The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-01-25
Free Education for Rich Mems Sons.

The salaried officials OF the College of the
City Of New York are circulating for sig
natures. with the help Of their pupils, n petit
ton 10 the State Legislature against abol-
ishing the college 1t is quite natural that
they should thus exert themselves 10
preserve IN existence an Institution on
which they depend for their living. 1t ia
quite natural, too, that they should have
influence enough over the youth placed I'M
der their control to secure their cooperation
in the work. Like the silvcrsmiths Of
Ephe-us, whose trade was mcnaced by the
preaching of ST. PAUL. they find it easy to
get up "a cry in favor of their goddess II
remains to be seen whether they can make
noise enough 10 drown the voice Of reason
and truth.
The arguments adduccd IN the petition on
behalf of the monstrous abuse which IL
asks to have pcrpetuated, show the singular
peryerson of intellect which "A fundamen-
tally wrong principle leads to when allowed
to have full sway. The college is defended
on these grounds
That doors are open ALTO rich and poor alike,
That II was established in the year s47 by an over
whelming majority OF the direct popular vote. the de
cs0n OF tile question having been referred 10 the cu1cu-
ty ihc state Legislature.
FIlatitisa natural uuigrowth Of our common school
system ana in connection with the Normal College Tor
females 'HJ.ts me fafion ot both sexes IN our city,
That th. continued popularity OF the college /, to be
seen n the sa dy Increase Of the number OF applicants
for admission Tar greater at the last annual examination
thnn 10 anv previous year,
That the atnshg, t6., ,'I,io supplied by the col.
lcse a. mum, w ,3i cannot be- furnished 90 the pupils
OF tc public school, the city through any other chan
| mel than tins or similar Insulation,
That take away IRON the great city OF New York bv
simple vote o the Legislature "~ ~h confirmed h' NE
direct vote o the people i measure iraught with the
utmost danger torc education not only in this city bu.
| throughout the entire state OF New forA'
| In other words, the assertion is made that
the rich as well as the poor receive the bcnc-
fits Of the institution, and have right
which the Legislature cannot safely in
fringe, to give Il college education to their
children at the expense Of their fellow citi-
zens
The petition adroitly says that the college
| Is open To the rich and the poor both, but as
n matter Of fact it is the rich only who send
their children to it. No poor man can afford
10 avail himself of its privileges To clothe,
feed and lodge a boy from the age Of four
teen to that Of eighteen, without his doing
anything for himself, implies an income on
the part OF his parents quite Inconsistent
with the idea Of poverty. Besides, a college
education is only II stepping stone 20 some
profession or employment involving the cX-
pcnditure of additional time and money, and
this is stli further out of the reach of Tia,
poor. We have only 10 look at the residences
Of the boys who 90 through the entire col
lego course to be satisfied of their rank IN
society. They all live in localities in which
no family can he maintained ON less than
from three to five thousand dollars year
and 10 call such people poor is an abuse Of
language.
The College Of the city Of New York cost.
the Taxpayers 81 the city slj0,0O0 every ycal
in money, and Mt least SO, 900 more in in
trrcst on the value Of the land and build
ing IL occupies. The net result of It's opera
lions is a graduating class Of forty or fifty
young men, who would be better cared fol
at Columbia College or at the University Oh
Washington square ut an annual cost Of not
moro than $4,000. To save the parents o
these young men the payment Of tuition
fees Of 500 II year apiece, which they ar
abundantly able to afford, the rest Of thu
community 10 taxed to tho amount O
| $4,000 year. Tho bare statement Of thes'