Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1897-01-20
THE STATE UNIVERSITY.

Editor State Herald:
There has been SO much said of late in
the public print about the state UNIVERSE
ty and it's present condition. and many
of the adverse criticisms are so manifest
ly unjust that beg a short space in your
columns that may say a few words in
defense of this time-honored institution.
1t seems now to be the proper thing for
everybody to abuse and find fault with
the university, and we hear the question
asked, What is the matter with our
university 81 Even our new Governor,
imbibed with spirit of progress, has
been affected by the prevailing epidemic
and in his opening message to the general
assembly criticises in unmeasured terms
an institution which Is dear to the hearts
of many Alabamians an institution which
for more than sixty years has been the
center of higher education in Alabama.
The university has numbered among her
faculty many of the most distinguished
educators in the country. In the discus
sion of the present status of the institu-
ton there has been displayed an utter
want of knowledge of its affairs by those
who have criticised most severely. There
is a revolutionary spirit existing in the
public mind today, a desire for change, to
demolish all existing institutions. This
feeling seems to pervade our whole social
fabric, and Is not confined solely to edu-
catlonal matters. 1t is rampant here in
Alabama, and has at last struck our uni
versity. well Wisher'' has caught the
spirit of the day and suggests very
radical operation for removal of what
he conceives are the. existing evils at the
university. He proposes that all the
members of the faculty be asked to step
down and out and that new blood" be
infused into the institution. I cannot
comprehend how this would accomplish
very much good. The new blood" would
ppO tho difflpultinS which
have confronted the present management
for a long time. There are many causes
for the small attendance during the past
few years. Those who are familiar with
the past history of the university know
that the attendance has never been very
large, compared to some other institu-
tions. In many of the larger colleges and
universities Of the country we find pro-
fessfonal schools in addition to the
academic or under graduate classes. At
the university of Virginia, perhaps the
best institution in the south. we find
law, medicine and other post graduate
courses of study. The students in these
departments comprise the largest num-
Der of those enrolled. while the number
of academic students is not much In ex-
cess of the number at Tuscaloosa. The
chief cause of adverse criticism al the
present time Is the small attendance. If
the university, had three hundred stu
dents you would not hear one word, OF
complaint.
There are many causes which have
conspired to prevent Increased numbers
and to render the university unpopular,
In the first place, as Prof. Dubose has
so well pointed out, there are not so
many young men who attend college as
formerly. The UNCONVENTIONAL schools
attract a considerable number of stu
dents. There seems to be a. growing dis
position in, Alabama on the part of many
parents and the young men themselves
| to avoid the classical schools and to at
tend those Institutions which offer a more
practical course. This Is to be deplored,
spirit of the age Hence we see Increased
numbers at Auburn and a corresponding
decrease. at Tuscaloosa. Then. again. the
| university has military discipline. which
Is objectionable to many. / contend that
the university Is the equal Of any of her
sister state colleges in the south. She