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learning； as well as the parents and guardians of possible
opulent students； it is； by and large； necessary to meet them on
their own ground； and to bring into view such evidence of culture
and intelligence as will readily be appreciated by them。 To this
end a large and well appointed domestic establishment is more
fortunate than a smaller one； abundant； well…chosen and
well…served viands； beverages and narcotics will also
felicitously touch the sensibilities of these men who are
fortunate enough to have learned their virtue； the better； that
is to say； on the whole； the more costly； achievements in dress
and equipage will 〃carry farther〃 in these premises than a
penurious economy。 In short； it is well that those who may be
called to stand spokesmen for the seat of learning in its contact
with men and women of substantial means； should be accustomed to；
and should be pecuniarily competent for； a scale of living
somewhat above that which the ordinary remuneration for academic
work will support。 An independent income； therefore； is a
meritorious quality in an official scholar。
The introduction of these delegates from the well…to…do among
the academic personnel has a further； secondary effect that is
worth noting。 Their ability freely to meet any required pecuniary
strain； coupled with that degree of social ambition that commonly
comes with the ability to pay； will have a salutary effect in
raising the standard of living among the rest of the staff；
salutary as seen from the point of view of the bureau of
publicity。 In the absence of outside resources； the livelihood of
academic men is somewhat scant and precarious。 This places them
under an insidious temptation to a more parsimonious manner of
life than the best （prestige） interests of the seat of learning
would dictate。 By undue saving out of their current wages they
may easily give the academic establishment an untoward air of
indigence； such as would be likely to depreciate its prestige in
those well…to…do circles where such prestige might come to have a
commercial value； in the way of donations； and it might at the
same time deter possible customers of the same desirable class
from sending their young men to the university as students。
The American university is not an eleemosynary institution；
it does not plead indigence； except in that Pickwickian sense in
which indigence may without shame be avowed in polite circles；
nor does it put its trust in donations of that sparseness and
modesty which the gifts of charity commonly have。 Its recourse
necessarily is that substantial and dignified class of gifts that
are not given thriftily on compunction of charity； but out of the
fulness of the purse。 These dignified gifts commonly aim to
promote the most reputable interests of humanity； rather than the
sordid needs of creature comfort； at the same time that they
serve to fortify the donor' s good name in good company。
Donations to university funds have something of the character of
an investment in good fame； they are made by gentlemen and
gentlewomen； to gentlemen； and the transactions begin and end
within the circle of pecuniary respectability。 An impeccable
respectability； authentic in the pecuniary respect； therefore；
affords the only ground on which such a seminary of learning can
reasonably claim the sympathetic attention of the only class
whose attentions are seriously worth engaging in these premises；
and respectability is inseparable from an expensive scale of
living； in any community whose scheme of life is conventionally
regulated by pecuniary standards。
It is accordingly expedient； for its collective good repute；
that the members of the academic staff should conspicuously
consume all their current income in current expenses of living。
Hence also the moral obligation incumbent on all members of the
staff and their households to take hands and help in an
endless chain of conspicuously expensive social amenities； where
their social proficiency and their ostensible ability to pay may
effectually be placed on view。 An effectual furtherance to this
desirable end is the active presence among the staff of an
appreciable number who are ready to take the lead at a pace
slightly above the competency of the common run of university
men。 Their presence insures that the general body will live up to
their limit； for in this； as in other games of emulation； the
pace…maker is invaluable。
Besides the incentive so given to polite expenditure by the
presence of a highly solvent minority among the academic
personnel； it has also been found expedient that the directorate
take thought and institute something in the way of an authentic
curriculum of academic festivities and exhibitions of social
proficiency。 A degree of expensive gentility is in this way
propagated by authority； to be paid for in part out of the
salaries of the faculty。
Something in this way of ceremonial functions and public
pageants has long been included in the ordinary routine of the
academic year among the higher American schools。 It dates back to
the time when they were boys' schools under the tutelage of the
clergy； and it appears to have had a ritualistic origin； such as
would comport with what is found expedient in the service of the
church。 By remoter derivation it should probably be found to rest
on a very ancient and archaic faith in the sacramental or magical
efficacy of ceremonial observances。 But the present state of the
case can by no means be set down to the account of aimless
survival alone。 Instead of being allowed in any degree to fall
into abeyance by neglect； the range and magnitude of such
observances have progressively grown appreciably greater since
the principles of competitive business have come to rule the
counsels of the universities。 The growth； in the number of such
observances； in their pecuniary magnitude； in their ritualistic
circumstance； and in the importance attached to them； is greater
in the immediate present than at any period in the past； and it
is； significantly； greater in those larger new establishments
that have started out with few restraints of tradition。 But the
move so made by these younger； freer； more enterprising seats of
learning falls closely in with that spirit of competitive
enterprise that animates all alike though unequally。 1
That it does so； that this efflorescence of ritual and
pageantry intimately belongs in the current trend of things
academic； is shown by the visible proclivity of the older
institutions to f