New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-01-26
EXPENSE OF EDUCATION.

THE FREE COLLEGE DEFENDED.
WHAT 1T ACCOMMODATES AND ITS ABOLITION WOULD
DO-A HIGH TESTIMONIAL TO THE EFFICIENCY
OF IT'S wORK-AN ATTACK ON THE WHOLE sYs-
TEN OF HIGHER FREE EDUCATION
TO tAe Edttor OF The Trt6unC
SIR: "E. c." is entitled, as citizen, to his
opinion to the advisabty OF continuing the Cohsgo
Of the City Of but he does an Injustice IN re-
presenting tho entire expense Of that institution a. ds
voted 10 an annual average Of about forty graduates To
say that expended and but forty men or 30
are graduates. leaves unfayorabls and think, I'M
iustaabe impression. The number OF students In the
college, including the Introductory department. whieh
serves preparatory school for the college, was az
opening of the collegiate year. 1855 on TINS
great number that to be expended and not on
the class which graduated. Iii undoubtedly to Dc re-
retted that larger proportion Of the students are not
graduated but no reasonable man Will deny that every
student who attends college, whether be TOT one year
or two, three, receives lifelong pehcht anu 'n0
number Of graduates IS increasing. Many s'udehsaro
forced to leave their circumstances VIII not per
NIT them to live any longer without employment OF
some kind. And this brings me to another mlscohcep
ton with regard to the college, which has widely pre-
vailed The students there far from being, az rule
the children of rich parents. Nine-tenths OF them ana
even larger proportion than that perhaps are young
men. who, II not allowed to get collegiate
education, partial or complete, Ia TINS way
could not get IL at all there 10 Iooin, VI ~'uoo'
for difference of opinion to whether the city should
or shoud itself to give free education 10 all
who Will have 1t. 1t seems to me-aDd ceased long
ago to have any selfish interest IN the matter-an
emnenty desirable thing for city 80 much under the
influence Of ts foreign population and much in need
of the greatest number Of enlightened citizens 10 can
secure to make education easy. IT does 40 row. The
child enter the lowest grade OF the public schools
and graduate woman, from the New-f0rk or the
Normal College To mar this complete system OF free
education by abolishing the NewYork College would DC
like knocking Of the head Of statue.
As TO the charge Of extravaganza, let me say that
paper circulated by some friends Of the college shows
that while the cost Of instruction in the public SCHOOLS
has increased for each pupil 1913 per cent since leoo
the cost in the New College has Increased but 81
per cent-probaby, considering the difference In prices
an actual decrease As the efficiency Of the nstitu-
ton let me say that connected with one OF the
finest professional schools in the country much res0rted
10 by students of Yale and Harvard and other nrscass
colleges assured me, years ago, that large snare
of the best students he had came from the New-York
COege-men with the most earnest, Dracucal purposes
He seemed to consider that Institution as Tar from pehg
"a failure. ,. !. . . -.
expedency 1t is right. The people OF the city,
by an Overwhelming majority Of direct vote, decreed
tie establishment Of this college; IL las since peen sup
pnrted by appropriations from City Treasury And
his institution Mr. Grady proposes to by bill.
This carrying Legislative interference with local con-
little TOO far vote OF Tue people snouu oy
he reversed by another vote OF the people, anu Dlr
Gradys bill should be fought as esolutey oy those WHO
are opposed 10 the college as by those VINO favorl.
Mr. Grady IL reported as intending 10 follow up ths
measure with attacking all free schools above those
which AFFORD instruction In Inc ordinary EngIsn
branches. The friends OF the common schools III 'he
Legislature-and they cannot be iew-nay az Wen De
warned in time. II they allow Mr. Grady 70 abolish tle
NewY9rk College they may teen sApees 10 1ee 1qer
high schools and academies attacked. 1hAooATh"
Aeir- York January "a, 1878.