Excerpt from The Genesis of the University of New Brunswick: With a Sketch of the Life of William Brydone-Jack, A. M., D. C. L., President, 1861-1885

In the first of these, delivered in 1853, he stoutly advocates the study of the classic languages of ancient Greece and Rome, and of the higher mathematics, as the basis of all sound educa tion, the most efficient instruments of intellectual training, but he goes on to state that the requirements of the age, and the inevitable law of progress seem to demand that classics and mathematics should not reign the solitary and unassailable despots they have hitherto been considered.

He rejoices in the fact that the study of subjects bearing upon the wants of everyday life are constantly on the increase, although he still insists that intellectual training is the principal end of University education. Let it not be supposed, he adds, that I am averse to the introduction of professional teaching into our Colleges and Universities. On the contrary, I think it highly desirable, but I would have it done in its proper place, and to such an extent as the wants of the time and the country seem to demand.

Robb and brydone-jack may be regarded as pioneers in the field of practical science. The first modest addition to the original building, to be erected on the college campus was, as already mentioned, the observatory, built through Professor Jack's instrumentality in 1851. We shall probably not be wrong in the assumption that Sir Edmund Walker Head, Baronet, who came to the province as lieut.-governor in 1847, had something to do in this matter. N o governor prior to the time of Confederation (unless it be Sir Howard Douglas) dis played so great an interest in the educational progress of New Brunswick.

About the Publisher

Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com

This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.