December 23, 1910] 



SCIENCE 



903 



developed so as to fulfil not only this ideal 

 of the founder, but one far loftier and 

 broader. 



The second "idea" of a university to 

 which I shall refer is contained in Presi- 

 dent Garfield's eulogistic remark concern- 

 ing his old teacher and friend, that Mark 

 Hopkins at one end of a log and a student 

 at the other constitute a university. This 

 epigrammatic statement, stripped of all 

 superfluous words, vividlj' typifies the es- 

 sential elements of a university, and im- 

 plies their proper mutual relations. 



On this occasion, the reference to this 

 ideal is surely a happy one, inasmuch as 

 Hopkins was not only teacher and investi- 

 gator, but president as well; while the log 

 is here represented by these splendid uni- 

 versity buildings, two of which are now to 

 be opened. 



It is obvious that President Garfield's 

 arrangement of the three elements of a uni- 

 versity in order of importance was, Hop- 

 kins, student, log. In modern practise, 

 however, this order is often reversed. 

 While in some cases it may be diiBcult to 

 decide whether the log or the student is 

 first, Hopkins, as teacher, seems always to 

 be last. 



In order to have a university at all there 

 must be administrators, teachers and stu- 

 dents; there must also be buildings, prop- 

 erly located and equipped for the work that 

 has to be done. An additional importance 

 in this last respect attaches to tlie modern 

 university in contrast with the ancient. 

 Constant attention must be given to equip- 

 ping those essentially modern science de- 

 partments, if the institution is to give ade- 

 quate instruction in the more recent exten- 

 sions of natural knowledge. To an ever- 

 increasing degree these contribute to the 

 education of the modern scholar both 

 through the importance of the facts them- 

 selves and the methods and spirit of in- 

 vestigation. 



There is a grave danger, too, that the 

 popular method of estimating importance 

 by magnitude may here work almost irrep' 

 arable harm. For if the people who pro- 

 vide the support for the institution see 

 palatial buildings, richly equipped, and 

 beautifullj' situated on a spacious campus, 

 and if they see students consorting thither 

 in hundreds and even in thousands, they 

 may conclude in their enthusiasm that what 

 they behold is surely a great university. 

 Infected by the pride of the people, this 

 feeling may be entertained by students and 

 faculty alike. Yet it is not impossible for a 

 university even under these favorable con- 

 ditions to possess hardly a single element 

 of real greatness. 



There is now an expanding popular in- 

 terest in the development of higher and 

 technical education in America, and in- 

 deed throughout the world. Large gifts 

 from men and women possessed of great 

 wealth are yearly flowing to many of oux 

 institutions; and the people are emulating 

 them by generously granting through their 

 legislatures continually larger appropria- 

 tions for all university purposes. Small 

 buildings are replaced by larger, expensive 

 equipments are ever added to, libraries are 

 rapidly expanded, and gymnasiiims lav- 

 ishly supplied with all the paraphernalia 

 deemed necessary for the highly specialized 

 athletic activities of the modern student. 

 No one will question the usefulness and 

 importance of these aids in the develop- 

 ment of the body, the mind and the char- 

 acter of the student. From the desire of 

 greater ease and effectiveness in working, 

 as well as from an appreciation of the 

 stern necessities of the student, there are 

 few professors but would submit to pecuni- 

 ary and other sacrifices, as indeed they are 

 submitting, in order that the material re- 

 sources and greatness of their institutions 

 may be increased. But I repeat, that as a 

 people, or as peoples, we are in great 



