Apkil 20, 1900.] 



SCIENCE. 



639. 



colleges to the natural sciences. ' ' The college 

 endowments," he states, and every one with 

 knowledge of the matter is able to corroborate, 

 ' ' are now more largely than ever employed in 

 maintaining a tutorial system, which is in itself 

 of small value — if not positively injurious — and 

 necessarily in complete antagonism to the de- 

 velopment of the method of study, and to the 

 wide range of subjects studied, which distin- 

 guish everywhere but in Oxford the university 

 from the preparatory school." Professor Lan- 

 kester believes that the natural sciences, the 

 subjects particularly associated with research as 

 a means of training and as a source of directive 

 knowledge, should be supported by not less 

 than two-thirds of the endowments at the dis- 

 posal of these colleges. Oxford, no doubt, is 

 an extreme example of the general failure of 

 Biitish universities to respond adequately to 

 what everywhere but in England is regarded as 

 the first duty of a university ; but there is 

 urgent need for inquiry into and redress of the 

 conditions which have brought about the pres- 

 ent state of affairs, and those institutions which 

 have taken a larger view of their duties will be 

 the first to approve a strong statement of the 

 existing failure. 



UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL NEWS. 



As the daily papers have announced, the Uni- 

 versity of Chicago has secured the $2,000,000 

 needed to meet the requirements of Mr. Rocke- 

 feller's gift of an equal amount. At the recent 

 convocation of the University, President Harper 

 gave some details in regard to the gifts received 

 since January 1st. They have come from more 

 than 200 different persons and 90 per cent, of 

 them were unsolicited. The largest items ap- 

 pear to be the Gurley paleontological collection, 

 $30,000 from Mrs. Delia Gallup and, given 

 anonymously, $60,000 for a commons, $50,000 

 and $25,000 for a students' club-hou.se, $20,000 

 towards a women's hall, and $30,000 with spe- 

 cific use to be designated later. President Har- 

 per stated that the total assets of the University 

 are now not far from $11,000,000. 



By the will of Mrs. Mary J. Furman, Van- 

 derbilt University receives about $250 000. 



Barnaed College, Columbia University, 



has received a gift of $100,000 subject to cer- 

 tain annuities. 



By the will of ths late Arthur D. McLellan, 

 Brown University may, under certain condi- 

 tions, receive from $8000 to $33,000. 



The widow of the late Professor H. Fol has 

 given to the University of Lausanne his collec- 

 tion of scientific apparatus and histological 

 preparations. 



Harvard University has undertaken to 

 guarantee $70,000 to entertain 1450 Cuban 

 teachers during their stay at the Summer School 

 in accordance with the arrangements made by 

 Mr. Alexis E. Frye, Superintendent of Schools 

 at Cuba. Free tuition is provided by the Uni- 

 versity. 



In view of the fact that a case of small-pox 

 has been reported in each of two of our leading 

 universities, it may be well to state that during 

 the first week in April the United States Marine 

 Hospital Service reports only one case of small- 

 pox throughout all the middle and New Eng- 

 land States. There is, however, a slight epi- 

 demic of small-pox at New Orleans. 



The University of Pennsylvania has made 

 some changes in the regulations under which 

 candidates are advanced to the higher degrees. 

 Hereafter the theses for the doctorate must be 

 printed and it is expected that in the case of 

 longer theses the University will contribute $50 

 towards the cost. The examinations will be 

 written and may be passed at such time as the 

 candidate is prepared. Instead of appearing 

 before the dean and a committee of three ex- 

 aminers for an oral examination as at present, 

 the candidate will be presented to the entire 

 Faculty of Philosophy in formal session, with 

 the Provost in the chair. A representative of 

 the Group Committee with whom the candi- 

 date has taken his major subject will spread 

 befoi'e the Faculty the candidate's credentials. 

 These will comprise a brief sketch of his aca- 

 demic life, a more detailed account of the scope 

 and character of his work as a graduate stu- 

 dent, of the examinations which he has passed, 

 and more particularly of the scope and signifi- 

 cance of his thesis. His presenter will then 

 formally recommend him to the Faculty on be- 

 half of the Group Committee as a candidate for 



