October 31, 1902.] 



SCIENCE. 



683 



ments they learn to regard themselves as 

 existing primarily for the benefit of the 

 people who happen to be in control at the 

 time. English educationists tell us that 

 such were Oxford and Cambrdge at one 

 time in their existence; such were nearly 

 all the continental universities wherever 

 they secured complete autonomy and con- 

 trol of adequate foundations. 



The absolute governmental control of 

 universities on the continent to-day was 

 necessary in order to rescue them from the 

 dry rot which universally sets in where 

 they are purely self-governing bodies. 



If higher institutions of learning are to 

 serve their real purpose they must at some 

 point be brought under the influence of 

 public opinion ; they must come in contact 

 with the daily life about them. Some 

 means must be provided by which the life 

 blood of the great pulsating world around 

 them can flow in and through them, puri- 

 fying, cleansing and purging them. Some 

 common organ must be developed which 

 can bring the university and the world of 

 outside activity together. This end has 

 been attained in our American device of 

 boards of trustees and I believe that a large 

 part of the extraordinary development of 

 our higher schools is due to the fact that 

 through these boards of trustees it has been 

 possible to bring outside influences to bear 

 on the internal management and spirit of 

 these institutions. All this is aside from 

 the very significant fact that they have been 

 most important elements in securing that 

 public interest which has turned such 

 streams of wealth into the treasuries of our 

 schools without which our recent progress 

 would have been impossible. All this is 

 aside, moreover, from the fact that many of 

 these trustees have themselves provided the 

 necessary funds out of their own resources. 



When we add to this the circumstance 

 that these trustees have often brought to 



the university in the management of its 

 business affairs a devoted service which 

 could not have been bought for any money 

 you can readily realize what an important 

 part in this magnificent development has 

 been taken by the hundreds and thousands 

 of public-spirited men who have at great 

 expense of time and effort given their best 

 services to this cause. I may add that in 

 my own opinion such boards perform a 

 most valuable additional service in that 

 they offer an opportunity to have every 

 question of general university policy sub- 

 mitted to the bar of an earnest, sympa- 

 thetic impartial jury, before iindertaking 

 any comprehensive changes. 



Another unique institution characteristic 

 of our American system of higher educa- 

 tion is that of the presidency. The Ameri- 

 can university president has no exact coun- 

 terpart in the educational scheme of any 

 other country. He is a development pecul- 

 iar to the United States, an outgrowth of 

 peculiar educational and financial condi- 

 tions. He is theoretically supposed to be 

 an educational leader, a financial leader 

 and a practical business manager combined 

 in one. He is not only expected to outline 

 an educational policy in a broad way, but 

 also to keep au fait with the educational 

 administration of the university even into 

 its very details. It is ordinarily made his 

 duty to enforce the rules and orders of the 

 board of trustees and see that every instruc- 

 tor is performing his duty toward the in- 

 stitution and the students. 



He is expected, moreover, to plan a 

 scheme of financial support for the institu- 

 tion and devise methods of keeping its 

 needs before the public. If he is president 

 of a state university he must know how to 

 impress the legislature; if of a private 

 university he must be able to get the atten- 

 tion of the church or of private individuals 

 who are able to contribute to the endow- 



