New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-06-18
THE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY.
SHALL IT BE CREATED IN THIS CITY,
DIR. RoosA HEARTILY APPROVES PRESIDENT BAR
NARDs SUGGESTIONS - PRINCIPAL
WHITE OPPOSES IT

WHITE OPPOSES 1T.
Dr. ID. z. St. John Rosa is keeny interested in
,he plan OF President Barnard told in last Sun
days Tribune for making Columbia College a post
graduate university and abandoning the undergrad
uate department II has DIR. Roosas hearty approval
ms Is what he said to Tribune reporter about it
ana the earlier in the direction the
University Of the City OF New-York:
Inc proposition Of President Barnard, and perhaps
some OF the trustees of Columbia College, to make 1t
postgraduate Institution instead Of an Undergrad
uaae cohege, and the arguments used by him to
'a'h MS plan, had particular interest for because
some seven or eight years ago, and year two
PRIOR inc same project was recommended by
m'tee Of the council of the New-York University, and
a. eaaefs OF The Tribune with Others Interested in
the subject, Will remember, very earnest controversy
was carried on in the press at that time.
III regard to this subject The cry raised against
inc committee Of tho council that they were attempt
ihg 10 destroy tho university while they simply
inehded the suspension OF the undergraduate Depart
hent and the development Of departments of law and
medicine with the institution OF Others II possible.
Ihey argued that this carrying out the original
plan OF the founders OF the unversityhat they
intended to found college. but university, such
the Johns Hopkins has become, similar 10 German
universities, with certain notifications American
needs
The result OF the controversy was that the alumni
OF the undergraduate department and the professors
In the Academic Department exercised such all In
iiuence upon the council TO overrun what was
twice reported and adopted Ibereupon several MEM
bcrs OF the council Of the university withdrew but not
with any unpleasant feelings toward their colleagues,
whom they left simply because they could not IN
dorse the plan Of attempting to continue under
graduate college in the city Of New-iork, where
they thought, It needed while postgraduate
or real university needed then and I'm my
needed OF he mi "
would have worked very hard for the development OF
university. had not their plans been defeated. Such
d. Wills James and Morris X. Jcsup'
GGATIFIED AT DIR. BARNARDs POSITION.
a 1t Is extremely gratifying to me to find that so
eminent educator President Barnard. ten years
later, reIteraics almost word for word, the argyll
ments used by those of who then I'm favor of
creating real university Nothing that has occurred
since in the development Of the Undergraduate de-
parment Of the university under its able chancellor
and vicechancellor. has modified my opinion that the
council then lost rs great opportunity Of making for
NcwYork what the necessity Of things Will surely
compel NewYork TO have some day. Indeed. 1t is
already established here. bat unOrganzed. There
1000 studying medicine here every year; 500
law; the number Of those studying Journalism cannot
De estimated in art there close to a thousand,
All probably GOO more attached to science,
and 10 theology. say 400. What city in this country
present any such statistics of university attend
ancc as thescl Yet the facilities very incomplete
and there is not onc-half done ought to be done
II Columbia College viii further the University of
New York, great day IN educational matters will
dawn upon But II I were TO assume the role
Of prophet. | would predict that many Of the
academic departments OF Columbia College. like those
academic departments of the University, will bitterly
contest this departure unwisely as did their
brethren in the University. But the plan only needs
thorough discussion To be finally acceIaed by all intel
rpur well W NJ In EpL York
Howard Crosby, the former chancellor OF the
university was the real originator of the plan to or
ganlze a university. and he supported By John
Taylor Johnson. the Hon. william b. MacCloy and
William Il. Martin. All three we're alpmnl Of the
academIcal departments but they were unable 10 find
any support Ia: graduates of those departments
or among the professors The late Professor John W.
Draper for time approved OF the plan, but finally
induced take different view Of it. The present
chancellor DR.. John Hail. with Charles ButIsr pre-
dcnt Of the council and tho late Aaron J. vanderpoei,
generally Instrumental IN having the report Of the
committee rccOnSidercd and finally defeated"
OPPOSED TO THE CHANGE AT COLUMBIA
John ; White, head master Of the Berkeley school.
who IS looked upon strong opponent Of the propo-
siton 10 abolish the undergraduate department OF
Columbia College, said TO the reporter:
Il am sure that the suggestion OF President Bar
nard that the undergraduate department Of Columbia
College should be discontinued and the college be
made purely university hereafter, Will be received
with astonshment by the large body OF graduates OF
Columbia and by teachers of preparatory schools
everywhere. II shows, 1t seems to me, an entire
mlsconccpton Of The magnificent opportunity which
lies within the reach OF Columbia College. IL Is
not my province to make any criticism upon the
board Of eminent trustees of Columbia, or upon It's
worthy president. who has Just resigned his great
trust. Both have always had the best interests Of
the college at heart and labored earnestly for IT'S
hut 10 pnfS qg they
laborcd I'm harmony or qulte TO the purpose.
"The reason why the college has not founshed,
except as local Institution is perfectly clear from
the point Of view of the preparatory teacher. The
students appear to be made up OF three dlsuhcs
classes. First those whose parents cannot AFFORD
send them away from home TO college ana VINO
must Therefore keep them here they are to attend
college at all And this class comprises the best
students IN the institution: second those boys whose
fathers do not dare To send them away from homo
for fear Of the temptations to which they woud pc
subjected II left to their own guidance IN such COZ
legcs as Harvard Yale or Princeton; thlfu' uoso
whose fathers are either graduates OF CoiunO'a
or warm friends Of the Institution suu
who send their boys 10 columbia from motives OF
college association and patriotism. Tls class is the
smallest at Columbia while 1t Is b. far the largest
at the other colleges have mentioned The edSoh
for this fact and for the small size oil the cIasscs a
Columbia lies just here no sensible faher' VINO i'o'
either in the city the country at distance ro'
NcwYork is going 70 send his boy mere to be placed
in a day school and live in boarding house, win no
supervision By the college authorities. and suDlec'eu
TO all the temptations Of the city without the slightest
direction as to his homefe. And yet, opposed ~
this objection. arc these amazing advantages No".
York today can be- fairly considered the cenire VI
Intellectual lie In America. There are magnincSht
libraries superb collections Of pictures ana otnef
works Of art, museums OF natural hso anu HON ~
given through the winter tine finest presentations OF
the works OF the great musical composers III =,
the most powerful educating Influences are prsehI 10
greater degree IN NcwYVik City than ahy"neic oiso
I'm the country.
A RADICAL SUGGESTION MADE
"wlth these opportunities for intellectual improve
ment II lies within the power of the columbia mus
tees TO build up as influential ana important 'o"oso
IN say tho loas, A. Harvard or Yale or Princeton can
ever become The solution of the whole question
lies merely In moving the undergraduate depart