212 SECTIONAL ADDRESSES 
great, it would mean that they were receiving too much from the public. 
The close budgeting that is necessary inevitably restricts freedom of 
action. For instance, if the number of students be reduced, the loss in 
fee income may convert a slight surplus into a deficit for some years, as it 
is impossible to reduce expenditure on staff and equipment correspond- 
ingly quickly. On the other hand, the immediate effect of increasing the 
number is to make the balance sheet look healthier: until a strong case 
can be made for more expenditure on staff and buildings, which eventually 
results in increased cost to the public. It is unfortunate that there is 
quite a strong financial incentive to increase the number of students at 
universities ; it looks so well on paper. Yet I feel that the time has come 
when we ought seriously to consider whether a further increase can really 
be justified. ‘The public, I take it, is not interested in the individual ; if 
the taxpayer thinks at all about his contribution to university education— 
and I do not suppose he does, as it is so trifling compared with other 
public calls upon his income—he must come to the conclusion that the 
object of his contribution is to help students who will subsequently be of 
more value to the nation if they spend three or more years of a sheltered 
existence at a university, than if they were obliged to earn their living on 
leaving school. Where shall we draw the line ? 
There are many students who occasion no misgiving. ‘They are those 
who are capable of teaching themselves, given the opportunity. To them, 
and ideally to all, the attitude of the university should be this: We give 
you here the opportunity of learning, if you wish to, from masters of their 
subjects ; we give-you access to well-equipped libraries and laboratories ; 
and opportunities for learning from each other. We help you to help 
yourselves. What use you make of these opportunities depends upon 
yourselves. If we find you do not, or cannot, make good use of them, 
you shall go, and make room for others. Broadly speaking, I believe that 
is the right attitude. In such an atmosphere, learning, individuality, and 
self-reliance flourish ; and public expenditure is worth while. Judged 
from this standpoint, I have little hesitation in saying that universities are 
too full. As a result the tendency is towards over-organisation, too little 
latitude, and too much spoon-feeding. The more distinguished the 
teacher, the more he is tempted away from teaching and research : his 
presence is required on committees. In London we elderly gentlemen 
even organise students’ athletics ; and official debates take place on such 
important questions as the site and finance of a university boat club for 
women. ‘The wider we fling open the doors to a university, the more 
will such organisation be necessary, and the worse will be the conditions 
for the best teachers and students. 
There is another, more practical, way of looking at this question of 
numbers. Do graduates find any difficulty in getting suitable employment 
at the end of their university career? Perhaps it is hardly fair to attempt 
to draw a definite conclusion from experience during the last few years ; 
but it does form some guide to policy. ‘The majority of students of the 
Imperial College enter some branch of industry; and most of them, even 
in these difficult times, have succeeded in finding posts within six months 
of leaving the college. Whether they are all suitable posts for university 
