6yo 
A Plea for Pure Science . 
[November, 
value to the schools. Each district will be entitled to the 
insignificant sum of io dols., which will not advance much 
the cause of education.” 
Nobody will dispute the folly of such a bequest, or the 
folly of filling the country with telescopes to look at the 
moon, and calling them observatories. How much better 
to concentrate the wealth into a few parcels, and make first- 
class observatories and institutions with it ! 
Is it possible that any of our four hundred colleges and 
universities have love enough of learning to unite with each 
other andform larger institutions? Is it possible that any have 
such a love of truth that they are willing to be called by their 
right name ? I fear not ; for the spirit of expectation, which 
is analogous to the spirit of gambling, is strong in the 
American breast, and each institution which now, except in 
name, slumbers in obscurity, expeCts in time to bloom out 
into full prosperity. Although many of them are under 
religious influence, where truth is inculcated, and where 
men are taught to take a low seat at the table in order that 
they may be honoured by being called up higher, and not 
dishonoured by being thrust down lower, yet these institu- 
tions have thrust themselves into the highest seats, and 
cannot probably be dislodged. 
But would it not be possible to so change public opinion 
that no college could be founded with a less endowment than 
say 1,000,000, or no university with less than three or four 
times that amount ? From the report of the Commissioner 
of Education, I learn that such a change is taking place ; 
that the tendency towards large institutions is increasing, 
and that it is principally in the west and south-west that the 
multiplication of small institutions with big names is to be 
feared most, and that the east is almost ready for the great 
coming university. 
The total wealth of the four hundred colleges and univer- 
sities in 1880 was about 40,000,000 dols. in buildings, and 
43.000. 000 dols. in productive funds. This would be suffi- 
cient for one great university of 10,000,000 dols., four of 
5.000. 000 dols., and twenty-six colleges of 2,000,000 dols. 
each. But such an idea can of course never be carried out. 
Government appropriations are out of the question, because 
no political trickery must be allowed around the ideal insti- 
tution. 
In the year 1880 the private bequests to all schools and 
colleges amounted to about 5,500,000 dols. ; and, although 
there was one bequest of 1,250,000 dols., yet the amount does 
not appear to be phenomenal. It would thus seem that the 
