The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-05-21
Oakland, Stockton and San Fran.
cisco Contending for the
Wilmerding.
POSTPONED UNTIL JUNE 9.
Spirited Discussion on the Indebtedness
of the University-Budd
on the Deficit.

The University Regents began talking
Wilmerding School at 10 O'Clock yester-
day morning and saving an hour of the
afternoon recess continued the task until
O'Clock in the evening. There were some
diversions not wholly devoid of humor.
While Mr.. West was explaining with
good deal of earnestness that malaria no
longer existed in Stockton and was quoting
health statistics to prove that the death
rate III Stockton was very low-among the
three or four lowest of the cities of the
United States-Governor Budd, with a
sudden inspiration, turned to Regent
Reinstein and inquired:
"Reinstein, what reduction in the death
rate OF San Francisco has the present
Board of Health brought about?"
"a reduction OF per cent since they
took Office" promptly replied the we'll
posted Reinstein.
The regents held their breath in aston
ishment momentarily expecting the Gov
ernor to announce that the present i'm
mortal Board OF Health would soon abel
ish death entirely.
The regents attending the session yes
terday were Hallidie, Miller, Kellogg,
Chase, Waymire, Black, Lynch, John Z.
Budd, Phelps, Denicke, Martin, Wallace,
.eter. Houghton, Reinstein, and Secre-
tary Bonte.
Professor Merrill of the Lick School in
San Francisco addressed the board at
length and replied TO many questions.
Professor Ardley of the University of
California read an excellent paper. His
views were presented with remarkabi bic
clearness. He brought ii clearly to the
mind of the -epents that Mr.. Wilmerding
directed that an institution should be
established wherein the boys should have
little study and plenty of work"
After recess Professor Reyes of the
ThroOp Polytechnic Institute. Pasadena,
was again called, and enlightened the
board on several points.
The advantages OF Stockton were pre-
sented by Colonel II. G. Shaw, editor of
the Stockton Mail. He handled the sub
lect with skill and intelligence.
Colonel Shaw was followed by Mr.. West,
another advocate of Stockton. The Gov
ernor and Regent John E. Budd prompted
the speakers occasionally, and it NAV be
saiG that the main points in favor of the
chief city of The San Joaquin Valley we're
comprehensively submitted to the judg-
ment of the Regents.
The advantages as well as the claims of
Oakland were submitted to the considera-
ton OF the Regents by w. r. Davis He
had his speech well fixed in his mind, and
commanded close attention.
In The course OF his argument he read
message by wire from Senator Perkins
1t seems that the Senator and Mr.. Will
merding had several talks concerning the
trades school endowment The dispatch
read US follows:
Mr.. Wilmerding simply said he con-
templated the establishment of a trades
school but mentioned no locality"
James ID. Phelan spoke for SAn Fran
cisco ard answered more than score of
inquiries propounded by Governor Budd.
Dhala IL VA
ding lived in San Francisco and never
owned home in the country. He talked
IN d kindly way to the street urchins and
took deep interest in the welfare of the
little Arabs 1t was his intention that the
school should be established in San Fran
CISCO. Surely the regents should respect
the intentions OF a donor in order that
Others might not be deferred from making
gifts to promote the cause of education
The charge was resented that San Fran
cisco bad derived its wealth from the in
terror and was now Sticking to gobbe up
everything. In closing be submitted that
the school should be located in San Fran
cisco, because here it would do the most
good, be available TO the greatest number
OF boys and would carry out the desires of
Mr. Wilmerding. Mention was made of
San Francisco enterprise in contributing
$3.50, 900 for the Valley road.
The fact was very clearly set forth in
more than one argument yesterday that
the great danger to be apprehended was
that the school would become an institu-
ton OF manual training. Trade schools
seek to become engineering colleges. The
tendency everywhere was to raise the
standard of education. Mr.. West OF
Stockton told of senoing his boy to
Berkeley for study in electrical work, but
so many languages were put in the course
OF study that the boys health broke under
the strain.
1t was practically acknowledged by
Messrs. Davis, Phelan and Keyes that the
Wilmerdng School should not be located
at Berkeley, for the reason that the liter
airy students, the poets and Latin scholars
could not come in contact with the boy
mechanics without friction. It seems that
an atmosphere highly charged with
thought with big high T, and science and
philosophy with big P would not be
agre able to boys who expect to work
with their hands.
Higher education received some biff.
from several speakers. The organic act
creating the Berkeley institution wa.
quoted and frequent references was made
TO the clearly expressed language that agri
culture and mechanical trades should bt
taught.
Some of the high-salaried professor.
who are IN the Eastern States or Europe
will be panied to learn that there is now
deficit OF $4,000. The university is tina
deficiency.
a few days ago ways and means COM
mittee was appointed, with Mr.. Reinsteir
as chairman, to consider what should bt
done in view of the Indebtedness. Yester
day Mr.. Reinstein read the report of tn,
committee. The document is about the
length of Presidents regular message II
Congress. it begins by euIogizing thu
regents for unexampied economy and un
paralleled rectitude in the management o.
the trust, and closes with a determination
not to curtaii expenses, for fear some o.
the pre-eminently gifted good men might
be lost-lost to the university. There is
melancholy recital that Louis SIoss Sr.
taken as an average citizen in the matter
OF exercising private generosity, had de-
clined to assist the university, and ther
there is the expressed hope that the Legis.
lature will rise equal if not superior tc
the emergency and provide the money
needed.
The report recommends the further ex.
penditure OF $500, TO hold fifty meetings
ba fat n hrinc tho ,ixyar