Lccjal and Economic Bases of Colonial Tcacliincj Universities. 95 



University of the future of having come over, as it were, with 

 Wilham the Conqueror. 



How such a University should be supported has been perhaps 

 nearly sufficiently indicated by what we have seen in other Colonies- 

 First of all, there must necessarily be a large statutory grant to 

 ensure stability, and to what better purpose could the Colonial 

 revenue be put ? If possible. Crown lands should also be set apart 

 for the purpose of endowment, and Natal, the Transvaal, the Orange 

 Eiver Colony, and Rhodesia might be approached with the view of 

 certain of their spare lands being granted for this purpose, and an 

 annual payment made, with the proviso, if so desired, that should a 

 Teaching University be established in those territories, the lands and 

 grants should revert to the particular Colony concerned for local 

 University purposes. Where lands are given, there is always a 

 possibility of increase in value as the assets of the country ascend,, 

 which is an important aspect of endowment to be borne in mind. 

 Should such a University be established in Cape Town, the Town 

 Council might be asked to acknowledge the honour of having the 

 centre of University life in its midst. In this connection I would 

 suggest that the Standard Bank and Opera House might be handed 

 over to the University for the purpose of endowment. The present 

 peppercorn rents conld be made available at once, and when th& 

 properties fall in later, the value would be considerable, wiiile no 

 ratepayer would be conscious that he or the town had made any 

 sacrifice. 



Nothing here suggested may reach the ideal which it is possible- 

 to conceive, but ideal schemes are seldom practicable, and we 

 usually have to be content in accepting the next best, or the next 

 but one even. 



Once established, there can be little doubt that a Teaching 

 University would attract large sums of money for its support and 

 endowment, which are now taken elsewhere, or remain in private 

 hands. The object-lesson of a broad South African culture, high- 

 toned and spirited, could not fail to commend itself to the 

 sympathetic support of those who are often glad to know that 

 there are channels into which their wealth can be turned with 

 the certainty of its being of permament use to the community. 



Looking at the history of endowments for University education in 

 South Africa, it would appear that the tendency is to establish 

 scholarships tenable at the older Universities of Europe ; but this 

 plan, however admirable in some of its objects, cannot be regarded 

 wath unmixed satisfaction. It has the result of tending to drain the 

 country of some of its most promising students, and to keep back the 



