New-York tribune., 1874-07-04
COLLEGIATE EDUCATION GROWING
DEiRER.

u,xnsoup ENDOwMENTs RATHER EMBARRASSING
THAN ryRrcnNG OUR CoLLEGEs-A COLLEGE
rDrcATION DEARER THAN IT WAS FIVE YEARS
AGO-THE REMEDY.
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
SIR: Just at this time when the attention OF
the public generally directed toward our hsttu
tions of learning, will you permit me to say few words
through your columns on the subject OF going 10 COZ
legesl Not long ago Ihearl the Rev. Lyman AtWatcr
of Princeton College, in speaking before the PresDytey
Of New-Brunswi the subject of an appeal TO the
Iocature OF against the taxation or church
and college property make the statement that the very
large sums which his college mas received uurihH
the last few years 50 far from making the
institution wealthy or even Independent, had rather
tended to embarrass it by causing an increase OF an
nua expenses without any corresponding increase of
available funds II is undouOted fact that notwth-
standing the hundreds Of thousands that Princeton has
received during President McCOshs administration an
education at Princeton costs considerably moro to-day
than it did five years ago. l believe tnat tue same
thing may be SAID Of almost all our leading colleges
Millions have been given within the last few years ior
educational purposes" and get is harder to-day Tor
poor young to obtain an education at QUE DesV
colleges than It has ever been before.
think fair consideration of the circumstances OF the
case will show that this money has not been wisely eN-
pended / would not underyaluc the importance OF nue.
college buildings and costly apparatus but cannot
help thinking that for years TO come the great ehu
which The friends OF culture should keep constantly IN
view is cheap education-I good educational al
yantages made available to just as many as possible OF
the youug men and OF our land. IL Is not neces
sry that simple colleges should be rapldy croWue
,; -, AZ aud nidjestiG Hui AZ - 2p9Fs -
Ihings necessary that the excellent powers OF
irstructiou which they now possess shoulu 1, pc
hrnnght tO bear as generally IA possible upon that
reat mass of youth from which the very best resources
f or couutry have always been drawn NhO can Aatuy
oFi to 90 To college Tns end cannot be attained Dy
erecting splendid buildings, or by establishing post
graduate fellOwship3. Aud as almost all the mOhey
given now to Institutions OF learning Is expended III
one of these two ways il Is evident that Wle TINS gen
erous charity may make education more peasant 10
SOME and complete 20 some. IT makes IL easier 10
no one the contrary, experience proves thit Costly
buildings tend directly to make the college 10 winch
they are gwen expensive one because tne money
necessary TO support such buildings and 10 make Oher
things correspond with them must DC drawn from
fhe ordinary funds Of the institution, when mlgnt
otherwise be used TO aid needy students wish 10 ap
nal 10 the patrons education In behalf OF these needy
carry double weight all through their College course
keenin abreast and teaching two hours
every day. There many such in all our colleges
desire TO press question whether 1t would not DC
better work for the true interests OF education III
th country invest money that ii could reach ana
aid these struggling students, aud encourage others 10
ioin their ranks than to spend thousands IN costly
dormitories or gymnasumsl This can be done IN many
ways Probably competitive scholarships are the best
mems M hclp WM. X. TERRETT.
s,uenfa n Y 90, 1874