The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-03-13
UNIVERSITY EDUCATION.
What IL Costs and How il is Sup
ported.
Editor Of The Times:

Editor OF The Times:
Slr,-The last issue of the Alumni Bulle-
tin, published quarterly at the University
OF Virginia, contains a noteworthy ari-
Gle by MIR. Thomas X. Carter Proctor OF
the University, in which he gives, by the
method Of question and answer, reasons
why the annual appropriation should not
be diminished. quite possibly this arti-
Gle may have already attracted the no.
tice OF the Richmond press. II Is GER
tainly worthy Of the attention Of every
citizen Of the commonwealth, aai de-
serves TO be widely copied.
My object, however, is not 10 discuss
more than the first question and part or
the first answer Although now TO- mony
years a resident OF the North, a profess
sor in n Northern technical school. /
may perhaps claim o moment atten ion
because Of my Southern birth and edu-
cation. and because highly valued part
OF this education was received az me
University OF Virginia.
The question to which Mr. Carriers
answers are given, were propountci by
q member OF the Virginia Legislature.
The first is How much money has boer
appropriated to the University stree
1852 The answer is $4,000. During
twenty-five years Of the thirty-two since
1865 the University has given free tut
ton to Virginians in It's academic
schools"
This is an extraordinary statement. II
would be hard to show a parallel 10 II
I'm connection with any university IN
America. With most OF It's resources from
tuition money surrendered. the InIver-
sity OF Virginia aas been sustaining it,
self on an annual income from the state
that averages less than IS 600. The an
nual appropriation during the lac. few
years has been bat $4,000 TO this has
been added $4,000. not TO meet rOnmns
expenses. but 20 Day the interest on bonds
issued for the purpose OF repairi1< tle
ravages OF a disastrous fire. III I ON
correctly informed, the proposition before
the Legislature was TO withdraw this
speclaI appropriation. and thus 10 re-
duce the amount available for the neces-
stiles of the Uniycrsl.y's existence from
$4,000 TO $4,000.
The existence Of such a proposition
proves one of two things Either go adj
Vocates are very imperfectly informed
regarding the present condition or higher
education I'm the United states. or mo
civilization OF Virginia has descended in
some degree from the high standard ar
former days, 50 that the representatives
OF the people no longer consider IL deslr-
able that higher education shall be
maintained by the State. decline TO
ecce9t the latter Of these two alterna-
tives. The former may bee accepted WIN
full recognition Of the honesty and pa
triotism Of those whose action must de-
eide the veal or woe Of an institution
whose reputation is by lar the highest Oh
all schools south OF the Potomac.
f.H..ff |rIF
versities OF the copl-ry may be mentioned
Cornell University ithaca in New York,
and the University OF Michigan 'Ann
Arbor). Ohio, (COumbusl. Wisconsin
CIadison). Illinois. Champaign, Mlhne-
sofa. Gfinneapous) Nebraska. Q-incomJ
and California, CBerkley). ON appllca-
ton 10 the presidents of these institute
tions much valuable information may DE
obtained. Cornell University was found
ed by a. wealthy man, whose giits were
supplemented by those OF other wealthy
men. and il subsequently became state
institution under special conditions, IN
Guiding the giving of free tuition TO 4
large number OF New York students
Even with subsidies from the state as a
reimbursement for free tuition no modern
institution for higher education can meet
existing standards IL its resources are
limited TO tuition money. or an appfo-
priation merely equal 10 the probable
amount OF tuition receipts. Most Ameri-
can universities have resources apart
from these. The standard or equipment
round necessary to-day IS much higher
than Il was twenty or thirty years ago.
and IS continually rising on account or
the sharp competition which is felt IN
education as much as In business.
In the issue OF Science for March
4th the Following statement is made about
higher education In Ohio.
''The new building erected for the ONO
University at Athens. o.. has just been