Page:Convocation Addresses of the Universities of Bombay and Madras.djvu/187

 sion of Professors of high attainment from Europe—has not been in proportion to that of the numbers seeking to be taught. The subject presents itself in this light that, if there are narrow limits to the increase of the professorial body maintained by the State, as I am afraid that we must admit that there are, it is better to apply some sifting process to the students than to allow the teaching power to be over tasked by numbers. The Previous Examination of this year has certainly acted as a sifting process, 345 candidates having been rejected out of 487. Half of all the candidates failed in English, and cannot have been competent to profit by lectures given in that language. But notwithstanding this check, the numbers who pass the preliminary barrier, and the numbers who reach the B.A. degree, show a remarkable increase in the last two or three years. This is no doubt attributable to the enlargement of the means of secondary education, but the question suggests itself—What is the object of this great body of students marching chiefly on one and the same line, and would any just expectations be thwarted by the adoption of stricter methods for the exclusion of the unfit? Certainly no public object is gained by increasing the number of our graduates in Arts at the expense of their quality. In regard to the best way of using a higher teaching power which cannot be much augmented, the military principle commends itself, that, when a force is small in proportion to its field of occupation, it is more effective when collected at a centre than when its strength is dissipated by sub-division. Lower down in the educational system, there are financial reasons, but others also, why the Government should cease, at a certain point, to multiply Grammar Schools and elementary Arts Colleges. I do not mean that general education should be starved. Every boy should have within his reach the means of education appropriate to his position. But it would seem that the appetite for secondary education may soon be trusted to supply for itself what more is needed of these institutions, whether designed to supply the particular wants of a locality, or leading up to the University course in languages, history, literature, political economy, or moral philosophy. It may be observed that the course in Arts or letters is much more commonly selected by students than the courses in natural philosophy. That which is most popular is also most capable of self-support. The upholding hand of the State may properly transfer itself from that side of national education where it has planted both a demand for teaching and the knowledge how to supply it, to help in its turn another side where at present there is little either of knowledge or demand. That side is technical education, which is a good deal discussed in these days. The founda-