The Dominion FRIDAY, JANUARY 24, 1908. THE UNIVERSITY AND DEFENCE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 103, 24 January 1908, Page 6

The Dominion FRIDAY, JANUARY 24, 1908. THE UNIVERSITY AND DEFENCE.

Ik suggesting to the University Senate that "military drill and rifleshooting " should be made one of the optional subjects in the examination for the piifes degree, the Council of Defence has probably opened the eyes of educationists to the extraordinary liberality of some people's views upon the functions of the University. It says much for the imperturbable modernity of Senators that the Council's suggestions were not vetoed upon the spot. The matter has instead been referred to a committee for further inquiry, but we do not expect that any practical result will issue from whatever negotiations may take place, nor, probr ably, does the Senate. There are very' grave difficulties of an ethical and practical character in the way of establishing the innovation. One of them was in the mind of the, Chancellor when, with evident irony, he asked Dr. M'Dowell whether he would give consideration to proficiency in football, The acceptance by the University of proficiency in military drill as an adequate substitute for proficiency in, say, English language and literature," would amount to the University's abandonment of its essential purpose. Proficiency in military drill ig a thing desirable in every citizen, and in the near future, perhaps, it may be treated as a national duty; but that, of course, by no means makes it a subject for the concern of the University, which has a certain limited area of activity, and which cannot, without injury to itself, go outside its proper province. If this initial difficulty could be got over, further difficulties would present themselves. Who could argue, with any hope of success, that such and such a subject, above all others, could, with a general balance of advantage, be replaced by "military drill and rifle-shooting"? Who, indeed, could successfully demonstrate that any existing subject could 1 be dropped? Difficulties would attend the fixing of the standard of proficiency; other difficulties would present themselves when the Senate reached the point of securing that the introduction of the new " subject" would not wOrk inequitably to some students. It is doubtful, again, whether serious students would give up one of their subjects of study for the new one. Altogether, we are afraid that the adoption of the Council's suggestions will be found neither desirable nor practicable. So far as the immediate point at issue is concerned, the Sen- . ate should have po course ojen to it

but to shield the existing University course from the invasion of subjects entirely alien to the University's pur? pose. The plea that it is a national duty to become proficient in arras has no locus standi in the matter. At the same time, while the Committee is discovering this, ap we think it cannot fail tp do, it may discover something else .as well, and that is that' the University may in some other way assist

the national defence movement. The usefulness of the University and the affiliated Colleges has a wider range than their proper functions; they can do a good deah more than manufac-

ture B.A.'s and M.A.'s. The College communities are specially good fields for the development of rifle corps, as well as tennis and football elubs. So far as we are aware, nothing has been done by the University or. the affiliated Colleges to encourage drill and marksmanship amongst the students. Here is one way in which, without going beyond their charters, the University and the four Colleges may make use of their opportunities. • The Council of Defence," although it has gone about its purpose in the wrong way, must be given every credit for going about its purpose at all. The University can--,not be made an agent of the defence movement in the manner proposed by the Council, but that it has approached the Senate is evidence that the Council is beginning to have ideas. And ideas have been so remarkably wanting in the Defence administration in the past that the awakening js worthy of note. : ".r