s
THB NBBRASKAN
CEl?e Untoerstty of Hobmskci,
In their purpose and development, institutions of
learning differ as the men differ who direct or control
or inspire them. Some restrict the work to the simp
ler forms of instruction; the faculty is a faculty of
teachers; and the chief end seems to be the impart
ing of information, with such general culture as can be
secured in connection with this process. Others add
to the work of instruction that of investigation; two
classes of workers arc found in their ranks, the teacher
and the investigator or else each teacher is expected
to be an investigator as well. In these schools scienti
fic work is pushed to the front, laboratories and appli
ances are multiplied, the perceptive faculties of the
students arc quickened, they think for themselves; and
while gathering perhaps even less information their
development is lar more
rapid and their ultimate
power and value is much
greater. The third class of
institutions add to all this
what may properly be
called the work of appli
cation. In these there arc
teachers and there arc in
vestigators poss.bly again
united in the same persons,
but not long so united; but
sooner or later there is a
practical turn given to all
work, and applied knowl
edge is held in quite as
high esteem as any other
form. The University of
Nebraska rather belongs in
this last class, and perhaps
is one of the most notable
examples of this kind of
work and dcvclopent tha'
is to be seen in the Ameri
can educational world to
day. Its teaching force now
numbers in all one hundred
and twenty-three. Of these
sixteen arc full professors,
at the head of departments
as closely organized and as
vigorously administered as
is any private business.
Departmental activity is
one of the crowninc char
acteristics and attractions of the University. There is
a healthful and wholesome rivalry, which ha not yet
broken out in ill feeling or jealousy, but which simply
keeps each and all spurred to the uttermost. There is
striving after students, but not simply for the sake of
numbers and not with any lessening of the disciplinary
side of hard work. These heads of departments must
necessarily be possessed of much executive ability, and
must give much time to the consideration of the de
tails of deparpmental work. Each man has a voice in
naming his assistants, and each is held entirely re
sponsible for the successful working of his department.
To each department is allotted such share of legisla
tive appropriations as the Regents think best; and
while the expenditures of these monies are made
pur', lflHHBli JBKBmKM
CIINCKI.I.OR rNFIKI 15.
through the executive office, and all purchasing and
accounting is looked after with greatest care - still,
heads of departments and these only arc finally
responsible for the wise administration of these
funds. It often happens that these expenditures
run up to thousands of dollars and cover the latest
and best apparatus that the world knows. It is
readily seen that the head of a department must
have wide and accurate information, must be quick
witted and thoroughly alive to all that is going
on in his part of the educational world, must have
the latest information as to his work; and must know
the forms, uses and makers of the most modern appli
ances and apparatus. It Is not infiequently necessary
for the head of a department to make long journeys
md to visit distant labora
tories, in order that he may
more successfully equip his
own. During last summer
these journeyings and this
expenditure of time and
money were pcculiary no
ticeable; some professors
een crossing the ocean in
order that they might know
the very latest and best
that the world had in store
for them. These journey
ings are not taken at Uni
ersity expense; the burden
falls directly upon the in
structor. Hut they are un
dertaken cheerfully and
heartily and earnestly in
behalf of the best service
that can possibly be given
to the state.
Next to full Professors
come Associate Professors;
and beneath these, Adjunct
Professors and Instructors.
The line between the last
two is largly that of salary
md length of service, their
duties and privileges being
ibout equal. It is the policy
of the University not to
place a man in the full chair
until he has accomplished
something worthy of note,
has acuuittcd himself more
than usually well in his chosen field, has secured far
more than a mere local reputation, has in every sense
cr the word won his spurs." It often happens, there
fore, that an Associate Professor is practically the head
of a department; though it is generally understood
that such departments are not fully developed. Each
of the instructors in these different grades works with
large independence as to methods; the only require
ment made of him being results. It is customary, how
ever, in departments carrying a large number of instrc
tors, to hold weekly conferences of all workers in the
department, in order that there may be unity of pur
pose, and as far as possible of method as well. Some
thing of this kind is necessary because students ate
liable to wish to pass from division to division, or in-