108 INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF EDUCATION.
success. The college professor may conduct brilliant investigations in
history, or philosophy, or philology ; he may, even with inferior equip-
aient, make a new epoch in some branch of natural science. Chicago’s
astronomer, Burnham, did much for science before he looked through the
‘elescope of the Lick Observatory. Intensity and genius are no exclusive
possessions of the university.
If these views are just, we may say, it is desirable that our universities
should be so far of one type that in any one of them the ordinary student
will find his needs fully met. In them all the various branches of knowl.
edge should be understood, in their most modern phases. All the most
mportant of these branches should be taught, and well taught, in every
aniversity. Or, again, we may say our universities should be of one
spirit rather than of one type. A common spirit will stimulate them all
to do new and valuable work. A common type is to be avoided, such as
must result from the attempt of all to do the same things by trying to do
everything. And, finally, every university may most wisely have a type
of its own. On its own proper lines of development, it should seek the
highest attainable character, imparting freshness and Individuality, and
giving it a place of distinct, perhaps distinguished, honor in the galaxy
of American institutions of learning.
DISCUSSION.
Proressor Davip Fiske, of the University of Chicago, favored the view that univer-
sities should not be of one type, inasmuch as the circle of knowledge is now so vast
that it is utterly impossible for any one faculty to encompass it, and that there was no
reason why we should not have differentiation in universities as well as special pro-
fessors in the departments of knowledge. :
PrusipENT CANFIELD, of the State University of Nebraska, thought American insti-
sutions had not suffered by following pretty closely after one another, and cited the
axample of one university which had remodeled and improved its school of history and
political science because it was followed up by the pressure of other institutions in the
same field ; and thus, instead of being let alone, had been forced to develop by the
sourse pursued by other schools of history and political science.
PROFESSOR SprOULL, Dean of the University of Cincinnati, said he was inclined to
nave institutions specialized. All who had gone through universities in Germany know
chat students stick to those institutions where the professors are prominent in certain
tines. The students accordingly freely change their university from time to time in
order to get under the best professor. If there were ore institution where the best special
‘raining in some one subject could be acquired, it would save time and expense. Pro-
tessor Sproull, while inclined to favor the specializing of universities, was opposed to
she specializing of colleges.
Proressor H. C. CAMERON, of Princeton University, spoke on the difference between
the English and German universities, expressing his preference for the German uni-
versity of four faculties, and his conviction that the older American institutions are
working toward the German conception. He did not wish, without further thought,
to commit himself fully on the subject.
Mr. MeLviL Dewey, Secretary of the Regents of the University of the State of
New York, thought there was need of clear agreement as to what a university was before
‘he question could be satisfactorily discussed, and that a university properly meant
an institution for research or special study in any line of human knowledge for those
who hav ecompleted preliminary work inthe elementary schools ; that is to say, a four
years’ course in the academy, and a four vears’ course in the college.
7
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