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 }8i'S 
 
 TUUT^oi 
 
 ADDRESS 
 
 AT THE CONVOCATION OF 
 
 XHniversit^ College, 
 
 Toronto, 
 
 OCTOBER 11th, 1893. 
 
 BY THE PBBSIDENT, 
 
 JAMES LOUDON, M.A. 
 
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 TORONTO: 
 ROWSELL k HUTCHISON, PRINTERS. 
 
 1893. 
 
 
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ADDRESS 
 
 AT THE CONVOCATION OF 
 
 UNIVERSITY COLLEGE TORONTO 
 
 OCTOBER llTU, lM);j. 
 
 BY THE I'KKSIUKNT, 
 
 JAMES LOUDON, M.A. 
 
 TITE have assembled to-day to conduct the business of the 
 * ' fortieth Convocation of University College. Those familiar 
 with the history of University legislation in Ontario will remem- 
 ber that the existence of University College as a separate institu- 
 tion, distinct from other University bodies, dates back to the Act 
 of 1853. I may say at the outset that it affords me, on behalf of 
 my colleagues in the faculty and on my own behalf, the highest 
 pleasure on this occasion, which marks the close of the fourth 
 decade of our history, to welcome to our proceedings the dis- 
 tinguished audience now present — a striking evidence in itself of 
 the increasing importance and popularity of the institution over 
 which I have the honor to preside. We desire especially to 
 extend a hearty welcome to the hundreds of students who have 
 come to us either for the first time, or to resume their studies 
 within our halls. We hope that their sojourn with us may be 
 profitable to them and pleasant, in so far, at least, as pleasure iu 
 compatible with their arduous labours here. 
 
 Those of the audience who were with us at the Convocation of 
 last year will perhaps remember that in my inaugural address on 
 that occasion, besides making some general observations on the 
 various branches of University study, I endeavoured briefly to 
 
explain the position occupied by Univor-sity Collejjfe in the new 
 confederated system, and its relation to tiiat system. It is im- 
 l)ortant that these matters should be understood by the student 
 and by tlie public ; and yet such is not the case. The conviction 
 which I had on this point a year ago has been strengthened by 
 the experience of the past twelve months, and I have also realized 
 that it would have been more profitable if, on the occasion referred 
 to, I had explained the constitution of the whole University 
 system, and defined the functions of the various bodies of which 
 it is composed. This I propose to do in my remarks to-day. I 
 propose also to make some comparison of our own system with 
 the systems of other great Universities of this continent, and to 
 discuss some matters of University policy suitable to the occasion 
 which brings us together here. Information on these points will 
 be of jiractical use to the students. It will facilitate their rela- 
 tions with the authorities in seeking information, or applying for 
 relief in cases of academic distress, if such should unfortunately 
 occur to them. It will be, moreover, helpful to the authorities in 
 preventing the confusion which results from students seeking 
 information or relief in the wrong quarter. For the public, a 
 knowledge of our constitution will lead to a more intelligent 
 comprehension of the aims and work of the University, and of 
 communications and discussions on University topics which from 
 time to time find a place in the public press. 
 
 The University of Toronto, of which we are a part, is a State 
 institution, and is the Provincial University of this Province. 
 Hence, the final authority in all matters, whether academic or 
 financial, rests with the Government of Ontario, itself responsible 
 to the Legislature, and ultimately to the people. The Government, 
 then, whilst holding the supreme authority, and whilst dealing 
 with some matters directly, customarily acts on the report of one 
 of four bodies, each entrusted with a branch of the adminis- 
 tration and work of the institution. One of these bodies is the 
 Board of Trustees, which holds the purse, and through the bursar 
 attends to the financial part of the business, such as the making 
 of investments, the sale and leasing of lands, the accounts of in- 
 
3 
 
 # 
 
 come and expenditure, and similur matters. These important and 
 lespoiisible duties, I may renuivk, are discharged by the Board 
 without remuneration, and the University has great cause for 
 gratification in the fact that it lias fortunately always been pos- 
 sible to find amongst our leading business men those who are 
 willing to give gratuitously their valuable services in the cause of 
 higher education. The next two bodies are the University Council 
 and the Council of University College. They are the teaching 
 bodies, and to them is entrusted the whole work of teachino- and 
 discipline of students. I mention them together because their 
 functions are almost wholly parallel. In the work of teaching 
 they are complementary to each other. What is not taught 
 under the direction of the Council of University College is taught 
 under the University Council, and vice versa. To the Uni- 
 versity College Council is also assigned the management of the 
 present residence, and one or other of the councils has authority 
 over each of the many societies which are now a prominent 
 feature of University life heie. The fourth bodj is the Senate, 
 which is so well known, at least by name, that it is popularly 
 but erroneously supposed to be the only governing body — a 
 mistake which has a compensating advantage to the other author- 
 ities when, as sometimes happens, the Senate is publicly criticized 
 for acts for which it is not responsible. Apart from its general 
 supervisory powers, the most imjjortant functions of the Senate, 
 so far as tl^e student is concerned, regard the curriculum and the 
 examinations. The Senate makes the curriculum on which the 
 faculties of University College and the University of Toronto 
 base their courses of instruction, and the Senate appoints exam- 
 iners and makes awards upon the basis of the examiners' report. 
 It is not my intention to-day to treat our constiti tion histori- 
 cally, or to show how and why it came to assume its present form. 
 I shall deal with it as it at present exists, ;vithout reference to the 
 past. Perhaps the most striking feature of the constitution is 
 that it distributes the management of the institution amongst a 
 large number of bodies. This, in itself, is an arrangement 
 which stands in marked contrast with the system which 
 
prevails in the leading Universities in the United States. In 
 most of these the nuinagomont is divided between two 
 bodies instead of fivo as with us. As a consequence their 
 system is, apparently at least, simpler, but as an offset to this 
 it must be remembered that the functions of each of the two 
 bodies are necessprily more extensive than those of any one of 
 our administrative bodies, since the whole ground to be covered 
 is essentially the same. For example, all the work connected with 
 teaching and examining is entrusted with them to the faculty, 
 whereas with us it requires four bodies for such purposes, namely, 
 the two Councils, the Senate, and the Board of Examiners acting 
 under the Senate. It is this subdivision of powers and functions 
 which renders our system difficult of comprehension, especially to 
 the uninitiated, and which might lead to conflict of authority unless 
 care was exercised by each of the bodies in question. Both for 
 those who wish to understand our system and those who have to 
 work in it, the most important principle to keep in view is that 
 there is a clear line of division through the whole. On the one hand, 
 there is the financial business, pure and simple, and on the other 
 the academic business. Under existing conditions, the former 
 naturally is entrusted to the Board of Trustees, and their main 
 duties, simple though vital, are the conserving and increasing of 
 our revenues. The academic afiairs administered by the Senate 
 and Councils are in many respects much more complex, and it is to 
 the wise direction of these that the University has to look for its 
 efficiency and progress as a seat of learning. Hence it is to the 
 Senate and Councils that we must look for the initiation of 
 measures which collectively constitute the policy of the Univer- 
 sity. 
 
 One important phase of this question is the part which the 
 faculties should play in shaping University polic3^ I have already 
 indicated the powers which in the leadiugUniversities in theUnited 
 States the faculties exercise regarding teaching and examinations. 
 The general policy in these institutions is, however, usually shaped 
 not by the faculties, but by the President, who relieves the facul- 
 ties from nearly all interest in, or responsibility for, administra- 
 
 • 
 
tion and government. Here, on the contrary, the President is 
 not such an autocrat. Tlie professors have in the past not only 
 assisted in the administration, but have done much, especially as 
 members of the Senate, in determining the policy of the Univer- 
 «ity. I need scarcely .'say that I greatly prefei* tiie Canadian plan. 
 The results here have been good, but, apart altogether from such 
 considerations, it is self-evident that to debar members of the 
 faculties from the right of engaging in such work would not 
 only depiive the University of the services of men whose know- 
 ledge and experience especially tit them for dealing with such mat- 
 ters, but it would tend to weaken their interest in and sense of 
 responsibility for a very iaiportant part of University work. 
 So far from agreeing, then, with those who would like to se** 
 fewer professors engaged in shaping the policy of the University, 
 or who would i)ropose the extreme measure of excluding them 
 wholly from University legislation, I would prefer to see more 
 professors taking part in our deliberations. This is not merely a 
 question of theory. Quite recently a proposal was made to ren- 
 der members of the faculties ineligible for election to the Senate 
 by the graduates. It is difficult to see why the choice of i\w. 
 graduates should be thus narrowed, and I believe that most per- 
 sons who appreciate the importance of having academic questions 
 discussed from different points of view, and by those who by their 
 technical knowledge and wide experience are so peculiarly fitted 
 for dealing with such matters, will deprecate such a suggestion. 
 Besides, those who suggest the exclusion of professors as graduate 
 representatives from the Senate, to be logical, must go further and 
 propose the exclusion of all professors from that body. If it be 
 inexpedient or wrong for a professor to represent convocation, it 
 is difficult to see how it can be expedient or right for him to 
 represent the College or University Council. I need scarcely say, 
 therefore, that I look upon any proposal to diminish academic 
 influence in the Senate as a blow at the best interests of the 
 University, and I would recommend those who desire instructive 
 information bearing on such questions, to look into the disastrous 
 history of some of the Southern and Western Universities 
 
in the ITnitod States, in which political or non-acadoinic influ- 
 ences wholly overrode and ignored academic advice. In short, 
 my ideal of wise and progressive academic administration is, that 
 it should be shaped and directed with the aid of advice from 
 within by those who have made such matters a life-study, rather 
 than that it should bo exclusively controlled from without by 
 those who, however intelligent and well-intentioned, must neces- 
 sarily lack the technical knowledge, and fail of tlie continuous 
 and absorbing interest which are essential elements in dealing 
 with these subjects. 
 
 I have indicated already that the faculties of the University 
 and University College are the teaching bodies, and that they teach 
 along the lines laid down by the Senate, which makes the curri- 
 culum. The curriculum made by the Senate practically deter- 
 mines the character and amount of such teaching, and this not by 
 statute but by mutual agreement. It is one of those matters in 
 which the several acadcnic bodies work together to cover the 
 whole ground of teaching and examining. I take as an example 
 of these relations the suggestions which have been made from 
 time to time with regard to lengthening the teaching session. It 
 is not only a question the discussion of which serves well to 
 illustrate this phase of our system, but it is one in which both the 
 faculties and the students have a special interest. The teaching 
 session, we are told, should be extended, but we are not told how 
 to surmount the difficulties which stand in the way of such a 
 change. The question is not a new one either here or elsewhere, 
 but the obstacles which arise in trying to solve it are occasionally 
 novel. Here is an example taken from the experience of a certain 
 University abroad, where the authorities had decreed an extension 
 of the University session. Notwithstanding this decree, one of 
 the professors closed his lectures as early as before its promulga- 
 tion. Being remonstrated with by the authorities, he replied 
 that he had exhausted his subject and his lectures, and that, as 
 far as he was concerned, he had really nothing more to say. 
 Now, one can imagine how it would be possible to deal with 
 an exhausted professor, but when subject and professor are alike 
 
exhausted, what is to bo «lone ? Kortuimtcly, with our faculties, 
 such an enibarruHsing question is not within tl)e hounds of possi- 
 bility. The difficulties hero are of (|uite another kind. Our 
 session, as you know, consists of three parts, namely, two exami- 
 nation sessions fixed and controUo*! by the Senate, and an inter- 
 vening teachinjf session fixed by the C,'ouncils. Under those 
 conditions, the Councils have made the teaching session as long as 
 the examination sessions allow, and will doubtless be ready to 
 extend it in case the Senate sees its way to make the reciuisite 
 changes in its examinatioris. Whether the Semite! can effect any 
 material change in this direction, it is diflicult to say ; nor can I 
 now take the time reciuired to enlarge upon the (-(msiderations 
 involved. It would be necessary in any case to consider not only 
 how proposed changes would affect our own institution, but also 
 those other related institutions whoso interests we are bound to 
 consider in dealing with such questions. Suggestions to increase 
 the teaching session are apt to convey the impression that in 
 this respect wo are behind our sister institutions, and thercforo it 
 may be well to state a few facts bearing on the subject. Our 
 teaching session extends from October 1st to April 21st, with a 
 vacation of two weeks at Christmas, whilst the examination 
 sessions extend, the first from the beginning of May to Commence- 
 ment daV: which this year was on June 13th ; and the second 
 from September 15th to October 1st. The experience of this 
 year shows that Commencement day should be placed a few days 
 later, and that the September examinations should begin at least 
 a week earlier in order to allow the examiners a little more time 
 ta finish their work. The supplemental results were only ratified 
 by the Senate this year on October 6th. The complete session 
 at McGill University (including examination sessions), as I find 
 by reference to last year's calendar, extends from September 15th 
 to April 29th, the teaching periods being from September 21st to 
 December 13th ; and from January oth to March 29th. It is 
 thus seen that our examinations last twice as long as those of 
 McGill, and that our teaching session is longer by upwards of 
 two weeks (18 days). The calendar of Queen's University for 
 
8 
 
 the same year, shows that there the cotnplete session, which is 
 slightly shorter than that of McGill, rails short of ours by about 
 eight weeks, whilst the teaching session is less than ours to the 
 same extent as that of McGill. 
 
 It has been customary, on occasions of this kind, to refer to the 
 progress of the University, and to indicate its growth by pointing 
 to the increase in the attendance, or to our enlarged accommoda- 
 tions. References of this nature are much more satisfactory when 
 they are accompanied by corresponding information regarding 
 improvements in our teaching facilities. It is not costly and 
 attractive buildings, it is not mere numbers of students, but it is 
 the work done by the staff in teaching end in advancing literature 
 and science which gives prestige to a University, and serves as the 
 true index to its progress and strength. A glance at the history 
 of our teaching departments shows that during the last one or 
 two decades, we have introduced and developed the several 
 courses of practical instruction as now imparted in the various 
 laboratories, whilst the corresponding lecture work in the science 
 departments has been largely extended, necessitating not only 
 an increase in the staff, but the performance of an increased 
 amount of woik on the part of the professors. A like expan- 
 sion has taken place more recently in the language depart- 
 ments, involving much wider courses of study, and increased 
 labour on the part of the staff. In addition to the expansion of 
 old departments, new ones have been created, and nev/ chairs 
 established. As a result of these changes, it has come about that 
 the mass of work done by the united staff is enormously greater 
 than it was in the University College of about fifteen years ago. 
 During that time the number of instructors has trebled, whilst 
 the amount of instruction, as indicated by the hours of teaching, 
 has more than trebled, and the number of "^ tudents has increased 
 in much greater proportion. So great, indeed, is the difficulty of 
 overtaking all the work, that we have been obliged to lengthen 
 the teaching day, and in certain case? to instruct some classes on 
 Saturdays. 
 
 Such marked expansion in the work and size of the staff 
 has, of course, involved a considerable increase, though by 
 
no means to the same extent, in the expenditure. It is interesting 
 to inquire where this additional money came from, and to what 
 extent the State funds contributed to provide the increased 
 facilities to some of which I have referred. Some statistics for 
 the last thirteen years, which have been prepared by the Board 
 of Trustees, fortunately enable me to furnish an answer to this 
 inquiry, and at che same time to direct your attention to some 
 interesting comparisons between the present and the past. In 
 1881, the total expenditure for all University purposes was 
 ^69,200 (I omit sums below one hundred dollars), which rose 
 steadily but with a slight fluctuation until it reached $116,800 in 
 1893. This large increase in the expenditure was not, howevBi', 
 met mainly out of our endowment funds, as has been popularly 
 supposed, for in the former j^ear there were receipts from fees 
 amounting to $6,500, which had increased to $35,600, or more 
 than five fold in the latter year, this large increase being partly 
 due to the increase in the tarift* of fees, but more to the increased 
 attendance of students. It will thus be seen that during these 
 thirteen years the fees, from being at the beginning less than ten 
 per cent., had at the end reached upwards of thirty per cent, of 
 the total expenditure. But a more remarkable increase is that 
 which has taken place in the same time in the numbers of the 
 students. In 1881, the total number of all classes of students 
 receiving instruction from our Arts Faculty was 347, and in 1893 
 this number rose to almost 1,100. If now we eliminate the fees 
 from consideration in each case, we find that the total cost to the 
 State, per student, which in 1881 was $180, had fallen in 1893 to 
 less than $75. 
 
 The striking disproportion shown by my statistics to exist 
 between the rate of increase in attendance on the one hand, 
 and the rate of increase in our income on the other, naturally 
 suggests that we have many necessities stili unprovided for. 
 Such is, unfortunately, the case, and the fact is brought forcibly 
 home to several of the professors and to many of the students in 
 various ways. The larger needs in the way of buildings and 
 equipment of the departments of chemistry and mineralogy and 
 
10 
 
 geology are so well known that they do not require to be 
 emphasized here. These are not, however, the only departments 
 whose work is cramped by the lack of increased facilities. The 
 classes in some of the language departments have become so large 
 as to be quite out of proportion to the teaching force at our dis- 
 posal, a condition of things which would be, to some extent at 
 least, tempoiarily ameliorated, could the change from fellowships 
 to instructorships be effected, as recommended by the Senate and 
 the Councils. It must also be borne in mind that some of these 
 improvements — those in buildings and equipment — would involve 
 increased outlay for maintenance, so that the money to be provided 
 for all purposes would add very considerably to our present annual 
 expenditure. To provide the ways and means for these improve- 
 ments is the problem which forces itself upon the authorities. 
 Its solution has hitherto been impossible, because our income 
 barely suffices to meet our present obligations, a financial situa- 
 tion which has recently rendered it necessary to make special 
 arrangements for teaching in some departments, and to practice 
 the most rigid economy all along the line. But much further 
 postponement of the larger and more pressing improvements is 
 impossible. Some of our departments, it is true, have already 
 been placed upon an efficient ""ooting, but the University cannot 
 afford, without serious injury to its efficiency and prestige, to stint 
 or starve any one of the departments, or to ignor. the claims of 
 students to receive equal consideration, so far as the facilities in 
 the difl'erent branches of study are concerned. Could we realize 
 on our unproductive property, we should have ample means for all 
 our immediate w^ants, 1 iit unfortunately the condition of trade 
 remains stagnant — oui good ship is in the doldrums waiting in 
 vain for the propitious breeze which shall bring her home. 
 
 Under these circumstances, some of my hearers are no doubt 
 prepared to suggest the provincial surplus as the proper source of 
 relief. The proposition, apparently so simple, is one involving 
 wide and important issues of provincial policy. I may very 
 properly abstain from discussing it here, contenting myself with 
 the remark that, should we not be able to realize on our lands, or 
 
11 
 
 should the State not see its way clear to supplement the income, 
 it will be necessary to consider other sources of increase, of which 
 two only seem now available, namely, an advance in the tuition 
 fees, and private benefaction. On the undesirability of in- 
 creasing the fees I do not need to enlarge. In connection with 
 private benefaction one is reminded of the enormous sums re- 
 ceived from this source by Harvard, Yale, Cornell, McGill, and 
 other Universities, and the inquiry is naturally suggested why 
 Toronto should not receive more aid fiom such a quarter. The 
 answer to that inquiry, in my judgaient, is to be found in the ob- 
 jection which most people entertain towards giving to an institu- 
 tion which is supposed to be entirely controlled by the State. 
 The University is commonly placed in the same category as other 
 State institutions ; its administration is, unthinkingly perha})s, con- 
 sidered merely as a branch of the public service, and the char- 
 acter of the control assumed to be direct and the same in all ; but 
 ray remarks concerning the character of our University system go 
 to show that this assumption is largely groundless. So far 
 as the Alts Faculty is concerned, direct Government control 
 is with us limited to the making of appointments. In strik- 
 ing contrast with this, it is also provided that the medical 
 professors shall be nominated by the Senate. It is, I believe, gen- 
 -erally conceded, apart altogether from the considerations just 
 mentioned, that such an anomaly should cease, and that the Gov- 
 ernment should in all cases appoint, after receiving the recommen- 
 dation of a verv small academic Board. Were this change made. 
 It could fairl}^ be said to objectors and prospective benefactors 
 that the University was no longer subject to the dangers of politi- 
 cal control, and the institution would be in an immeasurably 
 more favourable position for appealing to private beneficence. 
 The case of Cornell University, for example, shows that a 
 measure of State control is no bar to the bestowal of enormous 
 sums from this source. I am encouraged to believe that such a 
 trifling concession in the character of the State control as I have 
 indicated, might eventually lead to somewhat similar results here. 
 We certainly appreciate what has already been done in this 
 
12 
 
 direction. Through the liberality of its friends the University 
 now possesses a fund for scholarships and similar prizes, amount- 
 ing to upwards of $60,000. From private sources we received 
 another $60,000 towards the new library building; whilst a fur- 
 ther sum of upwards of $40,000 has been subscribed by graduates 
 for b'^^'' ^ to replace those lost in the fire of 1890 — in all, upwards 
 of $10v;, uO. But, apart from the removal of the popular preju- 
 dice to which I have referred, if we desire to attract private 
 beneficence to this institution, we must above all else insure its 
 progress. Its accommodations must be ample, its library well 
 stored, its laboratories well equipped, and its staff eflScient and 
 earnest in the work. He that hath, to him shall be given. It is 
 the strong and prosperous Universities which not only attract the 
 student, but, sooner or later, win the regard of the unselfish few 
 who have it in their hearts and in their power to leave the world 
 a little better than they found it. But, in the absence of extra- 
 neous aid, let us not be discouraged. Although we are labouring 
 under some diflficulties, there is much to be thankful for. We 
 are not running into debt, as has been erroneously supposed. If 
 our coflfers are not as full as we could wish, our classes are; and, 
 what is more important still, our forces are united, and working 
 harmoniously together. Under these favourable conditions, we 
 enter with confidence on the work of another session. 
 
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