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not rival, the work of the colleges. The spirit of research has seized our American universities. In the past twenty years they have leaped a long way forward toward the standard of the best European institutions.

But more schools for graduate work are needed. The older colleges, hardened and gnarled by the process of historic growth, can not quickly and easily be adapted to meet the new demands. The University of the State of New York, in the lines of its organization and the method of its government, was predestined at its birth for this higher work. Leaving undergraduate training to existing colleges, its hands would be free for encouragement of the most advanced scholarship.

New York in the old university, of which she is justly proud, has an institution which could shortly lead all the universities of America in this special type of learning.

2. An academy for the training of civil officers.-The need of a purer and more efficient civil service is everywhere recognized. That the best way to accomplish this end is by means of proper training schools is an idea likewise common to many minds. Washington, in the same sentences in which he recommended the establishment of the West Point Military Academy for the training of army officers, urged the necessity of a national university, one of the chief aims of which would be training in the science of government. Mr. Casper T. Hopkins, in a thoughtful and suggestive pamphlet, recently published in San Francisco with the title, "Shall we educate our politicians?" even goes so far as to urge the necessity of a special education and training for our legislators. He would have special schools of "statecraft," with the degrees of bachelor, master, and doctor of statecraft. For the main thesis of his pamphlet, that a higher type of politician can be expected only as the result of special training, he presents a series of able arguments supported by telling facts.

Prof. H. B. Adams, in his monograph on the College of William and Mary, has made some admirable suggestions in regard to a “civil academy at Washington."

By adapting to New York conditions some of the proposals of Professor Adams, it will become clear that New York has all the machinery needed for what he calls "the promotion of the higher political education in practical ways." He says: "A civil academy for the training of representative American youth would be as great a boon to the American people as the military and naval academies have already proved." He speaks of New York as uniting two systems of appointment of students, "the West Point plan of taking student appointees from Congressional districts and the Cornell University plan of student appointments for merit." He recommends that such "student appointees or Government fellows" should be under the direction of an educational commission, which should have in charge the government of the academy. New York already possesses such a

commission in the regents of the university. "A few lecture rooms and a working library would suffice. The students should be instructed in physical, historic, and economic geography; in political, constitutional, and diplomatic history; in the modern languages; and in all branches of political science, including political economy, statistics, forestry, administration, international law, comparative methods of legislation, and comparative politics. Instruction should be given in class sections (as at West Point) and in public lectures by Government experts and university specialists, who might be engaged from time to time from different institutions for such services." It is interesting to note that this "merit" system of appointments is an old one in New York. In the law of 1732 for the establishment of "a public school in the city of New York," already described, there is a provision that the schoolmaster shall teach, free of tuition, "the number of 20 youths." They are to be recommended in a certain proportion from the various counties of the colony. "For the cities and counties of New York and Albany, by the respective mayors, recorders, and aldermen thereof, and for the several counties by the justices of the peace at the general sessions to be held for those counties respectively." In the recommendations it was to be certified that "they have been well instructed in reading and writing of English." By a judicious revival of this principle a body of picked young men from every part of the State could be trained at Albany under the direction of the State university to enter into the high civil service of the State; and New York could then not only secure a better civil service in her own departments, but her trained specialists would find their way into every department of the civil service in the other States and in the national civil service as well. It would be another instance of the leadership of New York among the States. In this academy it would be necessary for the university to do work of collegiate grade. No private college could maintain the required discipline. The students must be made to feel that civil service is no less a duty to the State than army service. A military discipline would have to be enforced, and the direct authority of the State alone could do this.

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But the very special character of the academy and the necessarily limited number of students who could have the privilege of attendance would prevent any interference with the work of the colleges. This school would fill a place which the colleges do not fill in any sense. It is the duty of the State to attract to its service the best talent of the State and to train that talent to the service of the State. This is specially necessary at this time when so much of the best intellect of the country is allured into the employ of gigantic private corporations. The State ought not to hold out enormous pecuniary reward to tempt talent to public office. But it is within the power of the State to create a sentiment which shall place the honor of the public service above

1 Pratt's Annals (see Conv. proc. 1869, p. 187).

mere pecuniary reward. A civil" West Point" would do much toward this end.

3. General education in economics and politics.-The scholarly study of political economy and of the principles of civil government is essential to a really successful professional or business career.

When one considers that political issues have become in these later years mainly economic, the importance of a general education of the people in the scientific aspects of their industrial life becomes clear. It is necessary that our legislators and our executive and judicial officers shall understand the effects upon industry, of changes in governmental policy, and that they shall be impressed with the importance of having the economic welfare of the people always before them as the goal of their activity. It is necessary that professional and business men shall understand the relations between the industrial life of the people and the laws and policy of the Government. They must be prepared to bring the force of their opinion to bear upon the public opinion of the country in the face of proposed legislation. For the safe conduct of their business likewise it is essential that they should grasp the scientific principles of their business as well as its practical rules.

Again, it is superlatively necessary that ur people generally should learn something of this economic science which is becoming in our industrial age the great science. Our rulers are chosen from the body of our people by the people themselves. Unless the whole people are trained in economic and political science, how can intelligent elections or intelligent legislation be had? Industry is vastly more important than war to-day. If this country is to achieve the progress it is capable of, the first thing necessary is a right economic. policy wisely chosen and firmly pursued. In the omnipresence of the elective system of government this can never be accomplished without the general education of the people in the principles of economic science and of civil government.

The University of the State of New York has a magnificent opportunity to further this end. The graduate school and the civil academy above spoken of would be great aids in this work. They would reach directly, however, only limited classes. To make their work effective along these lines they must adopt the policy of propagating everywhere the idea of this general political education. They might specifically do this in two ways. First, they might encourage the establishment in all the colleges and academies of the State of schools or departments devoted to economic and political science. They might even make this one of the conditions for the admission of new institutions into the university. Secondly, they might, in their university extension work, make economic and political education the most prominent and important work. This is specially demanded of a State

university. Its duty is toward the State. The industries of the people are the life of the State. In the plan of university extension adopted by the university lies a most efficient means of promoting in every part of the State better knowledge of economic and political science and of stimulating the ambition of the people to know more of these subjects. It would likewise become a great agency in finding and leading out into a public career the special talent that might lie hidden in remote corners of the State for lack of opportunity to develop.

For work along the three lines thus pointed out the adaptation of the University of the State of New York is apparent. Its libraries; its museum; its facilities for publication; its coordination of graded institutions, ramifying into every part of the State; the eminence and dignity of its regents; its central bureau, so efficiently organized; its powers, entirely adequate for the maintenance of its lectureships, for examination and conferring of degrees; its university extension methods, so successfully inaugurated; its convocation, bringing to a focus at the center of government the educated public opinion of the State; its close organic relation to the legislature-these are all characteristics fitting the university to undertake this task.

The graduate work could begin immediately in several departments. For example

1. A graduate school in history and political science, including jurisprudence in its various branches, international law, Roman law, comparative jurisprudence.

2. A graduate school in economics. Besides the theory of economics, public finance, agriculture, forestry, meteorology, banking, insurance, railroads and canals, and other like subjects could be investigated in their economic aspects.

The

3. An advanced school in pedagogics and library training. State Normal College could be affiliated, and, together with the State library, made the basis of this school.

4. A school for advanced scientific work in connection with the State museum, and by proper affiliation with the best scientific and technical schools in the State.

The object of these schools should be research. From them should come learned experts, who could become professors and writers in their specialties.

The civil academy, having for its object the training of men and women for intelligent civil service, would have the same facilities at its command. The university, besides founding professorships, could obtain for special lectures in both these schools eminent professors in the colleges of the State and the specialists in the State departments. Only graduates of the colleges, of the civil academy, and others who should pass satisfactory examinations set by the regents should be admitted to the graduate school. The university should there under

take only the most advanced work. Graduates of the colleges, instead of going to Europe to carry on their researches, would prefer to come to Albany, where they would be more likely to have the opportunity of entering the employ of American universities and of their State or the National Government. The whole country would look to the University of the State of New York for its trained specialists, whether as teachers or as civil officers. The high degrees conferred by the university could be made the most honorable of any in these United States. In the one institution of the university would be realized the most hopeful ideas in American education to-day-the Johns Hopkins University idea of the highest learning, the West Point idea of special training for the public service, and the idea of emphasizing economics and political science as studies of the first importance in a general education, and the university extension idea of making available to all classes of the people all the facilities of the higher educàtion. The university itself would become a true academy of science and letters, with international influence and a world-wide fame; and perhaps at some time not far distant the Government of the United States, again learning from New York, would carry this innovation to the capital of the nation and thus fulfill the dream of Washington.

BIBLIOGRAPHY.

1. NEW YORK (STATE) SENATE AND ASSEMBLY. Journals, specially for the years 1784-1787.

These have been carefully gone over by Daniel J. Pratt, a former assistant secretary of the regents, and extracts made of nearly all entries relating to the founding of the university. These extracts are printed in Pratt's Annals. Mr. Pratt has omitted very few things of importance.

2. NEW YORK (STATE) LEGISLATURE. Acts May 1, 1784; November 26, 1784; April 13, 1787; and Laws of 1889, chapter 529.

To be found in various forms, notably the first three in the Historical and Statistical Record, and the last in the One hundred and third Regents' Report.

3. NEW YORK LEGISLATIVE PAPERS. Nos. 382, 383, 385, and 388.

These have been described in the body of this work.

4. PRATT, DANIEL J. Annals of public education in the State of New York, from 1626 to 1746. Albany, 1872.

Published in a separate volume, but also in the University Convocation proceedings for the years 1868, 1869, 1872, 1873, 1875, 1882. This is a most valuable "collection of the official acts and historical records relating to public education" in New York. The first part covers the Dutch period, from 1626 to 1664, and is preceded by an excellent account of the sources. The second part covers the period from 1664 to 1746, or the English colonial period, down to the movement for founding King's College. The third part is "Legislative grants and franchises enacted for the benefit of academies," and extends from 1786 to 1873. The fourth part relates to the founding of King's College, extending from 1784 to 1787. The sixth part begins at 1787 and gives the proceedings of the regents and legislative action in behalf of literature. It stops with 1790.

5. NEW YORK (STATE) UNIVERSITY. Minutes of the regents, from 1784 to 1787. Printed in Part V of Pratt's Annals. The original records are kept by Columbia College. A copy is held by the regents.

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