EDUCATION, pp. 107-117.
• "Christian Education" by T. C. Howe, pp. 107-110.
• "The Layman's Relation to Christian Education" by Charles H. Watson, pp. 110-112.
• "The Church College" by Frederick Owen Norton, pp. 112-115.
• "The Church and the College--A New Emphasis Needed" by E. V. Zollars, pp. 115-117.

      "Christian Education"--not religious education. But the term "Christian" is unnecessary. I know no true education that is unchristian. That discipline which leads the child, the youth, the young man, the mature man, out of weakness into strength, out of darkness into light, out of ignorance into knowledge--into the whole truth--out of helpless dependence into a fuller and more perfect service among his fellow-men, into a better relation with his God--is that not ever the true education, the education whose greatest exponent was God's own Son, as he walked manlike for a time among mortals? Is this not the education which we all have in mind, whether it be in public school, in college, in university, where truth is sought and taught?

      Surely to no people more than the Disciples ought to come the longing for a knowledge of the whole truth. If we speak where the word of God speaks and would do his will, we must foster and further every means of knowing his will, as it has been revealed in olden times, and is being revealed in these latter days here, there and everywhere. We must, indeed, be an educational body, quickly sympathetic towards the very spirit of truth and eager to extend its sway.

      The account of the beginning and growth of the American system of education forms a most amazing chapter in our national annals. This may be said of our public schools, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, the colleges, universities and technical schools--the institutions of the so-called higher education.

T. C. HOWE.

      Until 1800, some twenty-five institutions of learning were chartered in this country. The first of these was, of course, Harvard (in 1650), followed by William and Mary's in 1693; then the collegiate school of Connecticut (Yale University) in 1701; the College of New Jersey (Princeton), 1746; King's College, now Columbia, in 1756. Others among these first colleges were the University of Pennsylvania, Brown, Rutgers, Franklin and Marshall, Dartmouth, Bowdoin, and lastly, in 1798, Transylvania University at Lexington, Ky.

      These were our beginnings during a period of 150 years. Feeble, perhaps, they were then, but as we look back, what a promise of great things in the nation's making and maintaining during the years to come! What have we to-day? In a report of President Pritchett, head of the Carnegie Foundation, we read of some 950 colleges, universities and technical schools in the United States and Canada, of which about 850 belong to the States. A late report of the Commissioner of Education shows [107] 143^* institutions of higher education for men; 321 for both men and women; 109 for women, 16 of these being such colleges as Radcliffe, Vassar, Wellesley, Bryn Mawr; while 93 include numerous female colleges and seminaries. These institutions of higher education had a total teaching force of 24,489 (women, 4,071). The total enrollment of students of all classes was 292,760. In these colleges and universities, aside from the 93 female colleges and seminaries, we find the collegiate and graduate departments enrolling 150,187 students--106,445 men and 43,242 women.

      The property statement seems most imposing:

      Although figures are not particularly interesting oftentimes, these few facts just cited may afford us some idea, in a tangible, material way, of the intense activity in this country during the past century, so far as the building up of a higher educational system goes.

      I have spoken of this great educational activity as since the beginning of the nineteenth century. In fact, the principal movement may been much more recent; that is, since the close of the Civil War. President Eliot became Harvard's head in May, 1869, and his wonderful life-work spans a period of educational growth and achievement the like of which the world has never seen. Just think of the development of the elective system, the graduate schools, the founding of Chicago and Leland Stanford, Jr., University, and the other stupendous sums given to colleges and universities in general; $15,000,000 for professors' pensions, and $43,000,000 by Mr. Rockefeller to the General Education Board, the income of which is to be devoted to the general educational interests the whole country over. The Commissioner of Education reports that, in the eight years beginning with 1900, the productive endowment increased from $166,000,000 to $259,769,234, or nearly 57 per cent. If we should add the $58,000,000 given by Messrs. Rockefeller and Carnegie to their two great foundations, which foster the same interests, we have an increase of more than 90 per cent., and yet the need is by no means supplied. This phenomenal growth is the visible manifestation of a great awakening to a national need--the need to keep America at the forefront of civilized nations, which can only be accomplished by the widest possible spread of high-grade training for all lines of human activity.

      The United States Congress marked an epoch in 1862 when it passed the Merrill Act, by which it granted thirty thousand acres of land for educational purposes for each Representative and Senator in Congress. This was perhaps the greatest gift ever made to education, and the great number of our agricultural colleges to-day owe their origin to that act.

      If we go back to the origin of educational institutions in America, we see at once how dominant was the church influence. We hardly think of Harvard, Yale or Columbia now as denominational universities. Yet during Harvard's first period (1638-1692) it was conducted as a theological institution in strict coincidence with the nature of the political constitution of the colony, having religion for its basis and real object. In 1722 President Cutler and one tutor of Yale were dismissed for theological reasons.

      And Columbia's first advertisement stated: "The chief thing that is aimed at in this college is to teach the children to know God in Jesus Christ, and to love and serve him in all sobriety and godliness, and righteousness of life with a perfect heart and a willing mind; and to train them up in all virtuous habits, and of such useful knowledge as may render them creditable to their families and friends, ornaments to their country, and useful to the public weal in their generations."

      When we speak of denominational colleges or denominational control in a slighting or disparaging manner, it would be well for us to recall how deeply our educational institutions are rooted in this sort of soil. We know of course that the great institutions just named have developed entirely [108] away to a non-sectarian control, and indeed if we examine closely we shall find that in most cases now, especially in the colleges which really stand for something, this control is only nominal.

      Mr. Pritchett has given us a most interesting table showing the connection of colleges and universities with religious organizations. In his table he shows 509 such institutions. There is surely variety enough. He shows 188 institutions controlled by Roman Catholics; seven varieties of Baptists, with sixty-four colleges; four kinds of Friends, with eight colleges; seven kinds of Lutherans, with fifteen colleges; seven kinds of Methodists, with ninety-four colleges, and seven varieties of Presbyterians, with sixty-eight colleges. These facts more than suffice to show how the great religious bodies regard the problem of higher education. They in their wisdom and great success have directed most zealous effort to establish and properly maintain colleges and universities. From these church colleges have gone forth men of the best minds that have blessed the nation with service. From these same colleges will come in the years before us increasingly those who with trained minds shall lead and direct the community's affairs.

      What now has been our part in this as a people? It is needless here to argue the need or desirability of fostering to the utmost these our colleges. The number we can claim may not as yet be particularly imposing. Turning to the report of the Commissioner of Education last issued, we find something like the following facts:

      In our Centennial program we find thirty-six educational institutions of all kinds listed, with a total of 7,658 students, and property amounting to $6,004,053. This is an official showing approximately at our Centennial. Some might say that we have, all told, not more than enough of assets to make comfortable one good, strong college. However, I do not so regard the matter. We are a young people as yet; we have had to find ourselves, to learn our strength, to get together. We have been growing and possessing the land, finding out missionaries, establishing ourselves. This is a vigorous people, believing in itself, proud and with high spirit. It means to serve the day and age, and when it recognizes all through, as it will, as it is doing--its full opportunity, it will seize that opportunity. It recognizes that in this rushing, competitive age, that which serves no useful purpose is cast off, rejected. Institutions as well is machinery find their way to the great American scrap-pile when they are no longer of use. There are signs in plenty that we are awakening to our educational need and opportunity. Not long ago that keen and sympathetic observer, Mr. Bryce, spoke of the small colleges, such as ours mostly are:

      "They get hold of a multitude of poor men, who might never resort to a distant place of education. They set learning in a visible form, plain, indeed, and humble but dignified even in her humility, before the eyes of a rustic people, in whom the love of knowledge, naturally strong, might never break from the bud into the flower but for the care of some zealous gardener. They give the chance of rising in some intellectual walk of life to many a strong and earnest nature who might otherwise have remained an artisan or storekeeper, and perhaps failed [109] in those avocations. They light up in many a country town what is at first only a farthing rushlight, but which, when the town swells to a city, or when endowments flow in, or when some able teacher is placed in charge, becomes a lamp of growing flame, which may finally throw its ray over the whole State in which it stands."

      We have every reason to take courage. Our colleges, although not large, are on a fairly sound basis. They have faculties with well-trained, devoted men; they have a host of alumni and friends who believe in them--a great asset for any kind of institution. They have a good reason for being. Let us join efforts to greatly strengthen them and extend their usefulness; spare no proper means to better equip and standardize them. Give them more of your money, your interest. Make them good enough for your own children, then in good conscience you can ask others to send their treasures to the same keeping. Your children trained in the school you foster will find there just as good equipment, just as sound learning, as are offered anywhere. Remember, your colleges must fit into the general educational system.

      Think you not this will have no after influence on the church you love! And think not those colleges are merely for the important function of training ministers. What of the lawyer, physician, and the 50 per cent. of college graduates entering into commercial activities? Do you mean to hold these also? We must indeed. Leave university work for the few great institutions to which the preacher, lawyer, doctor may well go after a sound academic training, if you please; let us turn our efforts on the small, strong college, where the girl and boy can find the more direct attention, the closer contact with Christian men and women--and no college faculty has any place for one who is not reverent, earnest, Christian, even though in the nature of the case he does not happen to be of your own household of faith. Encourage these college men. Let us remember, too, that in the spirit of Christian statesmanship we must choose the best and brightest men to take our college chairs--men who will be, what Dr. Butler calls for, "great personalities." Let us be generous toward them and not fear them too greatly, if sometimes they are seemingly overzealous for certain ideas which may be new to them, although old to others of us. It may be these young men who are to lead in conserving the truth.

      So let us go along together in good fellowship, all inspired by love for a common cause. Let us welcome the very best training to be found, for only thus can we make our institutions fit. We do not wish our sons and daughters to tell us we have handicapped them for life's course by giving them other than the best opportunity. For we and our institutions must be tested in the crucible of the years to come, and only the pure gold of the real will endure; the dross will surely be found and cast out. Let us attack our educational problem in this spirit, for it is the great work of the church now upon us.

[CCR 107-110]