THE RHODES SCHOLARSHIP REVERSED
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]
Sni,---When Cecil Rhodes established the Rhodes Scholarships, he saw that contact between young men during college life affords them an opportunity to understand one another. In those days, Oxford and Cambridge were thought Of as the only British Universities; the newer Universities in England and in the Colonies had barely attained their majority. The Empire was highly centralized ; Imperialism was at its height.
Since that time events have marched quickly. Oxford and Cambridge are still unique but they are no longer alone ; other Universities such as London, McGill, and Manchester can interpret education as we now know it. The University prospectus of to-day recalls the word& of Ju'venal ;— " Quiequid agunt homines, votum timor Ira voluptas - • Gaudia diseursus nostri farrago libelli est.".
All that has to do with life interests us. No human activity is foreigti to our consideration. Economics and Industrial Research have found a place beside the Huinanitiei and Pure SlatheMatics. We no longer wonder whether a doctoi or an engineer or a chemist is an educated man. • Again, the political and economic aspect of the world has altered: The British Empire has been decentralized, and
the " Colonies " ha•ve 'become nations with economic and political problerns of their own.- The opinions of the French- speaking Canadian and 'the Dutch-speaking South African affect the .policy of the Empire.
The time has come for us to take a leaf out of Cecil Rhodes's book and establish still further contacts between the Mother- land and the Dominions. We should no longer be satisfied that groups of young men from overseas study at Oxford. More Englishmen should receive their University education
in Canada ThiS is not migration propaganda, but a proposal that. Englishmen, even if they intend to earn their living at home, should enlarge their vie*point of the Empire 'by edneating themselves in the Doirdnions.
Tvio objectiona will- be raised at Once. For the Public Schoolboy—" It is not done." The undeiitaduate of Oxford or Cambridge believes that his college life and surroundings are as important as his University studies. Rightly so. But other Universities have other kinds of college life. The student at McGill his his Union and his games ; lie may live at house managed by " Greek Letter Society," in effeet;--a club ; he is unusually free from restraint or restriction. ,The second objection. is the loss of contact with friends and companions in England. But thii difficulty never stood in
the way of the Rhodes Scholarship plan. We cannot make new contacts without, for the time up old ones.
Let us look at the advantages which a young Englishinan will gain from a sojourn at a University such as McGill. - Iii
the first place, he will understand Canada and the Canadians
as he could never understand them. by staying at home. Books will give him very little conception of the St. Lawrence River; with its inland port. of Montreal, city large as
Liverpool and, in tonnage, the second port of North America. Books cannot show him water developing four-and-a-half million horse-power. If he stays in England he cannot under- stand the feelings of the French-Canadians. FUrther, he will see world politics from a new angle. He will understand that when Canada looks westward across the Pacific she groups the nations about that ocean. To the Canadian China and Japan are West, not East. He will rub shoulders with under- graduates and graduates of many nations, his teachers will be English, Scottish, French, and American, as well as Canadian. Educationally his opportunities will be broad enough. He may prepare himself for commerce, for engineering, or for medicine, as well as he could at home. If his bent lies towards Scientific industrial research lie will find exceptional oppor- tunities, such, for example,. as are offered by the _cellulose institute, supported by the University and the pulp and paper manufacturers of Canada.. - The really important consideration is that he would be jolted out of a rut. Too many young men go through school and University in the same atmosphere.. They are apt to forget that there are other people or other viewpoints. They scarcely realize that other institutions have anything to teach theM. The English graduate of a Canadian University returns to his own country well equipped professionally, broadened mentally, and with a better understanding of what our Empire
Previous page
