Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1897-01-16
OUR LETTER BOX.
WHAT rs THE MATTER WITH THE
UNIVERSITY?


Editor State Herald
What is the matter with our State uni
versity? That question has been asked
by our new Governor in his message to
the legislature, and has caused them to
appoint a special committee to inveSti-
gate and report as to its condition and
the cause of its not prospecting. That
question has caused the father of many
a boy, to halt and ask himself the same
question. What is the matter with the
university, and why should I not send
my boy there to be educated? That there
is something radically wrong is apparent
to all, and is not denied. We all know
what should be its condition. We all
know what we should like to see there.
1t should be teeming with the best young
men of our state, striving to get that
which ennobles and enriches a people-an
education. It's walls should be full and
the town of Tuscaloosa should be taxed
to entertain those who were not able
to get places in the school, but content to
be able to attend the classes and lectures
and live in town. This is what we should
and what we would like to see. Instead
of fiourlshing, prosperous school, we
see a dwarfed, Insignificant institution
its numbers and influence growing less
year by year.
1t is to the interest of every good citi-
zen who has the education of our boys
at heart to lend helping hand and if
possible aid in solving this highly inn
portant question. The suggestion as to
the causes of the university's condition
in this article may not be correct and the
solution of the problem propose to give
may not meet with the popular approval,
but if they shall have provoked any dis
cussion that shall lead to a betterment of
its affairs, I will be content.
Ii. the outset wish to disclaim any at
tack or cast any blame on any officer
connected with this institution. The
gentleman who stands at it's head as
president is scholarly. Christian man.
He Is surrounded by faculty that can
not be surpassed They have done what
they considered their duty at all times.
If they have made mistakes, it is no less
than all of us have done.
Among the causes that have led to the
university's downfall is the fast life that
the young men have led there. 1t has
been for many years regarded as the rich
mans school. A young man who entered
the university was expected to attend the
germans, and take part in all the base
ball and foot ball games. If he could not
do this he was regarded as a back num-
Der and looked on as nobody. The faith
ers of boys and the boys themselves all
realized this, and when the question of
sending their boys off to college came up
they involuntarily realized that to send
their boy to Tuscaloosa meant a chance
of his coming back with many bad hab-
it's. They thought, too, If their means
were limited that their sons could not
''go all the gaits' with the boys there,
and they would in all probability be hui
inflated. For myself, / wish to be dis
tinctly understood that am not opposed
to dances, foot ball, base ball and other
athletic sports, but l wish If possible
to point out the objections that those
who do oppose these sports have to our
State university.
1 remember being in Tuscaloosa not
1.n mil
ball team was going off on special train
to play with some team at another town.
1 was impressed with what / saw that
day. 1 saw the great temptation thrown
in their way and, before they re-
turned, how many yielded to it, I saw
how it mortified those whose purses did
not allow them to take the trip, and I
knew what decentralization must ensue
for a week or more afterwards. l was
in Tuscaloosa at another time when a
hop was in progress. l saw then bad
habits that were swiftly fastening them
selves on boys whose fathers were bare
Iy able to keep them there. saw there
thirst for fast life was being formed,
that could not be satisfied at home. 1t
does not take trip to Tuscaloosa for
one to be acquainted with this state of
things. 1t is known and talked about
whenever the boy of the family gets
ready ito go off to school," ~
Among the many things proposed to
prop up this failing institution is sug-
gestion of a bill in the legislature to loan
or give certain young men $500 or $500
annually with which to attend this
school. In other words, to fill 1t up
with students it is proposed to pay them
5000 year to patronize it. 1t is true
the state of Alabama in years gone by
fearfully mismanaged property and
funds belonging to the university, but
If she were able to settle these claims
dollar for dollar 1t certainly looks alb
surd to make such proposition as this.
The condition of the university can not
be from lack of funds. Only asfew years
ago they received as a gift from the gen.
eral government $4,000 acres of the finest
mineral land in the south In addition to
this they get from the state $4,000 every
year. 1t is very apparent then that lack
of means cuts no figure, for they have
plenty. The buildings. equipments and
apparatus are splendid. The location is
perfect picture. What, then, is the
cure? What is the solution to the prob
lem?
The surgeons knife is sometimesea mer-
ciful thing. In this case Ii the school
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