PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. 407 



Again, members of the University and others serving or about to serve in Africa, 

 have more recently attended our classes in considerable numbers, and with the 

 express sanction of the Colonial Office. If the Indian probationers have so 

 far had less to do with Anthropology, it is simply because the programme of 

 studies which they are expected to carry out within the space of a year is 

 already so vast. The following are some of the impressions I have formefl 

 as to the most suitable way of training students of this type. In the first place, 

 each set of officers destined for a particular province should he provided with 

 a course in the ethnography of their special region. In the second place, all 

 alike should be encouraged to attend some of the general courses provided by 

 the School, if only in order that they may associate with the regular students, 

 and so gain insight into the scientific possibilities of the subject. Thirdly, 

 such official students ought not to be subjected to any test-examination in 

 Anthropology at the end of their course, unless they elect on their own account 

 to enter for the ordinary examinations of the School. We need to deal some- 

 what tenderly with these men who, after many years of University training, 

 are about to go out into the world ; for it is fatal to send them out tired. For 

 this reason, among others, I am in favour of every University retaining its own 

 alumni during their probationary period. By this time they are thoroughly at 

 home in their own University ; and nowhere else are they likely to be treated 

 with so much consideration as regards their spiritual needs. I am sure that 

 the picked University man who stands on the threshold of a public career 

 can be trusted to make the most of his time of training, if he be not badgered 

 with too many set courses and examinations, but is allowed, under discreet 

 supervision, to follow the promptings of his own cojumnn sense. Certainly, in 

 regard to ^\Jithropology, it has answered well at Oxford not to press students 

 of this class too hard. If they have shown keenness at the time, and have 

 done much good work afterwaixis, it is at least partly because there were no 

 associations of the prison-house to mar their appreciation of the intrinsic 

 interest of the subject. 



Though I have induJged in a somewhat lengthy disquisition, I fear that 

 I have not done justice to many aspects of my theme. But I feel less compunc- 

 tion on this score inasmuch as I believe that we who belong to this Seition 

 are in close agreement as to the imioort^ance of Anthropology "as an element in 

 University education, and likewise as to the principles according to which it 

 ouglit to be taught as an academic subject. The difficulty is rather to niakti 

 the public realise the need for the fuller encouragement of anthropological 

 studies. Fortunately for the future of our science. Anthropology is an imperial 

 nece.^ssity. Moreover, at this crisis in its fortunes, the country is likely to pay 

 heed to the sound maxim that national education must issue in activities of a 

 practical and useful nature; so let us by all means place the practical argument 

 in the forefront of our case. Sir Richard Temple has set us an excellent example 

 in this respect. The contention, however, which I have now to put forward by 

 way of supplement is this, that in order to be practical one must first of all be 

 scientific. In other words, an Applied Anthropology is bound to be a hollow 

 mockery unless it be the outcome of a Pure or Theoretical Anthropology pursued 

 in accordance with the ideal of truth for truth's sake. Nowhere, ^I believe, 

 so well as within our Universities is it possible to realise the conditions favour- 

 able to the study of Anthropology in its practical and imperial bearing; for 

 nowhere else ought the spirit of research to be more at home. 



The conclusion, then, of the whole matter is that, for practical and scientific 

 reasons alike, our Universities must endow Schools of Anthropology on a liberal 

 scale, providing funds not only for the needs of teaching, but likewise for the 

 needs of research. Money may be hard to get, but nevertheless it can be got. 

 We must not hesitate, as organisers of education, to cultivate the predatory 

 in.stincts. For the rest, it is simply a question of rousing public opinion in 

 respect to a matter of truly national importance. If anything that I have 

 said to-day can help in any way to improve the position of Anthropology amon" 

 University studies, I shall be satisfied that, trite as my subject may have 

 seemed to be, I have not misused the great ojiportunity afforded to every 

 holder of my present office. 



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