The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1889-01-24
OUR UNIVERSITY AGAIN.
An Interesting Letter from Prof.W. A,
Blair, Of Winston.

lie - aS
Blair, of Winston
Especial Correspondence to the Sentinel
WINSTON, N. c., Jan. 22.-I have
been much interested in the articles
concerning the University which have
from time to time appeared in your
columns and may say that I am more
than glad that the progressive news
paper, which is always in the van in
every "good word and work" is giving
more and more attention to these vital
questions which are so intimately con-
nected with our progress and develop
ment. The discussion will do good.
Rev. A. d. Mayo, of Boston, recently
said that the "bottom question" in
Southern life is neither political, in
the partisan or economic sense, nor So
cial, even including the trace ques-
ton, half sc much as it is the educa-
tional question, in the broadest sense
of the term.
The university question" is part,
of course, of that. educational ques-
ton"
There are two reasons, it seems to
me, why this State Institution has not
already accomplished more than it has
done. First, for some years after the
war there was necessarily but little de-
mand for real University work in our
State, and, second,-State support in
the way of appropriations has been
very inadequate, and by no means all
the alumni and friends of the institU-
tion have remembered her in their
wills, paid into her treasury tithe of
their annua. incomes, or contributed
literally to establish chairs in the diff
ferent departments. The only wonder
is that she has done so much, for no
first class, high-grade educational in
stitution can be self supporting.
Who will endow the Chair of Phil
osophy for which Mr.. Horace Will
liams pleads!
Mr.. Andrew D. White in the Jan
uary Forum, has this to say about the
! cost of maintaining University:
''In those good old times OF thirty
years ago. two or three. hundred thou
sand dollars was thought great en-
dowment for university; and twenty
thousand dollars sufficient endow
ment tor a professorship. To found
an institution and call it q university,
in these days, with an income OF less
than a quarter of million of dollars
a year is broad farce. Even with
that sum many of the most important
spheres of university activity must be
neglected. Twice the amount is not
MOVE than adequate, and Harvard
University, which has an income of
Eiore than twice that amount, is at this
moment showing cogent reasons for
demanding more. And the tendency
is ever toward greater expenditure
This is neither to be scolded at nor
whined over. Just as the material
demands of this wonderful time have
created vast hotels, steamships, and
railway systems, so the moral and in
tellectual demands are creating great
universities. A leading professor has
become parsonage; various institu
tions compete for him, often raising
his salary tos figure which once woulo
have filled boards of trustees with
dismay. It does not equal yet the
sum customary among distinguished
city clergymen, lawyers, presidents o
banks or railroads, consulting engi
neers, and cooks of New York million
aires; but it is rapidly nearing these
figures, and it ought to do co."
But enough. If you will give>m'
the space l will endeavor to answer
your other questions more fully in I
later issue. Yours very truly,
w. A. BLAIR.