1 DECEMBER 1877, Page 3

The discussion as to raising Owens College to the statue

of a University still goes on, and Professor Holland, who suggested that it might be given a charter enabling it to grant degrees in medicine and science, delaying a similar right in relation to degrees in arts for the present, till more guarantees as 'to its capabilities in this direction are supplied, has this week been answered by Professor Jack. Professor Jack points out that such a plan would drive a wedge through the heart of Owens 'College, and create invidious distinctions between the Arts and Science faculties, which do not now exist. But on this sug- gestion of Professor Holland's, we should go even further. We doubt, indeed, whether Owens College is not quite as well provided with accomplished teachers in arts as in science ; and at any rate, such a procedure would tend to feed the Science and Medi- cine schools at the cost of the Arts school, which is just what, in such a place as Manchester, should be specially t voided. The real temptation there, is to neglect general for special education,— the education which only ripens the man, for education which 'qualifies the chemist, the physicist, or the physician. We should be sorry to see any faculty for granting degrees accorded to a University in a great industrial centre, which did not proceed on the basis of testing thoroughly first the soundness of the general 'education, and of at least encouraging those who are willing to pursue the Liter x Humaniores at all, to go on up to the point of -qualifying for an Arta degree.