College Government.

The fourth thing which I wish now to mention, is this: By law, the government and control of this University are lodged in the Board of Curators. The Curators have lodged the exercise of government and discipline in the Faculty. In my acceptance, it is made a condition, and by the explicit acquiescence therein by the Board, it has become an agreement, that there is to be no appeal by the students from any action of government or discipline on the part of the Faculty to the Curators. If the Faculty, as a body, is incompetent for the work assigned to it, of government and discipline as well as teaching, then clear the decks and man the vessel with a crew that understands, and can be trusted to perform, its duties. This is the accepted and existing state of things. I am pleased that it is so. The Curators are thereby wisely exempted from a needless and incompetent responsibility, and nothing unreasonable is developed or demanded of the Faculty.

This point lifts to view the whole subject of college government, which is conceded to be one of great delicacy and difficulty. It is not meant to go into that subject at this time, farther than simply to enunciate the general principle which seems to underlie and to pervade it, and by a proper appreciation of which, we probably have one of the best guarantees of efficiency and harmony.

This matter of college government is esteemed the opprobrium of our higher institutions of learning, and yet there does not appear to be any good reason why, if the students and authorities of a college understand themselves clearly, there should be any trouble. It is conceived that there is a principle which presides over this subject, and that it is obvious on enunciation and all-comprehensive in its application. That principle is simply this: The authority of government in a school is not derived from the pupils, nor is it dependent on them, in any sense whatever. This holds true, whether it be a private school or a public school, an academy, a college, or a university. In no case is the authority of the schoolmaster derived from his pupils. In the private school, it is an extension of parental authority; in the public schools of all grades, including the university, it is an extension of the authority of the State. But in no case is the authority of the school house derived from the scholars. It is not from below; it is from above. Scholars, then, do not come to a school to govern it, nor to take any part in the government. They come to obey and to be governed, by submitting to the rules and regulations which they find in force. A proper understanding of this very simple and comprehensive principle of action, takes all the windy conceit and swollen importance out of the self-constituted leaders of college broils and rebellions. The only alternative, to a pupil in school, is to obey or leave, willingly or by constraint.

Any other theory works its own inevitable destruction. Take the popular, but utterly fallacious and pernicious alternative, that young gentlemen, in an institution of learning, are to be thrown upon and guided by a sense of honor. The question at once arises, whose sense of honor? Is each to be a law to himself? Hardly any two, in many cases, can be expected to agree. Most flagrant misbehavior, not infrequently, has the sanction of the guilty party's sense of honor. By the operation of this principle, every one would do that which was right in his own eyes, which is a natural description of a state of barbarous anarchy. Between the loyal and orderly subordination of the pupils to the constituted authorities of the school house, and the lawless and disgraceful subordination of a Faculty to their own scholars, no sound, well-informed and unprejudiced judgment can hesitate, in its choice, for a moment. Whatever the college or the school house laws, they are entitled to vindication by enforcement, till altered or repealed by the proper authorities in a proper way. The school in its organization and operation, is not a democracy, nor a republic, any more than is the family. The authority in the family page 128 does not come from the children. To recognize the children as the source of power, or the governing authority in the family, would destroy the household. Any other view tends to breed anarchy and lawlessness; and that, too, not only in school days, hut in the after life of pupils as citizens. "The heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; but is under tutors and governors until the time appointed by the father."

In its measure, this enunciation holds good of the professsional schools, just the same as of the under-graduate schools. Underneath all their freedom of personal action and exemption from surveillance, there are certain established rules which are not established nor changed at their bidding and to which the professional or proper University students must conform, as a condition of pupilage and recognition-It may be truly said of them, as of the contestants in the Grecian games—" If a man also strive for masteries, yet he is not crowned, except he strive lawfully." A student is not entitled to the benefits nor to any of the honors of an institution of learning, except upon the condition of loyal compliance with its requirements.—From the Inaugural Address of President Laws.