• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

AMERICAN Photo from Lester L. Schnare. THE AMERICAN CONSULATE, SWATOW, CHINA Vol. V. November, 1923 No. 11 The World is a Great University From the cradle to the grave we are always in God’s great kinder¬ garten, where everything is try¬ ing to teach us its lesson; to give us its great secret. F^verything has its lesson—it all depends on the eye that can see and the mind that can understand. Can’t you see the rich golden harvest in enterprise and saving? Then why do you waitf Savings Department FEDERAL-AMERICAN NATIONAL BANK WASHINGTON, D. C. W. T. Galliher, Chairman of the Board. John Poole, President. Press of RansdeU Incorporated Washington, D. C. VOL. V, No. II WASHINGTON, D. C. NOVEMBER, 1923 Problems for the Universities and Colleges From an Address Made by the Secretary of State, Honorable Charles Evans Hughes, at Providence, Rhode Island, October 9,1923, at a Dinner Given to President Angell of Yale University. IT is happily still possible to find necessary diseased state of the public mind.” Kent could administrative efficiency without sacrificing see the forces of destruction, but with all his the essential standards of culture, and we pay keenness and wisdom he utterly failed to take our tribute of esteem not simply to position, still account of the conserving forces and the processes less to a mere talent for affairs, but to one who, of a vigorous and sound development. equipped for all the demands of his office, easily But because we do not yield to pessimism is takes his place in university leadership as the no reason why we should ignore the unprece¬ exemplar of America’s best intellectual discipline. dented situation with which we have to deal. Our We come to the university atmosphere with a universities and colleges are giving much thought sense of crowds, of pressure, of excitement, of to the question of how they can save the Nation, the enormous difficulties created by the mass of but their first duty is to consider how they can things. In taking account of these conditions it save themselves. We are flooded, disarranged, should be remembered that there is nothing novel overwhelmed by the sheer force of numbers. Our in dismal forebodings. The other day I came ancient institutions are compelled to resort to across this well-considered appraisal in which the processes of selection that they do not favor. distinguished jurist, Chancellor Kent, over ninety Unable to accommodate all, they are creating years ago passed judgment upon his own time. extraordinary tests to discover those deemed to “We live,” said he, speaking in 1836, “in a period be best fitted for their privileges. I enter no of uncommon excitement. The spirit of the age objection to this course where there is plainly no is restless, presumptuous, and revolutionary. The alternative. But in some way America must con¬ rapidly increasing appetite for wealth, the inor¬ tinue to provide the opportunities of liberal edu- dinate taste for luxury which it engenders, the cat'on for the average man. We must train vehement spirit of speculation and the selfish leaders, we must give of the best to the best, but emulation which it creates, the growing contempt democracy needs not simply a chosen few, but for slow and moderate gains, the ardent thirst for the elevation of the standards of life and thought pleasure and amusement, the diminishing rever¬ among the masses of the people to the fullest ence for the wisdom of the past, the disregard extent practicable. We need not simply technical of the lessons of experience, the authority of and professional schools, business and commer¬ magistracy and the venerable institutions of cial schools, vocational training, but wide oppor¬ ancestral policy, are so many bad symptoms of a tunities for liberal study for those who may not [313] be intellectually the most promising. If our to discountenance those teachers who are not existing universities and colleges are compelled to content with the prizes of distinction which fall restrict their numbers, others must be supplied. to the quiet, industrious and exact searchers for No one who desires and who is reasonably pre¬ truth, but seek notoriety by sensational methods pared to take advantage of higher education and by purveying hasty generalizations and im¬ should be denied it in our great democracy be¬ perfectly considered observations upon matters cause of lack of resources. believed to be of immediate public interest. We find ourselves in the age of the motor, the There is no objection to the desire for vividness, “movie” and the radio, which with freedom of and, of course, there can and should be no re¬ locomotion, novel and easy intimacies, and the straint upon eager interest. There is no objection ever-present and constantly expanding enterprise to realism; on the contrary we demand it if it of the press give us a delusive facility in acquir¬ will only be realism and show life whole. ing information. It is the day of the fleeting When we speak of education in democracy, we vision. Concentration, thoroughness, the quiet have in mind not simply the individual oppor¬ reflection that ripens the judgment are more diffi¬ tunity to acquire knowledge and to possess the cult than ever. agreeable resources of cultivation. We are Facility of communication is agreeable and thinking of the requirements of citizenship, and useful, but it leads not only to making more of the responsibility of the leaders of opinion in numerous and importunate the demands of every a vast population where sound administration is calling, but to a vast waste of time by rendering increasingly difficult. We are blessed with the easy countless intrusions upon serious work. A unifying force of common sense, but a thousand host of organizations spring up to give an arti¬ questions demand the answers of experts; not ficial insistence to these demands. I think that it theorizing, still less the clamor of mere partisans, is the experience of public officers that it is not or the twisted reasoning of the propagandists of the proper work of the office that wears, but the the interests or prejudices of particular groups, unceasing requirements of those who have little but the close and impartial analysis of trained to do with the public business and by their minds. We look out upon a world afflicted with constant importunities for extra-official attention distemper. Suspicion, distrust and hatred are use up the nervous energy which should be de¬ rife and the seeds of strife have been lavishly voted to public service. But so important is the sown. Still with all the unrest that exists there maintenance of good-will, so generous are our are the gratifying results of industry, the reassur¬ American expectations, that it may be said that ing evidences in many countries of the play of a public officer gives about one-half his time in recuperative forces. We cannot change untoward contacts which are really unnecessary in order conditions by preachments. In each case you that he may be in a position to serve the other might examine, you would find sincere convictions one-half. of national interest, a deep sense of grievances, Despite all changes in condition, the old edu¬ age-long antipathies, historic ambitions and rival¬ cational aims remain unaltered—mastery and dis¬ ries. We have no right to feel superior. When criminating judgment. It is not the function of our conceptions of national interest are involved the University to develop mere mental agility, a we can develop as much intensity of feeling as craving for intellectual surprises, a dominant any people, if democracy is to achieve its aims, desire in the language of the day to be able to if peace among the nations is to be assured, it “sell” something, to “put something over.” In will depend upon the supremacy of the disposi¬ the world of slight attention, of content with tion to be reasonable and just; that is, upon the fleeting impressions, of inaccuracies, when the influence of reasonable men. daily food consists largely of rumors and con¬ You cannot make the University a substitute jectures so treated as to be indistinguishable from for the discipline of life; and in all our educa¬ facts, where the truth is almost always belated tional schemes it must never be forgotten that you and is apt to appear after keen interest has been cannot by the study of books obtain the equiv¬ lost, it is far more necessary than ever that our alent of contact with men. But you can create institutions of learning should recognize that their an attitude that favors understanding and dis¬ chief function is to maintain the standards of seminate the knowledge of conditions that leads sober and correct judgment and a fine disdain to an exact appreciation. As we observe the pro¬ for those who make motion a substitute for fusion of educational opportunity not only thought. I believe in the freedom of learning and through varied courses of instruction, but in the in liberty of instruction, but the atmosphere of multitude of books and periodicals, of dramatic our universities and colleges should be such as (Continued on page 333) [314] Along the Road in Northern Haiti By DAMON C. WOODS, Cape Haitien. PLEASING scenery and many diverting are women, as the Haitian countrymen are not sights entertain the traveler on the highway fond of the long tramps or the haggling in the leading south from Cape Haitien to Port market places. Some of the women stop by the au Prince, the capital, 175 miles distant. The road and display their stock on banana leaves or mountain ranges traversed a short distance from in the basket containers, and although sales are the Cape make this section the most picturesque rare they will pass the entire day sitting on their auto mobile heels or roadway to stretched be found in on the the island.

Load more

  32

Copy Link