The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-12-17
EDUCATIONAL ENDOWMENTS IN
ArIERiCA.

"A
During the visit of the British Iron and
Steel Institute to the United States three
years ago our visitors were most Hospitality
entertained aud were conveyed all over the
country and feted at the expense of the
American brotherhood of ir0nmasters. The
members kept their eyes open and observed
the conditions OF what was to most of them
a new land. Occasionally remarks are
poured forth in the way Of criticism. Sir
James Kiison, Mp, the president of the
institute for that year, has taken occasion
TO contrast our higher educational endow-
ments with those which are available in his
own country. and he sounds anote OF warn
ing TO England TO make greater efforts.
From what one should term very imper-
feet list of beneiac,iOns to the cause of
education made within the last twenty-five
years he shows that endowments to col
leges. special schools aud special depart
nSents in colleges and schools have been
devised by private persons to the extent Of
nearly S30.000000. Bat this is really far
below the mark. The amount is much
larger. One point may be made against
England. The cBmmon-school system Of the
country is now OH a stable ana generous
basis, with opportunities for advancement
The period passed at school under the COM
pusory system is much too short A boy or
girl leaving school at Is years of age really
ia most instances abandons the profit that
would make education valuable. The aver
age boy or girl in America stays few years
more at school, and what is acquired be-
comes indelible. A considerable proportion
also pass into our universities and carry
their education much further than the stage
at which they LETT the grammar school or
high school. but then comes the doubt
whether boy or girl who leaves school at
the age of Is or ii and learns a trade. after
four or i've years training, is not
better equipped on the average for the conf
petition OF life than the boy or girl who is
kept at school three or four years longer,
and at college three years. with the result
that profession or nothing is the choice
i. is difficult to bind young man or woman
down TO an apprenticeship of practical
training after %. II is better, for instance.
that youth who aspires TO be a competent
engineer should take practical manual
training as well as theoretical training be-
tween &c and % IL the practical training
comes after the university degree :he per-
centage Of failures in the business Of life is
large.
No country is perfect ia the system Of
making theory and practice in education go
hand in hand. We are. however, achieving
far more than England in this respect, and
largely in consequences Of our superior re-
sources in certain aspects. and the consider
alton we give TO material progress. Sir
James kits0n makes no mention in his esti-
mate Of our numerous State universities
and their work. In his own town Of Leeds
- % 90
cheney. But the student who goes there
has to pay high fees, and the poor student
has TO undergo hardships. The professors
are not paid enough to attract he highest
ability in any field Of intellectual work, and
5 are always going elsewhere. The college is
not within the reach of all. Numbers Of
other colleges of the same class exist. The
public schools, such as Elton and Harrow,
and the great universities, such as Oxford
ana Cambridge, are.simlIaTly managed. No
poor student can enter except With con-
tumely in this suobbish atmosphere
The common schools OF England are
now free and children are compelled to at
tend, but the great public schools and uni
yersities are still corporate toll-charging
institutions with rich endowments, lavish
squandering of salaries ID professors. who
do little and insist upon nothing from STU
dents but prayers. trivial examinations and
a period of residence for a degree and some
thing more for honors.
The merit of the American system OF
State universities is that the student has to
show himself or herself trained sufficiently
to pass just as stiff a matriculation eXamin-
alton as obtains In other countries, and that
when admitted lie is exempt from fees and
fleeing. Even reasonable provision for
board and lodging is made to assist his in
tellectual training. The poorest student
may study at Berkeley and be as respect
able and as well thought of as the weathiest.
Wealth, in short, has no place in State
university, and il has disgustingly promi-
nent place, combined with rank, in the Eng
lish universities and at Elton and other
public schools. 1t is also c0mmendable iu
our State universities that student must
study TO succeed. He has ample facilities
TO choose his career. He may become an
engineer, scholar, pedant, a lawyer, a
| teacher. But be is hammered into some in
| telectual shaI G, and is not bound to live
within college grounds, but may live at home
while pursuing his studies. Harvard and
Yale have their gIOries. but State universe
ties on the free principle confer inestimable
benefits upon the whole community. So
louc NAV thpv Aourishf