In the summer of 1910 the Paris weekly L'Opinion published a series of articles that severely criticized the University of Paris. This was the beginning of an intense debate on the nature and goals of university education. The meaning and limits of scientific knowledge and research were also discussed. There was a nationalistic side to the argument as well, as the Sorbonne was attacked for following the German model. The debate is still interesting, because it raises various issues of the relationship between university and society.