370 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXXI. No. 793 



task until the end of life; and in many 

 eases even serious decrepitude can not stop 

 them. 



So I believe that engaging in research 

 is the best way and the only certain way 

 for a teacher to keep himself alive intellec- 

 tually and to retain his spirit and enthusi- 

 asm to the end. And even if the college he 

 serves regards teaching and not research 

 as its chief business, even then, I contend, 

 he must be given a reasonable amount of 

 time and reasonable opportunities for re- 

 search in order that he may keep his in- 

 tellectual health, just as he is given time 

 for phj^sical exercise in order that he may 

 maintain his bodily health. 



Fortunately too, the process is not an 

 esoteric mystery open only to the elect, but 

 a thing which can be taught and learned 

 by ordinary men. It is true that great 

 discoveries are not made by ordinary men 

 ^at least not often. But there is a great 

 deal of useful work quite within the pow- 

 ers of almost any intelligent man which 

 will add to the knowledge of the world 

 and add to the happiness and usefulness of 

 the man himself and to his success as a 

 teacher. He must usually be taught the 

 elements of the process and started on his 

 career as an investigator in order to be able 

 to accomplish much; and he must have 

 some time and energy left over from his 

 teaching to devote to this purpose. Both 

 these conditions are being fulfilled more 

 and more as time goes on; and the result 

 will be, I believe, that the profession of the 

 teacher will attract more able men, that 

 they will keep their vigor and enthusiasm 

 longer, aJid that the quality of their teach- 

 ing will be much improved. 



By the establishment and equipment of 

 this building, Acadia is lending a helping 

 hand toward the fulfillment of that prom- 

 ise, whose complete fulfillment we shall 

 never see on this earth but toward which 



we are constantly making progress: "Te 

 shall know the truth and the truth shall 

 make you free." 



H. A. BUMSTEAD 

 Yale Univebsitt 



TBE CARNEGIE FOUNDATION AND ITS 

 SERVICE PENSIONS 



The announcement of the Carnegie 

 Foundation that it is the intention to limit 

 retiring allowances on the basis of a 

 twenty-five years' service to cases of dis- 

 ability, has brought dismay and surprise 

 both to those directly interested and to the 

 larger public to whom academic interests 

 are of concern. The report of the founda- 

 tion stating this action and its reasons is 

 now available ; and the propriety as well as 

 the wisdom of the change in rules may be 

 discussed.^ 



There are three issues involved: whether 

 the reasons given for the abandonment of 

 one of the two fundamental provisions of 

 the foundation are adequate, legitimate and 

 convincing; whether independently of its 

 desirability the abandomnent of the orig- 

 inal plan is made necessary by financial 

 reasons; whether the sudden withdrawal 

 from the obligations which the foundation 

 has assumed is just. 



The practical importance of the last issue 

 entitles it to first place in the immediate 

 situation; and on this matter it is possible 



^ Since the situation requires a certain freedom 

 of expression, I may be permitted to explain that 

 I have publicly and privately expressed the most 

 cordial approval of the foundation, its purposes 

 and its provisions, particularly and above all of 

 the provision which is now to be withdrawn. 

 Articles in the Dial will sufficiently indicate this 

 fact. An article in the North American Review 

 will further indicate the high opinion I formed 

 of the influence of the foundation and of the 

 necessity of including the state universities in 

 order that this influence shall be of national scope. 

 This commendation must stand as evidence of 

 my interest and favorable attitude towards the 

 foundation and its mission. 



