论文总字数：38992字

摘 要

作为传统文化的积淀，美国大学校训反映了高校的价值理念和美国的价值体系，也是许多学者研究的重要课题。但是目前的相关研究大多属于静态的，阶段性的，无法概括美国大学校训的全貌，更无法揭示其演进的本质。

本研究的重心在于美国大学校训所反映的核心价值以及在不同阶段的特点。数据分析表明，整体看来美国大学校训所反映的核心价值观念包含知识，信仰，科学等，但在不同的历时阶段有各自的特点。在殖民地阶段，主要表现为信仰上帝，追求光明的生活；独立战争到内战期间，其主要为民主，自由，重视知识教育。内战至二战时期，在重视知识教育的基础上，大学还强调科学研究和平等观念。二战过后，科学知识在大学成为主流。通过借鉴美国大学校训中有用的，适宜的,前瞻性的部分，中国大学能够与时俱进，充分发挥大学在国家发展中的作用。

关键词：美国；大学校训；大学价值理念；不同阶段

Contents

1. Introduction 1

2. Literature Review 1

3. Research Methods 2

3.1 Data Collection 2

3.2 Data Analysis 3

4. Findings 3

4.1 Core Values 3

4.2 Characteristics of American University Mottoes In Different Stages.. 5

4.2.1 College Values in the Colonial Period 5

4.2.2 University Values in the Period from War of Independence to Civil

War..............................................................................................................7

4.2.3 University Values in the Period from Civil War to World War II 10

4.2.4 University Values in the Period after World War II 13

5. Conclusion 16

Works Cited 18

1. Introduction

University motto is an important part of the cultural system of the university. It reflects the value what a university pursuits during a certain time. Although the history of USA is not long, it can be divided into several important stages. Important events that happened in each stage gave birth to dominant values. Under the guidance of dominant values, American university values have achieved continuous development.

The paper is significant both in theory and in practice. In theory, the research offers a comprehensive review of American university mottoes and values embodied in them. In practice, this research will help to improve Chinese educators" interests in university mottoes. In the environment of diversification and globalization, the research will be beneficial for Chinese to absorb available, suitable and perspective values and orientation in American university mottoes, leaving thinking space for the improvement and reform of our Chinese university mottoes and university internal values and making universities play a greater role in the development of China.

On the basis of previous studies, this paper first makes a brief introduction of research value of university mottoes. After that it focuses on studies about current situation of university mottoes, especially conducted by Chinese scholars. Features of American university mottoes are discussed as well with the purpose to make it clear that university mottoes can not only keep certain values in each stage but change for historical events. In the end of the paper, it provides Chinese universities with some revelations, aiming to promote Chinese university mottoes to perform better functions.

2. Literature Review

The study of university mottoes has become a research topic in China, but not in America. I can hardly find any works about American university mottoes in English published in China. In China, the research is mainly divided into three aspects: analysis of American university mottoes and revelations in Chinese university mottoes, analysis of Chinese university mottoes and university values, and comparison of university mottoes in America and China. The structure of such articles generally falls into three parts: the first is the description of university mottoes and the division of stages; the second is the simple analysis of social reality, that is, the external environment where university mottoes come into being; the third is the study of the applications.

There are many works concerning American university mottoes in China. Li Qiaozhen discusses the features of American university mottoes, pointing out that mottoes in America have a religious color, free forms, strong stability and so on. It is affected by the values of American society. She also studies American university mottoes’ function of morality. Gao Yongchen claims that university mottoes in America and China have same values and different points, which has practical significance in promoting cross-cultural communication studies. Guo Shan studies 100 university mottoes both in America and China, trying to generalize features of university mottoes in two countries and analyze reasons of differences.

In China, studies on American university mottoes have grown rapidly, but the vast majority of these studies are descriptive and confined to a specific period in the history of American higher education. They do not reveal whether university mottoes will change with the change of time or historical events or not.

Based on the previous studies, the paper tries to answer the research question: whether university mottoes show different characteristics in different times whereas sticking to some core values? The question is further divided into two specific questions:

1. What are the core higher education values in American university mottoes throughout the history?

2. What are the core higher education values in American university mottoes as reflected in each stage of the development of American higher education?

3. Research Methods

3.1 Data Collection

The paper studies mottoes of 105 American famous universities. The universities and their mottoes are collected from the internet. First, I collected the names of the top 150 American universities. Then I tried to match the university names with the university mottoes as available on the website. This process left me with 105 American famous universities and their mottoes. In the process of collecting American university mottoes, I also find it was not always possible to express them in English. There were two main reasons: influenced by cultures of ancient Greece and Rome, Latin represents a large proportion in English words. It can be seen in many American university mottoes. Secondly, with the same meaning, many English words have different forms. For example, “learn”, “study”, “learning”, “studying” are various in forms, but same in meaning. Therefore, when making tables, I chose Chinese to express the words in university mottoes.

3.2 Data Analysis

When dividing American higher education into different historical stages, I have consulted a number of books about the history of American higher education. The ways of classifying American higher educational history are mainly identical. Finally, I choose the standard of classification in the book History of Foreign Higher Education. Eventually these universities are divided into 4 historical stages: universities in the colonial period, universities in the period from Independent War to the Civil War, universities in the period from the Civil War to World War II, universities after World War II.

By making tables and conducting diachronic study, I aim to analyze the datum in 5 tables. Analysis will focus on two points: word frequency of certain words and percentages of these words in university mottoes. According to the two crucial aspects, the body of the paper begins to introduce general trend of American university mottoes and characteristics of university mottoes in different stages.

4. Findings

4.1 Core Values

Table 1

In the history of American higher education, much significance is attached to some university values, such as knowledge, god, education and science. Core values in society and historical events exert a tremendous influence on university values.

As we all know, America is regarded as a knowledge power. The proportion of the value “knowledge” is 15%, the highest one. It closely relates with the tradition of valuing education. Although the history of American higher education is not very long, passing on knowledge is a primary task for universities all the time. In colonial period, on the condition of a strong religious color, talents, who were knowledgeable and had a good command of public affairs, were also required. Then, appealing to the need of developing capitalism and industrial revolution, university values paid more attention to training professionals for social development. After World War II, not only is it impossible to turn back the tide of globalization, but knowledge become great force to promote world development.

In table 1, the value “god” accounts for 8% and “truth” 7.4%. The proportions are relatively higher. To explain the phenomenon, we must consider Puritanism. American culture originates from Puritan’s culture, which was carried into America by Puritans. Puritans paid more attention to religion and morality. They carried with them to American a code of values, a philosophy of life, and a point of view, which in time, took root in the New World. Puritanism is a great factor that affected American education, especially the colonial education. Due to their religious belief, Puritans believed that everybody can become his own priest. This kind of value has influenced the development of universities for centuries.

4.2 Characteristics of American University Mottoes in Different Stages

4.2.1 College Values in the Colonial Period

Table 2

Looking at 9 colleges" mottoes in the colonial period, colleges lay emphasis on students seeking truth and learning knowledge, especially the belief in god. In addition, in the face of harsh natural environment, the early settlers from Europe long for light brought by God.

4.2.1.1 God

As mentioned before, in this period society had a strong religious color. The religious motivation is the main cause of establishing colleges. As a result, college mottoes must imply the motivation. The proportion of the word “god” is one of the highest.

On the issue of education, a booklet printed by Harvard said: “everyone should concern his ultimate, so he should know and understand god, which is everlasting life... Christian doctrine should be the base of all knowledge and learning.”（Lucas, 1994: 103-104） During its first period, Harvard devoted itself to developing suitable persons, especially for churches (Teng dachun, 1994: 71). As declared by its builders, its training objective is “to provide churches with learned, gentle youth and diffuse religion among the Indians”.（Brubacher and Rudy, 1997: 8）Educational goal of King’s college was defined as: “The main task is to direct the young to understand Jesus, love and submit to god, form good habits, and learn useful knowledge.”（Cubberley，1919: 265）

4.2.1.2 Light

At that time, on the basis of social environment, colonial colleges were established. The word “light” appeared 3 times in 9 college mottoes. The environment influenced settlers’ thought as well as college mottoes.

When the first settlers set foot on American continent and hoped to establish their ideal paradise, what they saw was nothing but daunting environment. Due to religious tradition, it was natural for them to pray to god’s blessing.

In November 1620, immigrants traveled by May Flower to the North America. William Bradford described the situation: “they drop to their knees, thank god for helping them get across the vast and turbulent sea and helping them get rid of dangers and distresses. They can see nothing but melancholy and desolate field, beasts and wild men. They do not know how many beasts and wild men there are. In fact, they will never climb Pisgah and see any prospect from the bleak field. Therefore, they have to appease god.” (Fe Kena, 1989: 52-53) By opening up frontiers, they were eager to light and better life.

4.2.1.3 Knowledge

In colonial period, colleges were in an effort to cultivate qualified priests for denominations. At the same time, colleges also emphasized training talents who were knowledgeable and had a good command of public affairs. Beside religious interests, every college also paid attention to social development.

When Clapp worked as dean of Yale, Yale not only performed the function of cultivating priests, but also took the task of cultivating secular professionals. At that time, Yale opened lectures extensively, teaching practical knowledge which was about agriculture, commerce, navigation, anatomy and so on. In eighteen century, College of William and Mary also took the responsibility that is to development students to be lawyers, doctors and gentlemen. In 1754, College of King opened many practical courses, such as navigation, measurement, mineral, business management, economics courses and so on（Rudolph, 1962: 12）. The value of emphasizing knowledge reflected in colonial colleges’ mottoes could be well reflected in the employment orientation of college students. In the first half of the eighteenth century, 50% graduates took priest as their career. In 1761, this proportion dropped to 37%.

4.2.2 University Values in the Period from War of Independence to Civil War

Table 3

War of Independence was a national liberation movement and a righteous war in which North American people were against British colonial rule, strove for the national dependence and eventually won the success. The War of Independence was a bourgeois revolution, creating the United States and paving the way for the development of American capitalism. Values in this period showed the trend of diversification, deeply affected by the War of Independence and the industrial revolution. By analyzing the table above, we can find how university values were also influenced by the two significant events.

4.2.2.1 Democracy

Compared with 9 college mottoes in colonial period, university values firstly contained the thought of democracy and the proportion is 16.3%. The change in university mottoes is connected with the War of Independence. Establishing democratic value is a complex and laborious process which almost all countries must go through. In the independence movement, American people had great need for democracy. Leading values were mainly reflected in rapid formation of democratic value. The victory of independent movement represented a new and dynamic state. Lexington"s shot fired the first shot of the War of Independence and the Declaration of Independence announced that a new era was coming. Declaration contains rich value system in which the prominent value is democracy.

In the Declaration, democratic value contains four basic elements. Equality is the main value and several other values are the extension of the equal value. In the first paragraph of opening, Declaration explained these values. Firstly, it wrote: “We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” The sentence deeply affected the process of American history and the core values. The core idea of it was Lock"s theory of natural rights which believes that everyone is born equal having the rights of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. All rights are endowed by nature, not be deprived. The three natural rights are in progressive layer, abstracting and generalizing the basic concept of class in the process of social progress. Secondly, Declaration made it clear that governments are established to protect people"s rights. The sentence pointed that the aim of establishing government was to ensure these gifted rights. Thirdly, Declaration mentioned that governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed. This concept could be generalized as Rousseau"s thought “popular sovereignty” which considers that the base of valid governments is that they can represent common people"s interest and get people"s approval. People"s sovereignty is manifested in the aspect that governments" power must submit people"s will. Governments exist because they safeguard people"s rights. Lastly, Declaration stipulated that when a long stain of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object, evidences a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government. It is clear that if a government fails to perform its duties and violates people"s rights, people have the right to change or overturn it by means of revolutionary and set up a new government representing their rights. Four kinds of values in Declaration were a collection of democratic thought, reflecting early settler"s desire of democratic politics and life. Democratic value is the base of American politics and ideology, influencing every aspect of American life.

4.2.2.2 Truth and God

In the colonial period, the proportion of god is 25%. However, it is obvious that the proportion of the words have declined. It means that religion was in a lower-level in university development. It can be understood if we know American enlightenment.

In the middle of the eighteenth century, America was established, but the whole nation still slept in feudal remnant, theological shackle and colonial chain. Almost at the same time, enlightenment started, lasting for a half century. Like the French Enlightenment, American enlightenment was a great movement of ideological emancipation. It showed liberation in the following two aspects.

On one hand, it awakened people"s religious illusion. Enlightenment thinkers targeted at religion. Thinking that ration was the sole criterion for testing everything, they opposed theological authority and religious superstition. Paine, an outstanding representative of the enlightenment advocated ration and considered it was the ability to judge correctly. Rational life was true life. “People can discover god only by relying on ration. Without ration, he can understand nothing.”(Pan En, 1981: 373) Although the enlightenment was difficult, theological hypocrisy was revealed by thinkers. From superstition to ration, pessimism to optimism, people changed. In a word, they inspired people"s mind to liberate from religious confinement, criticized superstition and built the North America to be a country of free belief. At this point, Jefferson"s thought was typical. He considered religious belief was a personal matter and others had no right to interfere with it.

On the other hand, it promoted bourgeois values of liberty and equality. Thinkers condemned feudal both in speech and in writing and spared no effort to clear the way for bourgeois democratic ideas. In the Declaration of Independence, it is said that all men are created equal. If government damages people"s rights, people can change it and establish a new one. Jefferson believed that people have autonomous ability.

4.2.2.3 Knowledge

At this stage, knowledge appeared 7 times in university mottoes and the proportion is 15% which is lower than the figure in colonial period. However, it does not mean that knowledge had less influence with universities. After War of Independence, the number of newly-established universities was larger than that of colleges in colonial period. Inevitably, the proportion is relatively lower. In fact, because of training talents, knowledge is an important part of university values. The main reason for this phenomenon is the need of developing capitalism.

The rapid development of capitalist economy can not be separated from knowledge and expertise. Therefore, university values lay in training professionals for social development, which showed that the main task of universities is to train intellectuals. We know that knowledge is power. When knowledge is combined with economy, there is no doubt that it will inject tremendous power into economic philosophy. Educational philosophy in colonial period, such as training qualified pastors, teaching students to believe in god, etc, was unable to meet the needs of economic development.

4.2.2.4 Freedom

During the colonial period, university mottoes did not reflect the value of freedom. But in the table, the proportion of freedom is 10.2%. This value is mainly reflected by westward movement.

Westward movement brought Americans spirits of freedom and individualism. With the three land laws enacted in 1780s, the movement began. The movement that was used to develop the country"s west announced nationalization of western land and fairly opened the land to free immigrants, which made thousands of Americans hope to have better life. As a result, they came to the west of America and its boundary areas, constantly opened up frontiers, cultivated the land. In a word, they contributed to American western development. In this difficult time, free and independent spirits trained and honed American mixed values of wisdom and endeavor as well as self-reliance. Especially in the journey of opening up wasteland, they firmly believed “manifest destination”, the content of which is that it is god"s will that urges them to exploit frontiers. In this strange land, they were accustomed to a life style of self-sufficiency and the management system of self-development. They poured their desire of life into the autonomous idea, actively participated in management and created an indelible autonomous feeling.

4.2.3 University Values in the Period from Civil War to World War II

Table 4

4.2.3.1 Knowledge and Education

America always attached much importance to the development of education, emphasizing the importance of knowledge in promoting social development and educating its people. From table 4, we can still find concepts of education and knowledge account for a significant proportion.

After the Civil War, due to the deep influence of industrial revolution, fundamental changes have taken place in America. It basically realized industrialization and urbanization, which symbolized changes from an agricultural country taking agriculture as its dominant industry to a industrial power in which city was taken as centre and industry accounted for much proportion in economy than that of agriculture.

4.2.3.2 Equality

The word “equality” first appeared in American university mottoes. The proportion is 14%. The value originated from the pursuit of equality in this period. Influenced by the Civil War, universities highly favored equality and encouraged students to respect it.

During the Civil War, the main contradiction is the racial conflict. People expressed the desire of equality between people of different races. The value of equality caused by domestic contradictory had a tendency to be a dominant value at the time. From 1861 to 1865, American saw the Civil War, which exposed weakness of American political and economic systems. The main contradiction of the South and the North focused on the difference of plantation economy in the South and capitalist economy in the North. As a result, economic contradiction brought about the conflicts in politics, ideology, military matters. For example, 11 southern states claim the requirement of seceding from the Union and forming a new government. At last, the 11 states launched the Civil War. Finally, in May, 1865, the surrender of the confederates symbolized the end of war. Since then, this institution of slavery was completely abolished. However, racial discrimination was not be completely eliminated in the Civil War and blacks still subjected to unfair treatment. It was notable that the value of equality announced in the Declaration was not fully reflected in American. Equality on the surface asserted by America concealed equality in real life. Until now, the value of equality and human rights in America are focuses of attention in international community.

4.2.3.3 Science

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