted their whole and undivided attention, over a certain period of 

 time, to the courses of study prescribed. Let us beware of introducing the half- 

 time system into the university, a system which we know to be a deplorable 

 makeshift even in the elementary school. 



In this matter of the aspirations, scope, and functions of a university we have 

 not merely to contend with the ignorance and apathy of the average Philistine, 

 but we are wrestling against principalities, against powers, and against darkness in 

 high places. Thus only four months ago one of our most prominent statesmen, 

 whose oracular and sporadic utterances inspire amongst millions almost the 



