按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
do the solemn amenities of social intercourse associated with
this promulgation of lay sermons lend themselves felicitously to
such a purpose； and this contact with the public and its
spokesmen doubtless exercises a powerful control over the
policies pursued by these academic executives； in that it affords
them the readiest； and at the same time the most habitual；
indication as to what line of policy and what details of conduct
will meet with popular approval； and what will not。
Since； then； it is necessarily the endeavour of the
competitive executives to meet the desires of their public as
best they can； consistently with the demands of magnitude and
閏lat imposed by their position as chiefs of these competitive
concerns； it becomes a question of some moment what the character
of this select public opinion may be； to which their
peregrinations expose them； and how far and with what limitations
the public opinion that so habitually impinges on their
sensibilities and shapes their canons of procedure may be taken
as reflecting the sentiments of the public at large； or of any
given class of the population。
The public that so contributes to the habitual bent of the
academic executives is necessarily a select fraction of the
laity； of course； self…selected by virtue of membership in the
various clubs； churches and other like organizations under whose
auspices the edification and amenities in question are commonly
brought into bearing； or by virtue of voluntary attendance at
these occasions of quasi…culture and gentility。 It is somewhat
exclusive fragment of the public； pecuniarily of a middling
grade； as is indeed also its case in other than the pecuniary
respect。 Apart from the （very consequential） convivial gatherings
where businessmen will now and again come together and lend a
genial ear to these executive spokesmen of philandropism； it will
be found that at the audiences； and at their attendant
solemnities of hospitality； the assembly is made up of very much
the same elements as make up the effective constituency of the
moderately well…to…do churches。（9*） Neither the small minority of
the wholly idle rich； nor the great majority who work with their
hands； are present in appreciable force； particularly not the
latter； who are busy elsewhere； nor do the learned class come in
evidence in this connection； except； of course； the 〃scholars
by appointment；〃 within whose official competency lie precisely
such occasions of public evidence。
Doubtless； the largest； tone…giving and effective；
constituent in this self…selected public on whose temper the
university president typically leans； and from whose bent his
canons of circumspection are drawn； is the class of moderately
well…to…do and serious…minded women who have outlived the
distractions of maternity； and so have come to turn their
parental solicitude to the common good； conceived as a
sterilization of the proprieties。 The controlling ideals of
efficiency and expediency in the affairs of the higher learning
accordingly； in so far as they are not a precipitate of
competitive business principles simply； will be chiefly of this
derivation。 Not that the captains of erudition need intimately
harbour precisely those notions of scholarship which this
constituency would enjoin upon them； and for which they dutifully
speak in their conciliatory sermons before these audiences； but
just as happens in all competitive retail business that has to
deal with a large and critical constituency； so here； the
captains find themselves constrained in their management of the
affairs of learning to walk blamelessly in the sight of this
quasi…public spirited wing of the laity that has by force of
circumstances come to constitute the public； as seen in the
perspective of the itinerant philandropist。
The executive and all his works and words must avoid blame
from any source from which criticism might conceivably affect the
traffic with which he is occupied；such is the first of those
politic principles that govern the conduct of competitive
business。 The university must accordingly be managed with a first
view to a creditable rating in those extraneous respects；
touching which that select laity that make up the executive's
effective public are competent to hold convictions。 The resulting
canons of management will be chiefly of the nature of tabus；
since blame is best avoided by a code of avoidance。 and since the
forum in which these tabus are audited is a forum in which the
matronly negations of piety； propriety and genteel usage take
precedence of work； whether scholarly or otherwise； a misdirected
cowardice not infrequently comes to rule the counsels of the
captains of erudition； misdirected not only in the more
obvious sense that its guidance is disserviceable to the higher
learning； but also （what is more to the immediate point） in the
sense that it discredits the executive and his tactics in the
esteem of that workday public that does not habitually give
tongue over the cups at five…o'clock。（10*）
It is perhaps unnecessary； as it would assuredly be
ungraceful； to pursue this quasi…personal inquiry into the
circumstances that so determine that habitual attitude of the
executive。 The difficulties of such an ambiguous position should
be sufficiently evident； and the character of the demands which
this position makes on the incumbent should be similarly evident；
so far as regards conduciveness to clean and honest living within
the premises of this executive office。 It may； however； not be
out of place to call to mind one or two significant； and perhaps
extenuating； traits among those conventions that go to make up
the situation。 Unlike what occurs in the conduct of ordinary
business and in the professions； there has hitherto been worked
out no code of professional ethics for the guidance of men
employed in this vocation； with the sole exception of that
mandatory inter…presidential courtesy that binds all members of
the craft to a strict enforcement of the academic black…list；
all of which leaves an exceptionally broad field for casuistry。
So that； unlike what happens in the business community at large；
no standardization has here determined the limits of legitimate
prevarication； nor can such a standardization and limit be worked
out so long as the executive is required； in effect； to function
as the discretionary employer of his academic staff and hold them
to account as agents for whom he is responsible； at the same time
that he must； in appearance； b