the higher learning in america-第54节
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vulgar sportsmanlike bent and is unmoved by any dispassionate
interest in matters of science or scholarship； and in proportion；
also； as his habitual outlook is that of the commonplace man of
affairs。 In the uncritical eyes of the commonplace men of
affairs； whose experience in business has trained them into a
quasi…tropismatic approval of notoriety as a means of
advertising； these puerile demonstrations will； of course； have a
high value simply in their own right。 Sentimental chauvinism of
this kind is a good and efficient motive to emulative enterprise；
as far as it goes； but even when backed with the directorate's
proclivity to businesslike make…believe； it can； after all；
scarcely be made to cover the whole voluminous traffic that must
on any consistent view go in under the head of competitive
publicity。
III
The abiding incentives to this traffic in publicity and
genteel observance must be sought elsewhere than in the boyish
emotions of rivalry and clanish elation that animates the
academic staff； or even in the histrionic interest which the
members of the staff or the directorate may have in the prestige
of their own establishment。 The staff； indeed； are not in any
sensible degree accountable for this pursuit of prestige； since
they have but little discretion in these matters； in substance；
the government of a competitive university is necessarily of an
autocratic character； whatever plausible forms of collective
action and advisement it may be found expedient to observe。 The
seat of discretion is in the directorate； though many details of
administration may be left to the deliberations of the staff； so
long as these details do not impinge on the directorate's scheme
of policy。 The impulse and initiative to this enterprise in
publicity； as well as the surveillance and guidance in the
matter； radiates from this centre； and it is here； presumably；
that the incentives to such enterprise are immediately felt。 The
immediate discretion in the conduct of these matters rests in the
hands of the directive academic head； with the aid and advice of
his circle of personal counsellors； and with the backing of the
governing board。
The incentives that decide the policy of publicity and guide
its execution must accordingly be such as will appeal directly to
the sensibilities of the academic head and of the members of the
governing board； and this applies not only as regards the traffic
in publicity by print and public spectacles； but also as regards
the diversion of the corporation of learning to utilitarian ends；
and as regards the traffic in conventional observances and
conformity to popular opinion。 What these incentives may be； that
so appeal to the authorities in discretion； and that move them to
divert the universities from the pursuit of knowledge； is not
altogether easy to say； more particularly it is not easy to find
an explanation that shall take account of the facts and yet
reflect no discredit on the intelligence or the good faith of
these discretionary authorities。
The motives that actuate the members of the governing boards
are perhaps less obscure than those which determine the conduct
of the academic executive。 The governing boards are； in effect；
made up of businessmen； who do not habitually look beyond the
〃practical〃 interest of commercial gain and the commonplaces of
commercial routine and political bravado。 It is （should be）
otherwise with the academic management； who are； by tradition；
presumed to be animated with scholarly ideals； and whose avowed
ulterior motive is in all cases the single…minded furtherance of
the cause of learning。
On its face it should not seem probable that motives of
personal gain； in the form of pecuniary or other material
interest； would have a serious part in the matter。 In all
probability there is in no case a sensible pecuniary gain to the
university as such from its expenditures on publicity； and there
is still less question of gain in any other than the pecuniary
respect。 There is also commonly no very substantial pecuniary
gain to be derived from this business either by the academic head
or by the members of the board； an exceptional instance to the
contrary will not vitiate this general proposition。 It all brings
no appreciable pecuniary return to them； particularly so far as
it is concerned with the pursuit of prestige； and apart from
exceptional； and therefore negligible； cases it admits of no
appreciable conversion of funds to private use。 At the same time
it seems almost an affront to entertain the notion that these
impassively purposeful men of affairs are greatly moved by
personal motives of vanity； vaingloriously seeking renown for
efficiently carrying on a traffic in publicity that has no other
end than renown for efficiently carrying it on。 And yet it will
be found extremely difficult to take account of the facts and at
the same time avoid such an odiously personal interpretation of
them。
Such； indeed； would have to be the inference drawn by any one
who might ingenuously take the available facts at their face
value； not counting as facts the dutiful protestations of the
authorities to the contrary。 But it should be kept in mind that a
transparent ingenuousness is not characteristic of business
phenomena； within the university or without。 A degree of
deviation； or 〃diplomacy；〃 may be forced on the academic
management by the circumstances of their office； particularly by
the one…eyed business sense of their governing boards。 Indeed；
admissions to such an effect are not altogether wanting。
Rated as they are； in the popular apprehension； as gentlemen
and scholars； and themselves presumably accepting this rating as
substantially correct； no feature of the scheme of management
imposed on the academic executive by business principles should
（presumably） be so repugnant to their sensibilities and their
scholarly judgment as this covert but unremitting pursuit of an
innocuous notoriety； coupled as it necessarily is with a
systematic misdirection of the academic forces to unscholarly
ends； but prudential reasons will decide that this must be their
chief endeavour if they are to hold their own as a competitive
university。 Should the academic head allow his sense of scholarly
fitness and expediency to hamper this business of reputable
notoriety； it is； perhaps with reason； feared that such
remissness would presently lead to his retirement from office； at
least something of that kind seems a fair inference from the run
of the facts。 His place would then be supplied by an incumbent
duly qualified on this score of one…eyed business sagacity； and
one who would know how to keep his scholarly impulses in hand。 It
is at least conceivable that the apprehension of some such
contingency may underlie current university management at some
points； and it may there fore in some instances have given the
administration of academic affairs an air of light…headed
futility； when it should rather be credited with a sagaciously
disingenuous yielding to circumstance。
The run of the facts as outlined above； and the line of
inference just indicated as following from them； reflect no great
credit on the manly qualities of the incumbents of executive
office； but the alternative； as also noted above； is scarcely
preferable even in that respect； while it would be even less
flattering to their intellectual powers。 Yet there appears to be
no avoiding the dilemma so presented。 Of disinterested grounds
for the common run of academic policy there seem to be only these
two lines to choose between： either a short…sighted and
headlong conformity to the vulgar prejudice that does not look
beyond 〃practical〃 training and competitive expansion； coupled
with a boyish craving for popular display； or a strategic
compromise with the elders of the Philistines； a futile doing of
evil in the hope that some good may come of it。
This latter line of apology is admissible only in those cases
where the university corporation is in an exceptionally
precarious position in respect of its endowment； where it is in
great need and has much to hope for in the way of pecuniary gain
through stooping to conventional prejudices； that are of no
scholastic value； but that are conceived to bind its potential
benefactors in a web of
