II
Butnotoriousfactsmakethismuchplain,thatcivilizedmankindlookstothisquestofmatter—of—factknowledgeasitsmostsubstantialassetanditsmostvaluedachievement,——insofarasanyconsensusofappreciationorofaspirationsistobefoundamongcivilizedmankind;andthereisnosimilarconsensusbearingonanyotherfeatureofthatschemeoflifethatcharacterizesmoderncivilization。Itissimilarlybeyonddisputethatmenlooktothemodernsystemofschoolsandrelatedestablishmentsoflearningforthefurtheranceandconservationofthisintellectualenterprise。Andamongthevariousitemsofthisequipmentthemodernuniversityis,bytradition,morecloselyidentifiedwiththequestofknowledgethananyother。Itstandsinauniqueandpeculiarlyintimaterelationtothisintellectualenterprise。Atleastsuchisthecurrentapprehensionoftheuniversity’swork。Theuniversityistheonlyacceptedinstitutionofthemoderncultureonwhichthequestofknowledgeunquestionablydevolves;andthevisibledriftofcircumstancesaswellasofpublicsentimentrunsalsotomakingthistheonlyunquestioneddutyincumbentontheuniversity。
Itistrue,manyotherlinesofwork,andofendeavor。thatmaynotfairlybecalledwork,areundertakenbyschoolsofuniversitygrade;andalso,manyotherschoolsthatcallthemselves"universities"willhavesubstantiallynothingtodowiththehigherlearning。Buteachandseveraloftheseotherlinesofendeavor,intowhichtheuniversitiesallowthemselvestobedrawn,areopentoquestion。Theirlegitimacyremainsanopenquestioninspiteoftheinterestedargumentsoftheirspokesmen,whoadvocatethepartialsubmergenceoftheuniversityinsuchenterprisesasprofessionaltraining,undergraduateinstruction,supervisionandguidanceof。thesecondaryschoolsystem,edificationoftheunlearnedby"universityextension"
andsimilarexcursionsintothefieldofpublicamusement,trainingofsecondaryschoolteachers,encouragementofamateursby"correspondence,"etc。Whatandhowmuchoftheseextraneousactivitiestheuniversityshouldallowitselfisamatteronwhichthereisnogeneralagreementevenamongthosewhoseinclinationsgofarinthatdirection;butwhatistakenforgrantedthroughoutallthisadvocacyofoutlyingdetailisthesecurepremisethattheuniversityisinthefirstplaceaseminaryofthehigherlearning,andthatnoschoolcanmakegooditspretensionstouniversitystandingexceptbyprovingitsfitnessinthisrespect。(4*)
Theconservationandadvancementofthehigherlearninginvolvestwolinesofwork,distinctbutcloselyboundtogether:
(a)scientificandscholarlyinquiry,and(b)theinstructionofstudents。(5*)Theformeroftheseisprimaryandindispensable。
Itisthisworkofintellectualenterprisethatgivesitscharactertotheuniversityandmarksitofffromthelowerschools。Theworkofteachingproperlybelongsintheuniversityonlybecauseandinsofarasitincitesandfacilitatestheuniversityman’sworkofinquiry,——andtheextenttowhichsuchteachingfurtherstheworkofinquiryisscarcelytobeappreciatedwithoutasomewhatextendedexperience。Byandlarge,therearebutfewandinconsequentialexceptionstotherulethatteaching,asaconcomitantofinvestigation,isdistinctlyadvantageoustotheinvestigator;particularlyinsofarashisworkisofthenatureoftheoreticalinquiry。Theinstructionnecessarilyinvolvedinuniversitywork,therefore,isonlysuchascanreadilybecombinedwiththeworkofinquiry,atthesametimethatitgoesdirectlytofurtherthehigherlearninginthatittrainstheincominggenerationofscholarsandscientistsforthefurtherpursuitofknowledge。Trainingforotherpurposesisnecessarilyofadifferentkindandisbestdoneelsewhere;anditdoesnotbecomeuniversityworkbycallingitsoandimposingitsburdenonthemenandequipmentwhoseonlyconcernshouldbethehigherlearning。
Universityteaching,havingaparticularandspecialpurpose——thepursuitofknowledge——ithasalsoaparticularandspecialcharacter,suchastodifferentiateitfromotherteachingandatthesametimeleaveitrelativelyineffectiveforotherpurposes。Itsaimistoequipthestudentfortheworkofinquiry,nottogivehimfacilityinthatconductofaffairsthatturnssuchknowledgeto"practicalaccount。"Hencetheinstructionthatfallslegitimatelyunderthehandoftheuniversitymanisnecessarilysubsidiaryandincidentaltotheworkofinquiry,anditcaneffectuallybecarriedononlybysuchateacherasishimselfoccupiedwiththescrutinyofwhatknowledgeisalreadyinhandandwithpushingtheinquirytofurthergains。Anditcanbecarriedonbysuchateacheronlybydrawinghisstudentsintohisownworkofinquiry。Thestudent’srelationtohisteachernecessarilybecomesthatofanapprenticetohismaster,ratherthanthatofapupiltohisschoolmaster。
Auniversityisabodyofmaturescholarsandscientists,the"faculty,"——withwhateverplantandotherequipmentmayincidentallyserveasappliancesfortheirworkinanygivencase。Thenecessarymaterialequipmentmayundermodernconditionsbeveryconsiderable,asmayalsothenumberofcare—takers,assistants,etc。;butallthatisnottheuniversity,butmerelyitsequipment。Andtheuniversityman’sworkisthepursuitofknowledge,togetherwithwhateveradvisorysurveillanceandguidancehemayconsistentlyaffordsuchstudentsasareenteringonthecareeroflearningatapointwherehisoutlookandmethodsofworkmaybeofeffectforthem。
Nomanwhoseenergiesarenothabituallybentonincreasingandprovingupthedomainoflearningbelongslegitimatelyontheuniversitystaff。Theuniversitymanis,properly,astudent,notaschoolmaster。Suchistheunmistakabledriftofsentimentandprofessedendeavour,insofarasitisguidedbytheculturalaspirationsofcivilizedmankindratherthanbytheemulativestrategyofindividualsseekingtheirownpreferment。(6*)
Allthis,ofcourse,impliesnoundervaluingoftheworkofthosemenwhoaimtopreparetheyouthforcitizenshipandapracticalcareer。Itisonlyaquestionofdistinguishingbetweenthingsthatbelongapart。Thescientistandthescholarontheonehand,andtheschoolmasterontheotherhand,bothbelongwithinthelatergrowthofcivilization;butadifferentiationofthetwoclasses,andadivisionoftheirwork,isindispensableiftheyaretodotheirworkasitshouldbedone,andasthemoderncommunitythoughtfullyintendsthatitshouldbedone。Andwhilesuchadivisionoflabourhashithertonotbeencarriedthroughwithanydegreeofconsistency,itisatleastunderway,andthereisnothingbutthepresumptionofoutwornusagethatcontinuestoholdthetwolinesofworktogether,tothedetrimentofboth;backed,itistrue,byambitionsofself—aggrandizementonthepartofmanyschoolsandmanyoftheirdirectorates。
Theschoolmasterandhisworkmaybeequally,ormore,valuabletothecommunityatlarge——presumablymoreratherthanless——butinsofarashischiefinterestisofthepedagogicalsorthisplaceisnotintheuniversity。Exposition,instructionanddrillbelonginandprofessionalschools。Theconsistentaimthereis,andshouldbe,toinstruct,toinculcateaknowledgeofresults,andtogivethepupilaworkingfacilityinapplyingit。
Ontheuniversitylevelsuchinformationandtrainingis(shouldbe)incidentaltotheworkofresearch。Theuniversitymanisalmostunavoidablyateacher,bypreceptandexample,buthecannotwithoutdetrimenttohisworkasscientistorscholarserveasataskmasteroravehicleofindoctrination。Thestudentwhocomesuptotheuniversityforthepursuitofknowledgeisexpectedtoknowwhathewantsandtowantit,withoutcompulsion。Ifhefallsshortintheserespects,ifhehasnottherequisiteinterestandinitiative,itishisownmisfortune,notthefaultofhisteacher。Whathehasalegitimateclaimtoisanopportunityforsuchpersonalcontactandguidanceaswillgivehimfamiliaritywiththewaysandmeansofthehigherlearning,——anyinformationimpartedtohimbeingincidentaltothismainworkofhabituation。Hegetsachancetomakehimselfascholar,andwhathewilldowithhisopportunitiesinthiswayliesinhisowndiscretion。
Thedifferencebetweenthemodernuniversityandthelowerandprofessionalschoolsisbroadandsimple;notsomuchadifferenceofdegreeasofkind。Thereisnodifficultyaboutapprehendingorappreciatingthisdifference;thedisputeturnsnotonthepracticabilityofdistinguishingbetweenthetwo,butonthedesirabilityoflettingsuchadistinctiongointoeffect。
Itisacontroversybetweenthosewhowishtoholdfastthatwhichoncewasgoodandthosewholooktomakeuseofthemeansinhandfornewendsandmeetnewexigencies。
Thelowerschools(includingtheprofessionalschools)are,intheidealscheme,designedtofittheincominggenerationforcivillife;theyarethereforeoccupiedwithinstillingsuchknowledgeandhabitsaswillmaketheirpupilsfitcitizensoftheworldinwhateverpositioninthefabricofworkdaylifetheymayfall。Theuniversityontheotherhandisspecializedtofitmenforalifeofscienceandscholarship;anditisaccordinglyconcerned,withsuchdisciplineonlyaswillgiveefficiencyinthepursuitofknowledgeandfititsstudentsfortheincreaseanddiffusionoflearning。Itfollowsthatwhilethelowerschoolsnecessarilytakeoverthesurveillanceoftheirpupils’
everydaylife,andexercisealargemeasureofauthorityandresponsibleinterferenceinthatbehalf,theuniversityassumes(orshouldassume)noresponsibilityforitsstudents’fortunesinthemoral,religious,pecuniary,domestic,orhygienicrespect。
Doubtlessthelargerandmoreseriousresponsibilityintheeducationalsystembelongsnottotheuniversitybuttothelowerandprofessionalschools。Citizenshipisalargerandmoresubstantialcategorythanscholarship;andthefurtheranceofcivilizedlifeisalargerandmoreseriousinterestthanthepursuitofknowledgeforitsownidlesake。Buttheproportionswhichthequestofknowledgeislatterlyassuminginschemeofcivilizedliferequirethattheestablishmentsthetowhichthisinterestiscommittedshouldnotbechargedwithextraneousduties;particularlynotwithextraneousmattersthemselvesofsuchgraveconsequenceasthistrainingforcitizenshipandpracticalaffairs。Thesearetooseriousarangeofdutiestobetakencareofasaside—issue,byaseminaryoflearning,themembersofwhosefaculty,iftheyarefitfortheirownspecialwork,arenotmenofaffairsoradeptsinworldlywisdom。
III
InpointofhistoricalpedigreetheAmericanuniversitiesareofanotherderivationthantheirEuropeancounterpart;althoughthedifferenceinthisrespectisnotsosharpamatterofcontrastasmightbeassumedatfirstsight。TheEuropean(Continental)universitiesappeartohavebeenfounded,originally,tomeettheneedsofprofessionaltraining,moreparticularlytheological(andphilosophical)trainingintheearliertimes。TheAmericanuniversitiesare,historically,anoutgrowthoftheAmericancollege;andthelatterwasinstalled,initsbeginnings,largelyasameansofprofessionaltraining;
chieflytrainingforDivinity,secondarilyforthecallingoftheschoolmaster。Butinneithercase,neitherinthatoftheEuropeanuniversitynorinthatoftheAmericanCollege,wasthisearlyvocationalaimoftheschoolsallowedtodecidetheircharacterinthelongrun,nortocircumscribethelinesoftheirlatergrowth。Inbothcases,somewhatalike,thetwogroupsofschoolscametotheirmaturedevelopment,inthenineteenthcentury,asestablishmentsoccupiedwithdisinterestedlearning,givenovertothepursuitofintellectualenterprise,ratherthanasseminariesfortrainingofavocationalkind。Theystillhadavocationalvalue,nodoubt,andthevocationalneedsoftheirstudentsneednothavebeenabsentfromtheconsiderationsthatguidedtheirdirectorates。Itwouldparticularlybefoundthatthe(clerical)directoratesoftheAmericancollegeshadmorethanhalfaneyetotheneedsofDivinityevenatsolateadateaswhen,inthethirdquarterofthecentury,thecomplexionoftheAmericancollegesituationbeganseriouslytochange。Itisfromthisperiod——fromtheeraoftheCivilWarandtheReconstruction——thatthechangessetinwhichhavereshapedtheacademicsituationinAmerica。
Atthisera,somehalfacenturyago,theAmericancollegewas,orwasatleastpressedtobe,givenovertodisinterestedinstruction,notspecializedwithavocational,orevenadenominational,bias。Itwascomingtotakeitsplaceasthesuperiororcrowningmember,asortofcapstone,ofthesystemofpublicinstruction。Thelifehistoryofanyoneofthestateuniversitieswhoseearlyperiodofgrowthrunsacrossthiserawillreadilyshowtheeffectualguidanceofsuchanidealofacollege,asasuperioranddefinitivememberinaschoolsystemdesignedtoaffordanextendedcourseofinstructionlookingtoanunbiassedincreaseanddiffusionofknowledge。Otherinterests,ofaprofessionalorvocationalkind,werealsoentrustedtothekeepingofthesenew—foundschools;butwithaconclusivegeneralitytheruleholdsthatintheseacademiccreationsacollegeestablishmentofadisinterested,non—vocationalcharacteriscountedinastheindispensablenucleus,——thatmuchwasatthattimeamatterofcourse。
Thefurtherdevelopmentshowstwomarkedfeatures:TheAmericanuniversityhascomeintobearing;andthecollegehasbecomeanintermediateratherthanaterminallinkintheconventionalschemeofeducation。Underthenames"undergraduate"
and"graduate,"thecollegeandtheuniversityarestillcommonlycoupledtogetherassubdivisionsofacomplexwhole;butthisholdingtogetherofthetwodisparateschoolsisatthebestafreakofaimlesssurvival。Attheworst,andmorecommonly,itistheresultofagrossambitionformagnitudeonthepartofthejointdirectorate。Whetherthecollegelivesbyitselfasanindependentestablishmentonafoundationofitsown,orisinpointoflegalformalityasubdivisionoftheuniversityestablishment,ittakesitsplaceintheeducationalschemeasseniormemberofthesecondaryschoolsystem,anditbearsnopeculiarlycloserelationtotheuniversityasaseatoflearning。Attheclosestitstandstotheuniversityintherelationofafittingschool;morecommonlyitsrelationsarecloserwiththeordinaryprofessionalandvocationalschools;andforthemostpartitstandsinnorelation,beyondthatofjuxtaposition,withtheoneortheother。
TheattempttoholdthecollegeandthenomeanstogetherinbondsofostensibleSolidarityisbyuniversityanadvisedlyconcertedadjustmenttotheneedsofscholarshipastheyruntoday。ByhistoricalaccidenttheolderAmericanuniversitieshavegrownintobearingonthegroundofanunderlyingcollege,andtheexternalconnectionsoinheritedhasnotusuallybeensevered;andbyill—advised,orperhapsunadvised,imitationtheyoungeruniversitieshaveblunderedintoencumberingthemselveswithanundergraduatedepartmenttosimulatethispresumptivelyhonourablepedigree,tothedetrimentbothoftheuniversityandofthecollegesoboundupwithit。Bythisarrangementthecollege——undergraduatedepartment——fallsintothepositionofanappendage,asideissue,tobetakencareofbyafterthoughtonthepartofabodyofmenwhosechieflegitimateinterestruns——shouldrun——onotherthingsthantheefficientmanagementofsuchanundergraduatetraining—school,——providedalwaysthattheyareabonafideuniversityfaculty,andnotabodyofsecondary—schoolteachersmasqueradingundertheassumednameofauniversity。
Themotivetothisinclusionofanundergraduatedepartmentintheneweruniversitiesappearscommonlytohavebeenaheadlongeagernessonthepartofthecorporateauthoritiestoshowacompleteestablishmentoftheconventionallyacceptedpattern,andtoenrollasmanystudentsaspossible。
Whatevermayhavebeentruefortheearliertime,whentheAmericancollegefirstgrewupandflourished,itisbeyondquestionthattheundergraduatedepartmentwhichtakestheplaceofthecollegetodaycannotberatedasaninstitutionofthehigherlearning。Atthebestitisnowaschoolforpreliminarytraining,preparatorytoenteringonthecareeroflearning,orinpreparationforthefurthertrainingrequiredfortheprofessions;butitisalso,andchiefly,anestablishmentdesignedtogivetheconcludingtouchestotheeducationofyoungmenwhohavenodesignsonlearning,beyondthecloseofthecollegecurriculum。Itaimstoaffordaroundeddisciplinetothosewhosegoalisthelifeoffashionorofaffairs。Howwell,orhowill,thecollegemaycombinethesetwounrelatedpurposesisaquestionthatdoesnotimmediatelyconcernthepresentinquiry。ItistouchedonhereonlytopointthecontrastbetweentheAmericancollegeandtheuniversity。
Itfollowsfromthecharacteroftheirworkthatwhiletheuniversityshouldoffernosetcurriculum,thecollegehas,properly,nothingelsetooffer。Buttheretentionorinclusionofthecollegeanditsaimswithintheuniversitycorporationhasnecessarilyledtotheretentionofcollegestandardsandmethodsofcontroleveninwhatisorpurportstobeuniversitywork;sothatitisbynomeansunusualtofinduniversity(graduate)workscheduledintheformofacurriculum,withallthatboarding—schoolcircumstanceandapparatusthatissounavoidableanevilinallundergraduatetraining。Ineffect,theoutcomeoftheseshort—sightedattemptstotakecareofthehigherlearningbythemeansandmethodoftheboys’school,commonlyistoeliminatethehigherlearningfromthecaseandsubstitutetheaimsandresultsofaboys’training—school。
Undergraduateworkbeingtaskwork,itispossible,withoutfataleffect,toreduceittostandardunitsoftimeandvolume,andsocontrolandenforceitbyasystemofaccountancyandsurveillance;themethodsofcontrol,accountancyandcoercionthatsocometobeworkedouthaveallthatconvincingappearanceoftangibleefficiencythatbelongstoanymechanicallydefinedandstatisticallyaccountableroutine,suchaswillalwayscommenditselftothespiritoftheschoolmaster;thetemptationtoapplysuchmethodsofstandardizedroutinewhereveritisatallfeasibleisalwayspresent,anditiscogentlyspokenforbyallthosetowhomdrillisamoreintelligibleconceptionthanscholarship。Theworkoflearning,whichdistinctivelybelongsintheuniversity,ontheotherhand,isamatterofpersonalcontactandco—operationbetweenteacherandstudent,andisnotmeasurableinstatisticalunitsoramenabletomechanicaltests;
themenengagedinthisworkcanaccordinglyoffernothingofthesamedefinitecharacterinplaceoftherigidroutineandaccountancyadvocatedbytheschoolmasters;andtheoutcomeinnearlyallcaseswherethecontrolofbothdepartmentsvestsinonecompositecorporatebody,asitusuallydoes,isthegradualinsinuationofundergraduatemethodsandstandardsinthegraduateschool;untilwhatisnominallyuniversityworksettlesdown,ineffect,intonothingmorethananextensionoftheundergraduatecurriculum。Thiseffectishadpartlybyreducingsuchofthegraduatecoursesasarefoundamenabletotheformalitiesoftheundergraduateroutine,andpartlybydispensingwithsuchgraduateworkaswillnotlenditself,evenostensibly,totheschoolmaster’smethods。
Whathasbeensaidofthecollegeinthisconnectionholdstrueinthemainalsooftheprofessionalandtechnicalschools。
Intheiraims,methodsandachievementstheseschoolsare,inthenatureofthecase,foreigntothehigherlearning。Thisis,ofcourse,notsaidindisparagementoftheirwork;ratherthecontrary。Asisthecasewiththecollege,sotheseschoolsalsoareoftenincludedintheuniversitycorporationbytiesofanexternalandfactitiouskind,frequentlybytermsofthecharter。
Butthisformalinclusionofthemunderthecorporatecharterdoesnotsetasidethesubstantialdiscrepancybetweentheirpurpose,workandanimusandthoseoftheuniversityproper。Itcanonlyservetotroublethesingle—mindednessofboth。Itleavesboththepursuitoflearningandtheworkofpreparationfortheprofessionssomewhatatlooseends,confusedwiththebootlessillusionthattheyare,insomereconditeway,parallelvariantsofasinglelineofwork。
Inaimandanimusthetechnicalandprofessionalschoolsare"practical,"inthemostthoroughgoingmanner;whilethepursuitofknowledgethatoccupiesthescientistsandscholarsisnot"practical"intheslightestdegree。Thedivergentlinesofinteresttobetakencareofbytheprofessionalschoolsandtheuniversity,respectively,areaswidelyoutoftouchasmaywellbewithinthegeneralfieldofhumanknowledge。Theoneisanimatedwhollybyconsiderationsofmaterialexpediency,andtherangeofitsinterestandeffortsisstrictlylimitedbyconsiderationoftheusefuleffecttowhichtheproficiencythatitgivesistobeturned;theotherknowsnothingofexpediency,andisinfluencedbynoconsiderationofutilityordisutility,initsappreciationoftheknowledgetobesought。Theanimusoftheoneisworldlywisdom;oftheother,idlecuriosity。Thetwoareincommensurablyatvariancesofarasregardstheirpurpose,andingreatmeasurealsoasregardstheirmethodsofwork,andnecessarilyso。
Butwithallthisdivergenceofpurposeandanimusthereisafterallabroadandverysubstantialbondofcommunitybetweenthetechnicalschools,ontheonehand,andtheproperworkoftheuniversity,ontheotherhand,inthatthetwoare,ingreatmeasure,occupiedwiththesamegeneralrangeofmaterialsandemploysomewhatthesamelogicalmethodsinhandlingthesematerials。Buttherelationthatresultsfromthiscommunityofmaterialisalmostwhollyexternalandmechanical。Nordoesitsetupanypresumptionthatthetwoshouldexpedientlybeincludedinthesamecorporateestablishment,oreventhattheyneedbenearneighborsorneedmaintainpeculiarlycloserelationsofpersonnel。Thetechnicalschools,andinalessdegreetheprofessionalschoolsnotproperlyclassedastechnical,dependinlargemeasureonresultsworkedoutbythescientists,whoproperlybelongintheuniversities。Butthematerialsomadeuseoffortechnicalendsaretakenoverandturnedtoaccountwithoutafterthought。Thetechnologist’sworkisrelatedtothatofthescientistsverymuchastheworkofthedesignerisrelatedtothatoftheinventor。Toaconsiderableextentthescientistssimilarlydependontheworkofthetechnicalmenforinformation,andforcorrectionandverificationoftheirowntheoreticalwork。Butthereis,onthisaccount,nothingtogainbyassociatinganygiventechnicalschoolwithanygivenuniversityestablishment;incorporationinanygivenuniversitydoesnotinanydegreefacilitatetheutilizationoftheresultsofthesciencesbythetechnicalmen;
norisitfoundinpracticetofurthertheworkofthesciences。
Theschoolsinquestiondonotinanypeculiardegreedrawontheworkofthescientistsattachedtotheirparticularuniversity,nordothesescientists,ontheotherhand,haveanyspecialusefortheworkoftheirassociatedtechnicalschools。Ineithercasethesourcedrawnonisthegeneralliteratureofthesubject,thebodyofmaterialsavailableatlarge,nottheworkofparticularmenattachedtoparticularschools。Thegeneralizationsofscienceareindispensabletothetechnicalmen;butwhattheydrawonisthebodyofscienceatlarge,regardlessofwhatanygivenuniversityestablishmentmayhavehadtodowiththeworkoutofwhichtheparticularitemsofscientificinformationhaveemerged。Noristhisscientificmaterialusefultothetechnologistsforthefurtherpursuitofscience;tothemthescientificresultsaredata,rawmaterialtobeturnedtopracticaluse,notmeansbywhichtocarryscientificinquiryouttofurtherresults。
Similarly,theprofessionsandthetechnicalschoolsaffordvaluabledatafortheuseoftheprofessedscholarsandscientists,informationthatservesasmaterialofInvestigation,orthatwillatleastbeusefulasameansofextendingcorrecting,verifyingandcorrelatinglinesofinquiryonwhichtheyareengaged。Butthefurtherbearingofthesefactsupontheaffairsoflife,theirexpediencyorfutility,isofnointerestorconsequence。Theaffairsoflife,excepttheaffairsoflearning,donottouchtheinterestoftheuniversitymanasascholarorscientist。Whatisofimportancetohiminallthesematterswithwhichtheprofessionsandtechnologistsarebusyistheirbearingonthosemattersoffactintowhichhisscientificinterestleadshimtoinquire。Thetestsandexperimentscarriedoutatthesetechnicalschools,aswellastheexperiencegatheredbythemembersoftheirstaff,willoccasionallyaffordhimmaterialforfurtherinquiryormeanswherebytocheckresultsalreadyarrivedat;butforsuchmaterialhedoesnotbypreferenceresorttoanyoneofthetechnicalschoolsascontrastedwithanyother,anditisquiteanidlequestionwhetherthesourceofanysuchserviceableinformationisaschoolattachedtohisownuniversity。Theinvestigatorfindshismaterialwherehecan;whichcomestosayingthathedrawsonthegeneralbodyoftechnicalknowledge,withnoafterthoughtastowhatparticulartechnicalschoolmayhavestoodinsomerelationorothertotheinformationwhichhefindsuseful。
Neithertothemanengagedinuniversityworknortothetechnicalschoolsthatmayservehimasoccasionalsourcesofmaterialisthereanyadvantagetobederivedfromtheirinclusionintheuniversityestablishment。Indeed,itisadetrimenttobothparties,ashasalreadybeenremarked,butmoredecidedlytotheuniversitymen。Byincludingthetechnicalandprofessionalschoolsintheuniversitycorporationthetechnologistsandprofessionalmenattachedtotheseschoolsarenecessarilyincludedamongtheacademicstaff,andsotheycometotaketheirpartinthedirectionofacademicaffairsatlarge。
Inwhattheysodotowardshapingtheacademicpolicytheywillnotonlycountforalltheyareworth,buttheyarelikelytocountforsomethingmorethantheirdueshareinthisrespect;
fortheyaretosomeextenttrainedtotheconductofaffairs,andsocomeinforsomethingofthatdeferencethatiscurrentlypaidtomenofaffairs,atthesametimethatthispracticaltraininggivesthemanadvantageovertheirpurelyacademiccolleagues,inthegreaterassuranceandadroitnesswithwhichtheyareabletopresenttheircontentions。Byvirtueofthissametraining,aswellasbyforceofcurrentpracticalinterest,thetechnologistandtheprofessionalmanare,likeothermenofaffairs,necessarilyandhabituallyimpatientofanyscientificorscholarlyworkthatdoesnotobviouslylenditselftosomepracticaluse。Thetechnologistappreciateswhatismechanicallyserviceable;theprofessionalman,as,forinstance,thelawyer,appreciateswhatpromisespecuniarygain;andthetwounitewiththebusiness—manatlargeinrepudiatingwhateverdoesnotlookdirectlytosuchautilitarianoutcome。Sothatasmembersoftheacademicstaffthesemenarelikelytocountattheirfullweighttowardthediversionoftheuniversity’sforcesfromdisinterestedscienceandscholarshiptosuchpalpablyutilitarianends。
Buttheactivemeasuressotakenbytheacademicauthoritiesattheinstanceoftheschoolmastersand"practical"menarebynomeanstheonlylinealongwhichtheirpresenceintheacademiccorporationaffectsthecase。Intimateassociationwiththese"utilitarians"unavoidablyhasitscorruptingeffectonthescientistsandscholars,andinducesinthemalsosomethingofthesamebiastoward"practical"resultsintheirwork;sothattheynolongerpursuethehigherlearningwithundividedinterest,butwithmoreorlessofaneyetotheutilitarianmainchance;wherebytheadvantagesofspecialization,whicharethereasonfortheseschools,arelost,andtheprideofthemoderncommunityiswoundedinitsmostsensitivespot——theefficiencyofitsspecialists。
Soalso,ontheotherhand,theformalincorporationofthesetechnologicalandprofessionalmenintheacademicbody,withitsprofessedlysingle—mindedinterestinlearning,hasitseffectontheirframeofmind。Theyare,withoutintendingit,placedinafalseposition,whichunavoidablyleadsthemtocourtaspeciousappearanceofscholarship,andsotoinvesttheirtechnologicaldisciplinewithadegreeofpedantryandsophistication;wherebyitishopedtogivetheseschoolsandtheirworksomescientificandscholarlyprestige,andsoliftittothatdignitythatispressedtoattachtoanon—utilitarianpursuitoflearning。
Doubtlessthispursuitofscholarlyprestigeiscommonlysuccessful,totheextentthatitproducesthedesiredconvictionofaweinthevulgar,whodonotknowthedifference;butallthismake—believescholarship,howeversuccessfullystaged,isnotwhattheseschoolsaredesignedfor;oratleastitisnotwhatisexpectedofthem,norisitwhattheycandobestandmostefficiently。
Tothesubstantialgainofbothparties,thoughwithsomelesionofthevanityofboth,theseparationbetweentheuniversityandtheprofessionalandtechnicalschoolsshouldbecarriedthroughandmadeabsolute。Onlyonsuchconditionscaneithertheoneortheotherdoitsownworkinaworkmanlikemanner。Withintheuniversityprecinctsanyaimorinterestotherthanthoseofirresponsiblescienceandscholarship——pursuitofmatter—of—factknowledge——aretoberatedasinterlopers。