第 34 节
作者:青涩春天      更新:2021-02-27 02:38      字数:9322
  constructions than for any other academic use。 It appears that
  the successful men of affairs to whom the appeal for funds is
  directed; find these wasteful; ornate and meretricious edifices a
  competent expression of their cultural hopes and ambitions。
  NOTES:
  1。 A single illustrative instance may serve to show how the land
  lies in this respect; even though it may seem to the uninitiated
  to be an extreme if not an exaggerated case; while it may perhaps
  strike those familiar with these matters as a tedious
  commonplace。 A few years ago; in one of the larger; younger and
  more enterprising universities; a commodious laboratory; well
  appointed and adequately decorated; was dedicated to one of the
  branches of biological science。 To meet the needs of scientific
  work such a laboratory requires the services of a corps of
  experienced and intelligent assistants and caretakers;
  particularly where the establishment is equipped with modern
  appliances for heating; ventilation and the like; as was the case
  in this instance。 In this laboratory the necessary warmth was
  supplied by what is sometimes called the method of indirect steam
  heat; that is to say; the provision for heat and for ventilation
  were combined in one set of appliances; by bringing the needed
  air from the open through an outdoor 〃intake;〃 passing it over
  steam…heated coils (in the basement of the building); and so
  distributing the air necessary for ventilation; at the proper
  temperature; throughout the building by means of a suitable
  arrangement of air…shafts。 Such was the design。 But intelligent
  service comes high; and ignorant janitors are willing to
  undertake what may be asked of them。 And sufficient warmth can be
  had in an inclement climate and through a long winter season only
  at an appreciable expense。 So; with a view to economy; and
  without the knowledge of the scientific staff who made use of the
  laboratory; the expedient was hit upon by the academic executive;
  in consultation with a suitable janitor; that the outdoor intake
  be boarded up tightly。 so that the air which passed over the
  heating coils and through the air…shafts to the laboratory rooms
  was thenceforth drawn not from the extremely cold atmosphere of
  outdoors but from the more temperate supply that filled the
  basement and had already had the benefit of circulating over the
  steam coils and through the ventilating shafts。 By this means an
  obvious saving in fuel would be effected; corresponding to the
  heat differential between the outdoor air; at some 0* to …20* and
  that already confined in the building; at some 60*。 How long this
  fuel…saving expedient was in force can not well be ascertained;
  but it is known to have lasted at least for more than one season。
  The members of the scientific staff meantime mysteriously but
  persistently fell sick after a few weeks of work in the
  laboratory; recurrently after each return from enforced
  vacations。 Until; in the end; moved by persistent suspicions of
  sewer…gas  which; by the way; had in the meantime cost some
  futile inconvenience and expense occasioned by unnecessary
  overhauling of the plumbing  one of the staff pried into the
  janitor's domain in the basement; where he found near the chamber
  of the steam coils a loosely closed man…hole leading into the
  sewers; from which apparently such air was drawn as would
  necessarily go to offset the current leakage from this closed
  system of ventilation。
  2。 This is a nearly universal infirmity of American university
  policy; but it is doubtless not to be set down solely to the
  account of the penchant for a large publicity on the part of the
  several academic executives。 It is in all likelihood due as much
  to the equally ubiquitous inability of the governing boards to
  appreciate or to perceive what the current needs of the academic
  work are; or even what they are like。 Men trained in the conduct
  of business enterprise; as the governing boards are; will have
  great difficulty in persuading themselves that expenditures which
  yield neither increased dividends nor such a durable physical
  product as can be invoiced and added to the capitalization; can
  be other than a frivolous waste of good money; so that what is
  withheld from current academic expenditure is felt to be saved;
  while that expenditure which leaves a tangible residue of
  (perhaps useless) real estate is; by force of ingrained habit;
  rated as new investment。
  CHAPTER V
  The Academic Personnel
  As regards the personnel of the academic staff the control
  enforced by the principles of competitive business is more
  subtle; complex and far…reaching; and should merit more
  particular attention。 The staff is the university; or it should
  so be if the university is to deserve the place assigned it in
  the scheme of civilization。 Therefore the central and gravest
  question touching current academic policy is the question of its
  bearing on the personnel and the work which there is for them to
  do。 In the apprehension of many critics the whole question of
  university control is comprised in the dealings of the executive
  with the staff。
  Whether the power of appointment vests formally in one man or
  in a board; in American practice it commonly vests; in effect; in
  the academic executive。 In practice; the power of removal; as
  well as that of advancement; rests in the same hands。 The
  businesslike requirements of the case bring it to this outcome de
  facto; whatever formalities of procedure may intervene de jure。
  It lies in the nature of the case that this appointing power
  will tend to create a faculty after its own kind。 It will be
  quick to recognize efficiency within the lines of its own
  interests; and slower to see fitness in those lines that lie
  outside of its horizon; where it must necessarily act on outside
  solicitation and hearsay evidence。
  The selective effect of such a bias; guided as one might say;
  by a 〃consciousness of kind;〃 may be seen in those establishments
  that have remained under clerical tutelage; where; notoriously;
  the first qualification looked to in an applicant for work as a
  teacher is his religious bias。 But the bias of these governing
  boards and executives that are under clerical control has after
  all been able to effect only a partial; though far…reaching;
  conformity to clerical ideals of fitness in the faculties so
  selected; more especially in the larger and modernized schools of
  this class。 In practice it is found necessary somewhat to wink at
  devotional shortcomings among their teachers; clerical; or
  pronouncedly devout; scientists that are passably competent in
  their science; are of very rare occurrence; and yet something
  presentable in the way of modern science is conventionally
  required by these schools; in order to live; and so to effect any
  part of their purpose。 Half a loaf is better than no bread。 None
  but the precarious class of schools made up of the lower grade
  and smaller of these colleges; such as are content to save their
  souls alive without exerting any effect on the current of
  civilization; are able to get along with faculties made up
  exclusively of God…fearing men。
  Something of the same kind; and in somewhat the same degree;
  is true for the schools under the tutelage of businessmen。 While
  the businesslike ideal may be a faculty wholly made up of men
  highly gifted with business sense; it is not practicable to
  assemble such a faculty which shall at the same time be plausibly
  competent in science and scholarship。 Scientists and scholars
  given over to the pursuit of knowledge are conventionally
  indispensable to a university; and such are commonly not largely
  gifted with business sense; either by habit or by native gift。
  The two lines of interest  business and science  do not pull
  together; a competent scientist or scholar well endowed with
  business sense is as rare as a devout scientist  almost as rare
  as a white blackbird。 Yet the inclusion of men of scientific
  gifts and attainments among its faculty is indispensable to the
  university; if it is to avoid instant and palpable
  stultification。
  So that the most that can practically be accomplished by a
  businesslike selection and surveillance of the academic personnel
  will be a compromise; whereby a goodly number of the faculty will
  be selected on grounds of businesslike fitness; more or less
  pronounce