Specialisation in University Education

Abstract

THE March issue of The Johns Hopkins University Circular contains an account of the celebrations in connection with the Commemoration Day of the University held on February 22. Dr. James Bryce, the British Ambassador to the United States, was the principal speaker, and in his address discussed the tendency to over-specialisation in university education. Mr. R. Brent Keyser, the president of the Board of Trustees, read a statement of the plans for the development of the new site for the University. Nine years ago, he said, at the time of the raising of the Million Dollar Endowment Fund of 1902, the University received also the gift of the Home-wood property. This property, under the deed of gift, is to become the permanent home of the University when, in the judgment of the Board of Trustees, the interest and welfare of the University permit. A plan for development has been provided which will admit of growth and alteration to suit the changing needs of future years. To-day we have been given, he continued, means to accept the offer of 50,000l. from the General Education Board, and the total amount pledged, part of it already paid in, amounts to nearly 240,000l. With great wisdom, the General Education Board, the aim of which is to help the cause of education of the whole country, has provided that at least ioo,oool. of this amount shall be retained as a permanent endowment, the income only to be used, so that the institution might not be crippled in its real work by the expenditures incident to large building operations, and by the greatly increased expense which will come from living in such an enlarged environment.