Universities and Research

Abstract

AT the discussion in Edinburgh on the proposed National Laboratory, Lord Kelvin and Sir Geo. Stokes took marked exception to my contention that the primary business of Universities was research, contending that it was teaching. In a sense their contention is true, but not in contradistinction to my contention. The distinction would hardly be worth fighting over were it not that they took up the further ground that only those researches should be engaged in Universities which were likely to interest the students. Of course the leaders of science can if they choose sell the great birthright of Universities for a mess of fees, but I hope they will not be permitted to do so without protest. What view the democracy take of Universities is of the very last importance with our democratic institutions, and I trust all those who have the welfare of the nation at heart will protest against the Universities being turned into coach-houses. In this connection it is most important to bear in mind the distinction between the functions of Universities and those of schools and colleges. The function of these latter is primarily to teach those who resort to them. The function of the University is primarily to teach mankind. In former days, when the means for distributing information were very imperfect, students used to flock from all sides to learn directly from a great mind. Nowadays the great mind distributes his teaching broadcast. In old days the only way to learn what was being done to advance knowledge was to go to the place where knowledge was being advanced. Nowadays we read the Transactions of our learned societies at home. But at all times the greatest men have always held that their primary duty was the discovery of new knowledge, the creation of new ideas for all mankind, and not the instruction of the few who found it convenient to reside in their immediate neighbourhood. Not that I desire to minimize the immense importance of personal influence, it is overwhelming; but it is a question quite beside the one at issue, which is whether the advance of knowledge by research and the teaching of the whole nation by the discoveries made is not rather the primary object of Universities than the instruction of the few students who gather in their halls: that is the real question at issue between Lord Kelvin, Sir Geo. Stokes, and myself. Are the Universities to devote the energies of the most advanced intellects of the age to the instruction of the whole nation, or to the instruction of the few whose parents can afford them an, in some places fancy, education that can in the nature of things be only attainable by the rich?