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assumption that co…ordinate departments in the several
universities should supplement one another's work； an
assumption obvious to the meanest academic common sense。 But
amicable working arrangements of this kind between departments of
different universities； or between the several universities as a
whole； are of course virtually barred out under the current
policy of competitive duplication。 It is out of the question； in
the same manner and degree as the like co…operation between rival
department stores is out of the question。 Yet so urgently right
and good is such a policy of mutual supplement and support；
except as a business proposition； that some exchange of academic
civilities paraded under its cloak is constantly offered to view
in the manoeuvres of the competing captains of erudition。 The
well…published and nugatory（8*） periodic conferences of
presidents commonly have such an ostensible purpose。
Competitive enterprise； reinforced with a sentimental
penchant for large figures； demands a full schedule of
instruction。 But to carry such a schedule and do the work well
would require a larger staff of instructors in each department；
and a larger allowance of funds and equipment； than business
principles will countenance。 There is always a dearth of funds；
and there is always urgent use for more than can be had； for the
enterprising directorate is always eager to expand and project
the business of the concern into new provinces of school
work；secondary； primary； elementary； normal； professional；
technical； manual…training； art schools； schools of music；
elocution； book…keeping； housekeeping； and a further variety that
will more readily occur to those who have been occupied with
devising ways and means of extending the competitive traffic of
the university。 Into these divers and sundry channels of sand the
pressure of competitive expansion is continually pushing
additional half…equipped； under…fed and over…worked ramifications
of the academic body。 And then； too； sane competitive business
practice insists on economy of cost as well as a large output of
goods。 It is 〃bad business〃 to offer a better grade of goods than
the market demands； particularly to customers who do not know the
difference； or to turn out goods at a higher cost than other
competing concerns。 So business exigencies； those exigencies of
economy to which the businesslike governing boards are very much
alive； preclude any department confining itself to the work which
it can do best； and at the same stroke they preclude the
authorities from dealing with any department according to such a
measure of liberality as would enable it to carry on the required
volume of work in a competent manner。
In the businesslike view of the captains of erudition； taken
from the standpoint of the counting…house； learning and
university instruction are a species of skilled labour； to be
hired at competitive wages and to turn out the largest
merchantable output that can be obtained by shrewd bargaining
with their employees； whereas； of course； in point of fact and of
its place in the economic system； the pursuit of learning is a
species of leisure； and the work of instruction is one of the
modes of a life so spent in 〃the increase and diffusion of
knowledge among men。〃 It is to be classed as 〃leisure〃 only in
such a sense of that term as may apply to other forms of activity
that have no economic； and more particularly no pecuniary； end or
equivalence。 It is by no means hereby intended to imply that such
pursuit of knowledge is an aimless or indolent manner of life；
nothing like dissipation has a legitimate place in it； nor is it
〃idle〃 in any other sense than that it is extra…economic； not
without derogation to be classed as a gainful pursuit。 Its aim is
not the increase or utilization of the material means of life；
nor can its spirit and employment be bought with a price。 Any
salary； perquisites； or similar emoluments assigned the scholars
and scientists in the service of civilization； within the
university or without； are （should be） in the nature of a
stipend； designed to further the free use of their talent in the
prosecution of this work； the value of which is not of a
pecuniary kind。 But under the stress of businesslike management
in the universities the drift of things sets toward letting the
work of science and scholarship to the lowest bidder； on a
roughly applicable piece…wage plan。 The result is about such a
degree of inefficiency； waste and stultification as might fairly
be expected； whereof there are abundantly many examples； that
humble the pride of the scholars and rejoice the heart of the
captains of erudition。
The piece…wage plan never goes into effect in set form； or
has not hitherto done so； although there are schools of
nominally university grade in which there is a recognized and
avowed endeavour so to apportion the weekly hours of class…room
exercises to the pay of the teachers as to bring the pay per
class…hour per semester to a passably uniform level for the
general body of the staff。 That the piece…wage plan has so little
avowed vogue in the academic wage scheme may at first sight seem
strange； the body of academic employees are as defenceless and
unorganized as any class of the wage…earning population； and it
is among the unorganized and helpless that the piece…wage plan is
commonly applied with the best effect； at the same time the
system of scholastic accountancy； worked out for other purposes
and already applied both to instructors； to courses of
instruction； and to divisions of the school year； has already
reduced all the relevant items to such standard units and
thorough equivalence as should make a system of piece…wages
almost a matter of course。 That it has not formally been put in
practice appears to be due to tradition； and to that long…term
common sense appreciation of the nature of learning that will
always balk at rating this work as a frankly materialistic and
pecuniary occupation。 The academic personnel； e。 g。； are unable
to rid themselves of a fastidious perhaps squeamish
persuasion that they are engaged in this work not wholly for
pecuniary returns； and the community at large are obscurely； but
irretrievably and irresponsibly； in the same suspicious frame of
mind on that head。 The same unadvised and unformulated persuasion
that academic salaries are after all not honestly to be rated as
wages； is doubtless accountable for certain other features of
academic management touching the pay…roll； notably the fai