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SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXXTV. No. 882 



undignified, but it is in danger of becoming 

 a thorn in tlie flesh. 



This cringing form of mendicancy, al- 

 ways on the defensive, would cease to exist, 

 if a carefully prepared plan for the future 

 development of the institution was pre- 

 sented to the public. There is no reason 

 why a great university should be apologetic 

 in asking for financial support. 



The sense of official obligation which 

 often impels trustees to beg in a perfunc- 

 tory manner for funds, making it possible 

 to carry some plan or scheme into effect, 

 the details of which are either iinknown or 

 are not carefully prepared for general 

 scrutiny, does not generate sufficient 

 strength of conviction among the represen- 

 tatives of the university to arouse by their 

 appeals the interest of intelligent persons 

 to the point when a favorable response may 

 be expected. 



Those institutions of learning which take 

 the public into their confidence, at the same 

 time pledging themselves to the mainte- 

 nance of the highest academic ideals, will 

 without doubt receive the necessary finan- 

 cial support. The resentful attitude some- 

 times adopted by an administration in the 

 face of the well-directed criticisms from 

 without, is often replaced by a singular 

 indifference or apathy in formulating a 

 working plan embodying any features sug- 

 gested by those who are not intimately as- 

 sociated with the institution. 



Several instances of this tendency to 

 drift have recently occurred and may be 

 taken as quite typical of what is unfor- 

 tunately a frequent occurrence. One of 

 the most distinguished Scientists in the 

 country offered in writing some suggestions 

 for the development of departments along 

 lines, which, if they had been followed, 

 would have brought signal distinction and 

 honor to a university with which he was 

 not officially connected. The plan has 



never been discussed by either trustees or 

 faculty, and it is only reasonable to suppose 

 that the genuine interest in the affairs of 

 this particular institution shown by an 

 outsider, whose opinion is highly valued in 

 university circles, has not increased if it 

 has not altogether disappeared. 



Very often prominent men are asked to 

 state the conditions upon which they would 

 go to certain universities. Their replies are 

 sometimes given at length and are devoted 

 to indicating the lines along which the 

 work in certain departments should be 

 directed. These replies, containing the 

 valuable advice of experts, are seldom dis- 

 cussed by the faculty or trustees, and the 

 possibility of making a successful public 

 appeal for the carrying on of important 

 work is not entertained. The effect of this 

 lack of sympathetic, intelligent interest of 

 the trustees in the actual progress of the 

 university has become a serious drawback, 

 and is quite as disastrous for the main- 

 tenance of high ideals as is the notion that 

 it is possible to estimate the progress of an 

 institution by the increase in the enroll- 

 ments of students or by an enumeration of 

 the list of new buildings. 



The discussions that have occurred in 

 academic circles during the past decade 

 have served the double purpose of exposing 

 defects inherent in the administration of 

 most of our universities and have also been 

 the means of suggesting the remedies. 

 (1) There is a pretty general agreement 

 that the autocratic powers of presidents and 

 of all executive officers should be limited. 

 In order to do this successfully, the condi- 

 tions responsible for the present state of 

 affairs should be modified. This would lead 

 to setting reforms in motion, resulting 

 eventually in an intelligent and active co- 

 operation of the executives, trustees and 

 faculty. An excellent plan has been sug- 

 gested of limiting the tenure of office of 



