The evening times., 1896-06-30
SITE WILL NOT Be CHANGED
Columbian University VIII Re-
main in This City.
RUMoR OF THE REMOVAL
Trustees Have Had the Subject Under
Consideration Several Times, Hut
There Is No Probability That the
Project VIII He Put Into Effect.
Reasons for q Town Location.

It has been rumored freely within the
past few days that the site of Columbian
University would be removed TO some
point in Maryland near the capital. This
would leave it practically Washington in
stitution, and those who have favored the
proposition so intend 1t.
They claim that the present quarters of
the school are too cranped; that there never
was a great college without more space
for recreation than can be allowed at the
red building at Fifteenth and II streets.
They call attention also to the fact that
even the class rooms are becoming over
crowded as the school grows, and there is
almost no room for extension; actually
none at all IL any breathing space is to be
left.
This effort TO take Columbian uniyers-
ity back to the suburbs, or even out into an
adjoining county OF Maryland has been made
again and again since the present quarters
were secured and the building erected some
years a go.
There has never been more prospect oi
success than now, and now there is appa-
rcntiy none at all. The reasons why Co
lumbtan University remains where it is, and
III Lie JuutSIifcHL VI tllooJ Va itS uioot intiu-
entail friends should remain. are unusual in
the conditions under which colleges are
conducted.
OPPORTUNITY TO STUDY.
The most important work doue by the
university is not instruction OF undergradu-
ates in the usual college curriculum. 1t is.
rather, in giving opportunity to study 10
other classes, all OF them made up Of older
students than are usually in college. These
are the niatricuiates OF the COrcOran SCieu-
tific School, the Graduate School, the Law
School and the Medical School. So far as
the last two are roncerued, the university
might move to the country and they retain
their places in the city.
There never has been any question of the
value to a medical school OF its location IN
a city In the case OF the Law School the
necessity of remaining in Washington in
easy reach of the great accumulations of
law books belonging to the government and
near the great jurists OF the United States
Supreme Court, who are among its lee
turers.
There is little reason to hope that thess
men would go to u suburban locality every
day. or even two or three times a week, to
attend the duties In connection with any
school, On the other hand, there Is no ne
ccssity for the professional schools to move
because the university site nigh bechauged
to the country.
But with the Graduate School and the
Corcoran Scientific it is different. Their
teachers are very nearly the same as the
teachers OF the college department. Profs.
Lodge, Munroe, HodgkiDs and number
OF others, give instruction in two or three
of these departments OF the University,
andit would be next to impossible for them
10 attend to all their duties, as at present
II the University were located anywhere
III Maryla nd.
The necessity of the Graduate and Cor
coran schools remaining in Washington ID
better understood when some OF the cir.
cumstances are brought to notice. The
students OF the Graduate School are nearly
all of mature years. They come here
not SO much to be taught, as to conduct
Investigations Of their own, under the
friendly guidance OF experts In their spe
cialties. They propose to take degrees
| OF course, but even that is a minor con
| sideration.
ltis VI tue llIet ltupOfbduGt 10 tUctu 10 DS
| near the great government collections o
books and natural objects. which are t.
supply them material for study. The,
cannot afferd to go to the country, ant
care little or nothing for the sports whicl
| attract the undergraduates.
CLERKS ARE STUDENTS.
! Again, the Corcoran Scientific School /
largely made up of students who have wor
in the departments during the day. The
are clerks. examiners, private secretaries
| stenographers and scientific assistants
| They attend upon their classes at night, an,
| could by no means go to the country 70
| the purpose. They have too little time q
1t is, and could not afford to waste any Q
| II going to and from school for the gratif
| cations OF such interest as they have in col
lege athletics and intercollegiate contest.
Many Of these students are already Q
| high rankinone fieldor another One ofthe,
during last year was contributor to severa
leading magazines and periodicals, and ha
| the leading article in recent number of tn
| Century: another has written SPANS
grammar. which is recognized as one of tn
best.
II the university should be removed to tn
country, 1t is quite possible their nee
for such opportunities as they now hav
would create new schools to take the plae
Of those removed.
A chief officer of the school, who deprs
Gates any discussion OF the subject. said
day or two ago that there had been q
discussion of the subject among the trustee
for month or two. There have beel
he said, at various times proposition
to make the change, but no recent offer {
a site in Maryland, Us the rumor had it.
such an offer had been formally made b
would certainly know it.
There had been proposal six months I
a year ago by which an enthusiastic frien
OF the school had thought he could show
sure profit to the school Of 100000 froa
advance Of real estate values. This di
not seem to the trustees sufficiently ce
tain to induce them to undertake tn
change. even II that amount of none
would offset the disadvantages that woul