November 17, 1905.] 



SCIENCE. 



641 



than those which we know from the Baptano- 

 don beds. Should it be Baptanodon, it will 

 probably show some extreme specializations, 

 as the time separating the Benton from the 

 Baptanodon beds is considerable. 



John C. Merriam. 



QUOTATIONS. 



TRUSTEES AND FACULTIES. 



The Review is greatly interested to learn 

 that a national congress of the trustees of 

 American universities is to be held this month 

 at the University of Illinois in connection 

 with the inatiguration of its new president, and 

 that this conference will be devoted to a dis- 

 cussion of the best form of administration of 

 higher educational institutions and of the 

 proper share of trustees, faculty and alumni 

 in their government. Such a discussion is of 

 especial interest at this time to institute men 

 because of the unfortunate divergence in opin- 

 ion of the corporation and faculty as to the 

 future educational policy of the institute, and 

 because of the absence of any intermediate 

 body or other means of conference by which 

 an intimate exchange of opinions might take 

 place, and the differences in point of view of 

 the two bodies might be reconciled or com- 

 promised. 



Whatever be desirable from an ideal stand- 

 point, the practical conditions surrounding 

 American education, especially the legal re- 

 quirements and the constant need of renewed 

 financial support, will undoubtedly make 

 necessary the existence of a board of trustees 

 in our educational institutions. The proper 

 relations of such a board to the faculty and 

 alumni is a large question, and one which 

 must receive a somewhat different answer in 

 different institutions. The Review believes, 

 however, that the following general principles 

 are vital to the soundness of our educational 

 system. The board of trustees and the faculty 

 must be coordinate bodies, the latter being in 

 no sense subordinate to the former. There 

 must be as sharp a division of functions as is 

 practicable, the trustees dealing exclusively 

 and finally with legal and financial questions, 

 and with the appointments of president and 



faculty, and the faculty having exclusive 

 jurisdiction in purely educational questions, 

 including not merely the details of instruc- 

 tion, administration and student government, 

 but all matters relating to curriculum, courses 

 of study ofl^ered and degree requirements. 

 General questions as to educational aims, and 

 all the numerous questions involving both 

 financial and educational considerations 

 should be discussed by both bodies, and 

 should be acted upon only after substantial 

 agreement has been reached. And to this 

 end there must be established conditions 

 of harmonious cooperation and frequent op- 

 portunities for intimate contact and ex- 

 change of views. This would seem to be best 

 obtained by the formation of an advisory 

 council — consisting of five or six members 

 from each body, with the president as chair- 

 man — which, after thorough discussion should 

 make recommendations both to the trustees 

 and to the faculty. Finally, the alumni not 

 only should be urged to participate in the 

 conduct of the social and athletic life of the 

 students, and to recommend improvements in 

 the courses of study, but they should also be 

 given some direct and substantial share in 

 the government of the institution. — The Tech- 

 nology Review. 



TEE RHODES SCHOLARSHIPS.^ 

 The opening of the present term at Oxford 

 will add 67 new scholars to the list of those 

 in residence under the bequest of the late 

 Cecil Rhodes. Allowing for the withdrawal 

 of a few of the German scholars who find it 

 more in accord with their University system at 

 home to take only a two years' course instead 

 of the three years to which the scholarship en- 

 titles them, there remain over from last year's 

 students 79, so that for the academic year 

 1905-6 the whole number in residence will be 

 slightly under 150. The full list is not, how- 

 ever, yet complete. In 1906, when scholars 

 are elected only for the Colonies and Germany, 

 there will be a further addition of more than 

 30. As several of the communities concerned 

 have in the last two years failed to send for- 

 ward a candidate qualified to enter Oxford, 



^ The London Times. 



