the higher learning in america-第16章
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course； though it is commonly the quasi…scholarship of the
popular raconteur that comes in evidence in these premises； and
the fact that these incumbents of executive office show so much
of scholarly animus and attainments as they do is in great
measure a fortuitous circumstance。 It is； indeed； a safe
generalization that in point of fact the average of university
presidents fall short of the average of their academic staff in
scholarly or scientific attainments； even when all persons
employed as instructors are counted as members of the staff。 It
may also be remarked by the way that when； as may happen； a
scholar or scientist takes office as directive head of a
university； he is commonly lost to the republic of learning； he
has in effect passed from the ranks of learning to those of
business enterprise。
The upshot of it all should be that when and in so far as a
businesslike governing board delegates powers to the university's
academic head； it delegates these powers to one of their own
kind； who is somewhat peremptorily expected to live up to the
aspirations that animate the board。 What such a man； so placed；
will do with the powers and opportunities that so devolve on him
is a difficult question that can be answered only in terms of the
compulsion of the circumstances in which he is placed and of the
moral wear and tear that comes of arbitrary powers exercised in a
tangle of ambiguities。（7*）
NOTES：
1。 An instance showing something of the measure and incidence of
fiscal service rendered by such a businesslike board may be
suggestive； even though it is scarcely to be taken as faithfully
illustrating current practice； in that the particular board in
question has exercised an uncommon measure of surveillance over
its university's pecuniary concerns。
A university corporation endowed with a large estate
（appraised at something over 30；000；000） has been governed by a
board of the usual form； with plenary discretion； established on
a basis of co…optation。 In point of practical effect； the board；
or rather that fraction of the board which takes an active
interest in the university's affairs； has been made up of a group
of local business men engaged in divers enterprises of the kind
familiar to men of relatively large means； with somewhat
extensive interests of the nature of banking and underwriting；
where large extensions of credit and the temporary use of large
funds are of substantial consequence。 By terms of the corporate
charter the board was required to render to the governor of the
state a yearly report of all the pecuniary affairs of the
university； but no penalty was attached to their eventual failure
to render such report； though some legal remedy could doubtless
have been had on due application by the parties in interest； as
e。 g。； by the academic head of the university。 No such report has
been rendered； however； and no steps appear to have been taken to
procure such a report； or any equivalent accounting。 But on
persistent urging from the side of his faculty； and after some
courteous delay； the academic head pushed an inquiry into the
corporation's finances so far as to bring out facts somewhat to
the following effect：
The board； or the group of local business men who constituted
the habitual working majority of the board； appear to have kept a
fairly close and active oversight of the corporate funds
entrusted to them； and to have seen to their investment and
disposal somewhat in detail and； it has been suggested；
somewhat to their own pecuniary advantage。 With the result that
the investments were found to yield a current income of some
three per cent。 （rather under than over）； in a state where
investment on good security in the open market commonly yielded
from six per cent to eight per cent。 Of this income approximately
one…half （apparently some forty…five per cent） practically
accrued to the possible current use of the university
establishment。 Just what disposal was made of the remainder is
not altogether clear； though it is loosely presumed to have been
kept in hand with an eventual view to the erection and repair of
buildings。 Something like one…half of what so made up the
currently disposable income was further set aside in the
character of a sinking fund； to accumulate for future use and to
meet contingencies； so that what effectually accrued to the
university establishment for current use to meet necessary
academic expenditures would amount to something like one per cent
（or less） on the total investment。 But of this finally disposable
fraction of the income； again； an appreciable sum was set aside
as a special sinking fund to accumulate for the eventual use of
the university library； which； it may be remarked； was in the
meantime seriously handicapped for want of funds with which to
provide for current needs。 So also the academic establishment at
large was perforce managed on a basis of penurious economy； to
the present inefficiency and the lasting damage of the
university。
The figures and percentages given above are not claimed to be
exact； it is known that a more accurate specification of details
would result in a less favourable showing。
At the time when these matters were disclosed （to a small
number of the uneasy persons interested） there was an ugly
suggestion afloat touching the pecuniary integrity of the board's
management； but this is doubtless to be dismissed as being merely
a loose expression of ill…will； and the like is also doubtless to
be said as regards the suggestion that there may have been an
interested collusion between the academic head and the active
members of the board。 These were 〃all honourable men；〃 of great
repute in the community and well known as sagacious and
successful men in their private business ventures。
2。 Cf。 The Instinct of Workmanship； ch。 vii； pp。 343…352。
3。 A subsidiary reason of some weight should not be overlooked in
seeking the cause of this secularization of the boards； and of
the peculiar colour which the secularization has given them。 In
any community where wealth and business enterprise are held in
such high esteem； men of wealth and of affairs are not only
deferred to； but their countenance is sought from one motive and
another。 At the same time election to one of these boards has
come to have a high value as an honourable distinction。 Such
election or appointment therefore is often sought from motives of
vanity； and it is at the same time a convenient means of
conciliating the good will of the wealthy incumbent。
It may be added that now and again the discretionary control
of large funds which so falls to the members of the board may
come to be pecuniarily profitable to them； so that the office may
come to be attractive as a business proposition as well as in
point of prestige。 Instances of the kind are not wholly unknown；
though presumably exceptional。
4。 Cf。； e。 g。。 R。 T。 Crane。 The Futility of All Kinds of Higher
Schooling； especially part I； ch。 iv。
5。 Cf。 R。T。 Crane； as above； especially part I； ch。 ii。 iii； and
vi。 Cf。 also H。P。 Judson； The Higher Education as a Training for
Business； where the case is argued in a typically commonplace and
matter…of…fact spirit； but where 〃The Higher Education〃 is taken
to mean the undergraduate curriculum simply； also 〃A Symposium on
the value of humanistic； particularly classical； studies as a
training for men of affairs；〃 Proceedings of the Classical
Conference at Ann Arbor； Michigan； April 3； 1909。
6。 Cf。 Bacon； Essays 〃Of Cunning〃； and 〃Of Wisdom for a Man's
Self。〃
7。 Cf。 ch。 viii； especially pp。 242…269。
CHAPTER III
The Academic Administration and Policy
Men dilate on the high necessity of a businesslike
organization and control of the university； its equipment；
personnel and routine。 What is had in mind in this insistence on
an efficient system is that these corporations of learning shall
set their affairs in order after the pattern of a well…conducted
business concern。 In this view the university is conceived as a
business house dealing in merchantable knowledge； placed under
the governing hand of a captain of erudition； whose office it is
to turn the means in hand to account in the largest feasible
output。 It is a corporation with large funds； and for men biased
by their workday training in business affairs it comes as a
matter of course to rate the university in terms of investment
and turnover。 Hence the insistence on business capacity in the
executive heads of the universities； and hence also the extensive
range of businesslike duties and powers that devolve on them。
Yet when all these sophistications of practical wisdom are
duly allowed for； the fact remains that the university is； in
usage； precedent； and common sense preconception； an
establishment for the conservation and advancement of the higher
learning； devoted to a disinterested pursuit of knowledge。 As
such； it consists of a body of scholars and scientists； each and
several of whom necessarily goes to his work on his own
initiative and pursues it in his own way。 This work necessarily
follows an orderly sequence and procedure； and so takes on a
systematic form； of an organic kind。 But the system and order
that so govern the work； and that come into view in its procedure
and results； are the logical system and order of intellectual
enterprise； not the mechanical or statistical systematization
that goes into effect in the management of an industrial plant or
the financiering of a business corporation。
Those items of human intelligence and initiative that go to
make up the pursuit of knowledge； and that are embodied in
systematic form in its conclusions； do not lend themselves to
quantitative statement； and can not be made to appear on a
balance…sheet。 Neither can that intellectual initiative and
proclivity that goes in as the indispensable motive force in the
pursuit of learning be reduced to any known terms of
subordination； obedience； or authoritative direction。 No scholar
or scientist can become an employee in respect of his scholarly
or scientific work。 Mechanical systematizatio
