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true to the facts； taken in a generalized way； and it describes
the type to which the American schools unavoidably gravitate by
force of the community's long…term idealistic impulsion； in so
far as their drift is not continually corrected and offset by
vigilant authorities who； from motives of their own； seek to turn
the universities to account in one way and another。 It describes
an institutional ideal； not necessarily an ideal nursed by any
given individual； but the ideal logically involved in the scheme
of modern civilization； and logically coming out of the
historical development of Western civilization hitherto； and
visible to any one who will dispassionately stand aside and look
to the drift of latterday events in so far as they bear on this
matter of the higher learning； its advancement and conservation。
Many if not most of those men who are occupied with the
guidance of university affairs would disown such a projected
ideal； as being too narrow and too unpractical to fit into the
modern scheme of things； which is above all else a culture of
affairs； that it does not set forth what should be aimed at by
any who have the good of mankind at heart； or who in any sensible
degree appreciate the worth of real work as contrasted with the
leisurely intellectual finesse of the confirmed scientist and man
of letters。 These and the like objections and strictures may be
well taken； perhaps。 The question of what； in any ulterior sense；
ought to be sought after in the determination of academic policy
and the conduct of academic affairs will； however； not coincide
with the other question； as to what actually is being
accomplished in these premises； on the one hand； nor as to what
the long…term cultural aspirations of civilized men are setting
toward； on the other hand。
Now； it is not intended here to argue the merits of the
current cultural ideals as contrasted with what； in some ulterior
sense； ought to be aimed at if the drift of current aspirations
and impulse should conceivably permit a different ideal to be put
into effect。 It is intended only to set forth what place； in
point of fact and for better or worse； the higher learning and
the university hold in the current scheme of Western
civilization； as determined by that body of instinctive
aspirations and proclivities that holds this civilization to its
course as it runs today； and further to show how and how far
certain institutional factors comprised in this modern scheme of
life go to help or hinder the realization of this ideal which
men's aspirations and proclivities so make worth while to them。
The sketch here offered in characterization of the university and
its work； therefore； endeavours to take account of the
community's consensus of impulses and desires touching the animus
and aims that should move the seminaries of the higher learning；
at the same time that it excludes those subsidiary or alien
interests in whose favour no such consensus is found to prevail。
There are many of these workday interests； extraneous to the
higher learning； each and several of which may be abundantly good
and urgent in its own right； but； while they need not be at cross
purposes with the higher learning； they are extraneous to that
disinterested pursuit of knowledge in which the characteristic
intellectual bent of modern civilization culminates。 These others
are patent； insistent and palpable； and there need be no
apprehension of their going by default。 The intellectual
predilection the idle curiosity abides and asserts itself
when other pursuits of a more temporal but more immediately
urgent kind leave men free to take stock of the ulterior ends and
values of life； whereas the transient interests； preoccupation
with the ways and means of life； are urgent and immediate； and
employ men's thought and energy through the greater share of
their life。 The question of material ways and means； and the
detail requirements of the day's work； are for ever at hand and
for ever contest the claims of any avowed ulterior end； and by
force of unremitting habituation the current competitive system
of acquisition and expenditure induces in all classes such a bias
as leads them to overrate ways and means as contrasted with the
ends which these ways and means are in some sense designed to
serve。
So； one class and another； biassed by the habitual
preoccupation of the class； will aim to divert the academic
equipment to some particular use which habit has led them to rate
high； or to include in the academic discipline various lines of
inquiry and training which are extraneous to the higher learning
but which the class in question may specially have at heart； but
taking them one with another； there is no general or abiding
consensus among the various classes of the community in favour of
diverting the academic establishment to any other specific uses；
or of including in the peculiar work of the university anything
beyond the pursuit of knowledge for its own sake。
Now； it may be remarked by the way； that civilized mankind
should have come so to set their heart on this chase after a
fugitive knowledge of inconsequential facts may be little to the
credit of the race or of that scheme of culture that so centres
about this cult of the idle curiosity。 And it is perhaps to their
credit； as well as to the credit of the community whose creatures
they are； that the spokesmen of some tangible ideal； some
materially expedient aspiration； embodying more of worldly
wisdom； are for ever urging upon the institutions of the higher
leaning one or another course of action of a more palpably
expedient kind。 But； for better or worse； the passage of time
brings out the fact that these sober and sensible courses of
policy so advocated are after all essentially extraneous； if not
alien； to those purposes for which a university can be
maintained； on the ground afforded by the habits of thought
prevalent in the modern civilized community。
One and another of these 〃practical〃 and expedient interests
have transiently come to the front in academic policy； and have
in their time given a particular bent to the pursuit of knowledge
that has occupied the universities。 Of these extraneous interests
the two most notable have； as already indicated above； been the
ecclesiastical and the political。 But in the long run these
various interests and ideals of expediency have； all and several；
shown themselves to be only factional elements in the scheme of
culture； and have lost their preferential voice in t