The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-04-11
The Presidency of Purdue.


70 the Editor the INDIANAPOLIS Journai:
For the presidency Of Purdue University
the names of ex-Superintendent James H.
Smart Harvey Wiley present professor of
chemistry and physics; DR.. Goblin, present
professor of Greek in Asbury University
Mr. e. Smith, principal of the Academy and
Normal School of Purdue, and Professor L.
s. Thompson, the senior professor of Purdue
have been proposed in one way or another
Each has his adherents. Professor Smart
has the general qualifications acquired by
long management of the common-school
system; he may be said to be graduate of
the public school system, and the line of his
qualifications are akin to those of the retir-
ing president; they are general rather than
technical and specific. Professor
Goblin, of Asbury University, is a col
lege men college trained; he has
held the pastorate Of one of the leading
churches OF Lafayette and is esteemed and
beloved by the citizens. Professor Goblin, as
president of Purdue University would doubt
less bring a stronger element of religious
manhood and character to the position than
any name yet proposed. He was in the war
OF the Rebellion, and is not lacking in action,
presence or executive power. Professor Har-
vey Wiley is the senior professor in those es-
sential departments for which the university
was organized; he has the necessary technical
training, but is under the embarrassment
of already being professor in Purdue, and
"a prophet is not without honor" etc, prob
ably applies in his case. 1t is quite likely,
too that Professor Wiley may accept the
position offered him under the Commissioner
of Agriculture as United States Chemist
His researches on sugars are well known to
chemists at home and abroad and his papers
fI.alr rlaf
There are dozen others of the lesser edu-
cational fry, who would be delighted to "have
their names mentioned in connection" ETC.,
even though there is not the ghost OF a show
Of their election by the board of trustees, next
June. Purdue needs man of rank and power;
one educated in the line of the business
intended by the act of Congress establishing
the land grant-mechanic arts and agricul-
ture. The mere possession of the general
knowledge of school superntendency, or of
general executive power is not sufficient.
If it were, the State could not do better than
unite the schools under one catalogue and
make DR.. Iemuel Moss, of the State Uni
verslty president of the combined schools
Dr. Moss keeps his friends warmly to him,
learns from his allies in the faculty and as
sociate colleges, and has the courage in all
its parts-moral, mental and physical-that
Students faculty and trustees respect. The
schools can never be united in one place.
There might be, with good will and common
consent OF both Lafayette and Blooming
ton, as well as Terre Haute one presi-
dent appointed, with local faculty,
deans in each school, and a common
catalogue. and perhaps later a single board
of regents for the combined schools Stu
dents could then study didactics and peda-
gogics at Terre Haute Normal School, me-
cbanics, chemistry and agriculture at Pur-
due Agricultural College, and general sci
ence, language and literature at the State
University at Bloomington, and could re-
ceive credit for their work, no matter where
they elected it. But it is not likely any such
deep.laid scheme for the improvement of
the State schools will go into effeet-the
100000 annually expended by the State
will probably long continue to be divided
up nmoug three presidents, sets of profess
ors and Libraries. 1t is to be hoped that a
president competent in the great aims for
which Purdue is intended may be elected-a
man with enough backbone to throw out
the academy and normal school depart
ments, the ornamental drawing and faieuce
department. the State boarding. house sys-
tenn, and indeed every parasite and sucker
that is swallowing the annual appropriation
and defeating the essential ends of the State
agricultural school. With less than a dozen
students in the classes in agriculture. as
many in ornamental drawing twice the
number studying "didactics'' and school
economy" and a preparatory department
that overshadows the collegiate department
there is ample field fora man of calbre Dos
sessing influence with both trustees and
faculty.
There is no necessity of importing an
Eastern man for the presidency of Pur-
due. The board might do far worse
than to elect Samuel A. Lattimer, PHI D.
L. d., present professor Of chemistry in the