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perfect flower of the secularization of the universities。 And as
has already been remarked above； there is also a wide…sweeping
movement afoot to bend the ordinary curriculum of the higher
schools to the service of this cult of business principles； and
so to make the ordinary instruction converge to the advancement
of business enterprise； very much as it was once dutifully
arranged that the higher instruction should be subservient to
religious teaching and consonant with the demands of devout
observances and creeds。
It is not that the College of Commerce stands alone as the
exponent of worldly wisdom in the modern universities； nor is its
position in this respect singular； except in the degree of its
remoteness from all properly academic interests。 Other training
schools； as in engineering and in the other professions； belong
under the same general category of practical aims； as contrasted
with the aims of the higher learning。 But the College of Commerce
stands out pre…eminent among these various training schools in
two respects： （a） While the great proportion of training for the
other professions draws largely on the results of modern science
for ways and means； and therefore includes or presumes a degree
of familiarity with the work； aims and methods of the sciences；
so that these schools have so much of a bond of community with
the higher learning； the school of commerce on the other hand
need scarcely take cognizance of the achievements of science； nor
need it presume any degree of acquaintance on the part of its
students or adepts with the matter or logic of the sciences；（8*）
（b） in varying degrees； the proficiency given by training in the
other professional schools； and required for the efficient
pursuit of the other professions； may be serviceable to the
community at large； whereas the business proficiency inculcated
by the schools of commerce has no such serviceability； being
directed singly to a facile command of the ways and means of
private gain。（9*） The training that leads up to the several other
professions； of course； varies greatly in respect of its draught
on scientific information； as well as in the degree of its
serviceability to the community； some of the professions； as； e。
g。； Law； approach very close to the character of business
training； both in the unscientific and unscholarly nature of the
required training and in their uselessness to the community；
while others； as； e。 g。； Medicine and the various lines of
engineering； differ widely from commercial training in both of
these respects。 With the main exception of Law （and； some would
add； of Divinity？） the professional schools train men for work
that is of some substantial use to the community at large。 This
is particularly true of the technological schools。 But while the
technological schools may be occupied with work that is of
substantial use； and while they may draw more or less extensively
on the sciences for their materials and even for their methods；
they can not； for all that； claim standing in the university on
the ground of that disinterested intellectual enterprise which is
the university's peculiar domain。
The professional knowledge and skill of physicians； surgeons；
dentists； pharmacists； agriculturists； engineers of all kinds；
perhaps even of journalists； is of some use to the community at
large； at the same time that it may be profitable to the bearers
of it。 The community has a substantial interest in the adequate
training of these men； although it is not that intellectual
interest that attaches to science and scholarship。 But such is
not the case with the training designed to give proficiency in
business。 No gain comes to the community at large from increasing
the business proficiency of any number of its young men。 There
are already much too many of these businessmen； much too astute
and proficient in their calling； for the common good。 A higher
average business efficiency simply raises activity and avidity in
business to a higher average pitch of skill and fervour； with
very little other material result than a redistribution of
ownership； since business is occupied with the competitive
wealth； not with its production。 It is only by a euphemistic
metaphor that we are accustomed to speak of the businessmen as
producers of goods。 Gains due to such efficiency are differential
gains only。 They are a differential as against other businessmen
on the one hand； and as against the rest of the community on the
other hand。 The work of the College of Commerce； accordingly； is
a peculiarly futile line of endeavour for any public institution；
in that it serves neither the intellectual advancement nor the
material welfare of the community。
The greater the number and the higher the proficiency of the
community's businessmen； other things equal； the worse must the
rest of the community come off in that game of skilled bargaining
and shrewd management by which the businessmen get their gains。
Gratuitous or partly gratuitous training for business will
presumably increase the number of highly proficient businessmen。
As the old…fashioned economists would express it； it will
increase the number of 〃middlemen；〃 of men who 〃live by their
wits。〃 At the same time it should presumably increase the average
efficiency of this increased number。 The outcome should be that
the resulting body of businessmen will be able； between them； to
secure a larger proportion of the aggregate wealth of the
community； leaving the rest of the community poorer by that
much；except for that （extremely doubtful） amount by which shrewd
business management is likely to increase the material
wealth…producing capacity of the community。 Any such presumed
increase of wealth…producing capacity is an incidental
concomitant of business traffic； and in the nature of the case it
can not equal the aggregate increased gain that goes to the
businessmen。 At the best the question as to the effect which such
an aggregate increased business efficiency will have on the
community's material welfare is a question of how large the net
loss will be； that it will entail a net loss on the community at
large is in fact not an open question。
A college of commerce is designed to serve an emulative
purpose only individual gain regardless of； or at the cost of；
the community at large and it is； therefore； peculiarly
incompatible with the collective cultural purpose of the
university。 It belongs in the corporation of learning no more
than a department of athletics。（10*） Both a