PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. 



351 



of us must occupy with regard to Greek ethics, which are in fact the ethics 

 of our ruling classes in the old sense. Therefore I use this opportunity to 

 beg those who are enthusiastic for Hellenistic studies to give us such a testa- 

 ment. I feel sure it will enable us to understand the ideals of the Public 

 Schools and Universities and Ihrow an entirely new light upon the supposed 

 conflict of classical and scientific studies, which is possibly only another phase 

 of the other perennial dispute about religious education. 



The ethical ideals of our schools and Universities are c-lear, excellent in 

 themselves, and appreciated everywhere. They manifestly excite enthusiasni 

 and develop the spirit of self-sacrifice for their maintenance. But what of the 

 intellectual ideals ? The subject is important because the cultivation of the 

 intellect is the avowed purpose of academic institutions, and is the part of 

 education which is necessary for carrj'iug on the world's work. Looking at 

 the actual practice of the Universities we can see that the intellectual ideals 

 are obscured, confused, and enfeebled by the very process of competition 

 between Colleges which is so eminently successful in developing the ethical spirit. 



But the opportunity for strengthening and clearing our intellectual ideals 

 is now. It may require some sacrifice of prejudices and traditions as between 

 Colleges and the University, but the reward will certainly be great. 



I suppose that a century ago the character of any distingnished educationalist 

 would be summed up in the words ' He spared not the rod ' ; and to-day per- 

 haps the highest praise is expres.sed by saying that ' He spared neither the 

 ratepayer nor the taxpayer,' but even that is not enough. Money without 

 motive power does not make education. We may reserve our highest praise for 

 those educational establishments of which it may be said that in the pursuit of 

 a true ideal they spared ' neither their prejudices nor their inherited privileges.' 

 It may sound sacrilegious, but it must be said — the Portia of our dreams will 

 not become the Alma IMater that the nation needs if she can never be obtained 

 except after the manner of her father's will. 



APPENDIX. 



Table of Subjects of Lectubes and the Number of Peofessoes and Teachers 

 therei.v est the university and colleges of cambridge. 



{Taken from the Cambridge University Calendar, 1918.) 



