New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-04-04
COLnMBIA,N APPEAL.

Tho trustees of Columbia College have met
those who have found them too reticeht ih re-
GARD 70 it's Affairs with frank statement Oh iIs
financial condition. The revenue OF the col
lego IS given as $336,392 and the expendi-
lures are $29S,69O, leaving surplus OIL
1897 7O2. THIS surplus, too small to meet moro
than one or two of the requirements Of the col
lege and necessarily variable, has been applied
to the cost of new buildings. For these a aco'
of S1O2. 900 was incurred by the 3Oth or Sep
tenber last. This debt VIII amount "
$500, 900 by the 30th Of September next, anu
to S75O,O0O before the buildings arc com.
pleted As a business measure the wisdom Oh
this stem IS not beyond question. The surplus
revenue appears too insignificant to warrant
such liabilities, while reliance upon prooaoe
increase in rentals sounds much like specula-
ton in futures. Nevertheless new Duiidihgs
had become necessity and with the increase
i'm Coumbia's funds which we may hope 10 SEQ
Effected, these expenditures will be safely pro-
yided for. 1t is evident that Columbia shares
one dra wback in common with Harvard anu
Yale tho restriction of moneys to SPECIFIC pur-
poses. 1t is to be hoped that it may become
more customary for benetactors of educational
institutions to leave tue disposal of their gifts
to tia more cOmpstent Judgment Oh INC onici"i
representatives of tho recipient.
The movement for higher education at Co.
lumbia will receive tho warmest Endorsement
The foundation of Johns Hopkins University
was one answer to the demand, and the increas-
ing attention paid to postgraduate courses ol
study at Harvard and Yale is another. In pro-
| tessional education Columbia's School OF Law
School of Mines, and in "a lesser degree her
School of Political Science, have achieved u.s.
| tinguished regulations. Yet the specialist WHO
seeks to supplement m ordinary college course
With more exhaustive study OF the mgher
branches of his subject is forced TO go else
where to obtain facilities. Thus the Columoia
student or graduate of another college WHO
wishes to devote his life 10 science or letters as
a teacher or investigator finds himself hampered
at the outset. We have arrived ut the stage III
orr development when wo have right to ask
! for the most thorough. profound and accurate
| knowledge among our scholars, and 1t Is only
| fair 70 provide "A means for its attainment
There is especial fitness in the idea Oh making
Il, this city the centre of the higher education as
well AS of the business of the country. but th'
Transformation of Columbia into university
il by no means so easy as the appeal would seen
10 Indicate. Courses of post graduate study
and the enlargement Of departments OF the col
| lege are much TO be desired, but OF themselves
these changes cannot raise Columbia from th'
rank of the German gymnasium to that OF th'
university. The growth must begin at the DOT
tom rather than the top. with additional re
ouirements of the schools of preparation ana
higher standard for admission. The elevation
of the college by these means is necessarily
work of time, and we must therefore loo slow Il
rank Columbia or even Harvard or Yale as
university. 80
II a largo endowment fund-Over four mill
ions-which DIR. Barnard asks for, but his state
ment shows that tho revenues OF this sum VIII b
well applied Aside from the use OF tins money
in the investigation of the higher branches o
learning, the practical benefits of schools
sanitary and electrical engineering are obvious
Much might be said, too. in behalf OF the librarl
fund and a school of fine arts. the study o
which has been found TO meet want at liar
ward and Yale which is still felt here. The ap
NAL of the trustees shows that Columbia need
only money for her development into grea
educational mower and an influence most bene
fetal to this city, New Workers arc proverbi
ally generous q response to this call VIII DO o
advantage 20 themselves as we'll rs others, ant
we trust the money may be forthcoming.