"Professor, How Could You?"

I am told that there is no end of envy and jealousy in the ranks of the Harvard professors, since so many of them have taken to the lecture platform and are sharing their knowledge and guesses with the outside world, instead of confining their efforts to pumping information into the roomy brain tanks of Harvard students. I am told that no fewer than eleven Harvard professors were talking publicly in and out of the Boston on Sunday last, but as far as I could learn from the daily papers none added a great deal to the sum total of human intelligence.

One report has it that the professors are cutting rates and offering to deliver a series of lectures at a far lower figure than has hitherto been felt compatible with professional dignity. As a result, there is considerable backbiting and double-crossing going on, and it may be necessary for Prexy Lowell to intervene and put the lecture industry of his professors on a standardized, and possibly, and union basis. Some of the professors are using photographs and lantern slides in connection with their lectures, and it is said that they charge no more for their verbal and mechanical output than the standard price for plain talks with no more accompaniment than a table and a pitcher of water.

There is no doubt that something will have to be done about it before long. Ever since Prof. Rogers of Tech advised all young men of intelligence to be snobs and followed that up with other advice and statements which caused loud protests and gave him more than his fair share of the front page space on Monday mornings, the number of Harvard professors who are actually neglecting their boys in order to arrange tours in the interest of popular education for the masses has steadily increased.

Several well-known newspaper men have told me within a few weeks that organizations which they had addressed regularly for a series of years on "The Sacred Duties of the Journalistic Profession", and kindred topics, have failed to apply for dates this season and, on being questioned explained that they had made arrangements to listen to certain Harvard professors, one of whom had a harp accompanist.

"Copy Reader" Boston Review.