LETTERS TO THE EDITOR,
THE PROPOSED NORTHERN UNIVERSITY.
[TO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR.")
SIR,—The brief notice contained in the Spectator of the 18th inst. of the deputation which, on Wednesday last, waited on the Lord President of the Privy Council on the subject of the pro- posed new University, is calculated to give the impression that the Owens College scheme does not make provision for " con- federating a variety of Northern Colleges in different counties." I shall, therefore, be glad if you will give me the opportunity of stating that our memorial laid before the Lord President in July last, with the supplementary " non-detailed scheme " submitted in December,—(1), explicitly includes full provision for the in- corporation of other Colleges in the proposed University, and secures to them rights and privileges, both as to governing and as to examining functions, the measure of which is to depend only on their magnitude and efficiency ; and (2), specifies as the conditions of the union of any college only the most reasonable requirements as to its efficiency and the adequacy of its endow- ments, and guards against the arbitrary rejection of an applica- tion for incorporation, by leaving the final decision with the Lord President of the Council.
It is the less surprising that you should have overlooked that integral feature of our scheme, inasmuch as the memorial pre- sented on Wednesday last, although the primary object of that document was to criticise and oppose our application, is absolutely silent as to the fact that the scheme of the Owens College makes express and (as a leading representative of the Yorkshire College has admitted, in a letter published in the local newspapers) fairly satisfactory provision for the two principles which alone are specified in the memorial from the Yorkshire College as essential to the constitution of the proposed University. Our proposals are, of course, clearly before the Lord President, and have been made no secret of, but it is impossible to suppose that all who have recently memorialised the Lord President against our scheme, can have been aware that the two principles which their memorial affirms are explicitly adopted by us.
Your article, Sir, speaks of contemplated improvements in the , constitution of the University of London. We should be among the first to welcome any efforts to remedy defects which are felt to exist in an institution which has deserved so well of the country, and to which we owe so much. But our disabilities in respect of the University of London form but a part of the reasons which have led us to seek an independent charter, and in any case, as you, Sir, point out, it is difficult to see how an effective academic bond can exist between bodies two hundred miles apart.
I cordially hail the statement of your opinion that an increase in the number of Universities, within very moderate limits and very gradually made, as tending to promote a whole- some variety of intellectual type, may be a good rather than an evil. It is the distinctive feature of our scheme, as compared with the alternative proposals favoured at Leeds, that it does not foreclose this question. We provide the machinery for incorpora- tion, under reasonable conditions and on equitable terms, and thus bind ourselves to the principle ; but when a College, whether at Leeds or elsewhere, that has attained the due standard of de- velopment and efficiency, shall aspire to University rank, we leave it open to the Privy Council either to assign it its place by our side, or should our success seem to recommend this course, to create an independent body. The fear expressed by Dr. Heaton on this head is surely groundless. Should public policy, as deter- mined by further reflection and fuller experience, decide against another University, it would be as easy under our plan as under any other for qualified Colleges to be united with the corporation.
There remains, Sir, the all-important question which you raise, —Is the Owens College large enough and strong enough to be of itself the nucleus of the future University ? We submit, with all deference, that it is ; that judged by any fair standard, it already has that variety and elasticity of character which you claim as essential to a University ; and that its history holds out reasonable promise of growth, in the various directions indicated by its exist- ing teaching organisation. The examination system which we propose is designed to furnish public guarantees of its efficiency ; but we should not be justified in seeking new and wider responsi- bilities as a seat of education, were we not in our opinion really prepared to meet them. I forward the necessary documents for the verification of my statements as to the nature of our scheme. —I am, Sir, &c.,
The Owens College, Manchester, Ilfay 20. J. G. GREENWOOD.
[It is clear that the Principal of Owens College is quite right in saying that the Owens College proposal includes provision for the incorporation of other Colleges which can show their fitness for such incorporation, and for their sufficient representation in the new University. Nor did we intend to suggest any doubt on this point, of which we were quite aware in writing. It is also true that the Owens College memorialists, though they suggested the name of the " University of Manchester," do not in any way insist on that name, but are quite willing to accept any name which adequately describes the area of the University, and even to assent to the alteration of the name, if a new extension seems to render this desirable. The only point on which we cannot entirely acquiesce in Professor Greenwood's letter is as to the present sufficiency of the Owens College staff for the staff of a. University. Anynew University should, we think, contain several different, as well as eminent, professors and teachers of each of the more important subjects. This is not true of Owens College, nor do we know what institutions could be so associated with it at present as to satisfy that condition.—En. Spectator.]
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