tary was impracticable. As a consequence, the income accrued faster than it was consumed, and, as the money had been fortunately invested, it at length accumulated to so considerable an amount as to make some change desirable in the policy to be further pursued. It became apparent that the purpose Professor Tyndall had in view could be better accomplished through the agency of permanent educational institutions, having among their objects the promotion of higher scientific study. The trustees corresponded with Professor Tyndall, who concurred with this view, and it was then resolved to terminate the existing arrangement by transferring the Tyndall fund back to the possession of the donor, to be distributed to such institutions as he might select. The original amount—thirteen thousand dollars—had increased to thirty-two thousand four hundred dollars; and Professor Tyndall decided to divide this sum in three equal amounts, to be given, one to Columbia College, of New York; one to Harvard University, of Cambridge; and one to the University of Pennsylvania, at Philadelphia, for the foundation of three permanent scholarships in physical science, and for the benefit of students desiring to prepare themselves for the work of original research either at home or abroad, as the authorities of the respective institutions might decide.
This princely benefaction to American science will thus be memorable in future times, not only for its magnitude, but from the impressive circumstances of its origin. The money represents the contributions of the American people, given for the enjoyment of one of the most striking and instructive courses of scientific lectures ever delivered in this country. It represents also the earnings of one of the most gifted and high-minded scientific men of this generation, who contributed half a year's labor to the preparation and delivery of the lectures. The fund is consecrated to the perpetual carrying out of the scientific conceptions and principles inculcated in these discourses, so that the intellectual influence so strikingly initiated thirteen years ago will be an enduring power in the higher scientific education of this country for all time. Three of our leading collegiate institutions will be in competition with each other to administer these scholarships in the spirit in which they have been founded, to maintain their high-class character, which will be evinced by the quality of the men they turn out, and who, by their accomplishments, will do lasting honor to the illustrious scientist whose name and fame are treasured in the hearts of many thousands of the American people.
OFFICIALISM IN EDUCATION.
The Boston "Journal of Education" complains of the persistent assaults made upon "the graded school system" of this country, and attributes very evil motives to those by whom the alleged assaults are conducted. It finds "a considerable class of the clergy of all sects laced up in the mediæval European notion that the priest has a divine right to supervise all schools, overriding even the claim of the family, and resenting the claim of the whole people to supervise education as a godless presumption." It mentions also "a growing class of scientists, scholars, and literary people" as "putting on European airs, and claiming the exclusive right, as educational experts, to control the schools." Next, there is an exclusive social class bent on "forcing its own lines of artificial distinction into the school-room." The moneyed class, again, wants to regulate education with a view to keeping the "common herd" out of the poor-house; while labor-reformers want to have the interests of the mechanic and operative classes specially considered.
Now, we must confess that we fail
