i88 3 0 
A Plea for Pure Science. 
667 
and a total of 27,000 dols. endowment, mostly invested in 
buildings ! And yet there are very many similar institutions; 
there being 16 with three professors or less, and very many 
indeed with only four or five. 
Such fa< 5 ts as these could only exist in a democratic 
country, where pride is taken in reducing everything to a 
level. And I may also say that it can only exist in the early 
days of such a democracy ; for an intelligent public will 
soon perceive that calling a thing by a wrong name does not 
change its charadler, and that truth, above all things, should 
be taught to the youth of the nation. 
It may be urged that all these institutions are doing good 
work in education ; and that many young men are thus 
taught, who could not afford to go to a true college or uni- 
versity. But I do not objedt to the education, — though I 
have no doubt an investigation would disclose equal ab- 
surdities here, — for it is aside from my objedt. But I do 
objedt to lowering the ideals of the youth of the country. 
Let them know that they are attending a school, and not a 
university; and let them know that above them comes the 
college, and above that the university. Let them be taught 
that they are only half educated, and that there are persons 
in the world by whose side they are but atoms. In other 
words, let them be taught the truth. 
It may be that some small institutions are of high grade, 
especially those which are new ; but who can doubt that 
more than two-thirds of our institutions calling themselves 
colleges and universities are unworthy of the name ? Each 
one of these institutions has so-called professors, but it is 
evident that they can be only of the grade of teachers. 
Why should they not be so called ? The position of teacher 
is an honoured one, but is not made more honourable by the 
assumption of a false title. Furthermore, the multiplica- 
tion of the title, and the ease with which it can be obtained, 
render it scarcely worth striving for. When the man of 
energy, ability, and perhaps genius is rewarded by the same 
title and emoluments as the commonplace man with the 
modicum of knowledge, who takes to teaching, not because 
of any aptitude for his work, but possibly because he has 
not the energy to compete with his fellow-men in business, 
then I say one of the inducements for first-class men to 
become professors is gone. 
When work and ability are required for the position, and 
when the professor is expected to keep up with the progress 
of his subject, and to do all in his power to advance it, and 
when he is selected for these reasons, then the position will 
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