igo/f\ Baskerville — Science and the People. 77 



ject they would have better known and appreciated; boards 

 of trustees must be impressed with the fact that with our 

 present arrangements, most researchers must steal the time 

 necessary from rest, sleep, social concernments and family 

 pleasures and that is not right, it is not just to make them 

 mere teaching- machines. 



There is no question whatever but that many of the teach- 

 ers in our institutions do the treadmill. All of this can not 

 with justice be laid at the doors of our honorable governing- 

 bodies, however, for teachers are vain as other mortals. Some 

 insert in catalogues a vast array of special courses, which 

 either are solely for show, or, if they be given of necessity, 

 : can not be with that fresh vigor which should characterise in- 

 struction. The man who does that voluntarily loves not 

 really his science. It is far wiser to offer a few courses, give 

 H them well and contribute a bit, even a mite, to the sum of 

 f| knowledge. I do not know but that the late Professor Row- 

 |j land was a bit severe, yet I wish to quote from an address of 

 j his on a "Plea for Pure Science". Some children may be 

 '' coaxed, others require whipping. 



"It is useless to attempt to advance science until one has 

 mastered the science; he must step to the front before his 

 N blows can tell in the strife. Furthermore, I do not believe 

 p anybody can be thorough in any department of science, with- 

 | out wishing to advance it. In the study of 'what is known, in 

 | the reading of the scientific journals, and the discussion therein 

 contained of the current scientific questions, one would obtain 

 ! an impulse to work, even though it did not before exist. And 

 ' the same spirit which prompted him to seek what was 

 already known, would make him wish to known the unknown. 

 And 1 may say that I never met a case of thorough know- 

 ledge in my own science, except in the case of well-known in- 

 vestigators. I have met men who talked well, and I have 

 sometimes asked myself why they did not do something; but 

 further knowledge of their character has shown me the 

 j superficiality of their knowledge. I am no longer a believer 

 in men who could do something if they would, or would do 

 something if they had a chance. They are imposters. If 



