The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-09-18
A STRONG MAN NEEDED.

\AI .mence, says Robert Browning "a solitary
great is worth the world" The very
exaggeratlon OF that statement to give impress
siveness the truth it contains. At every crisis in
the affairs of nations and OF institutions the service OF
strong masterfu leader of is OF such value that
il cannot be rightly computed and hardly over
estimated. When emergencies OF that kind occur in
the development OF any organization, those who are
intrusted with the of welfare if they are wise
will look for the great and count price too
high to pay for his service, any authority too
great to be given him for the full exercise OF the
vitalizing powers of his brain and soul
The University OF California has reached critical
period in its history. Throughout the State in the
minds OF all classes of people, there has been an
awakening of interest in the institution. BY the votes
OF their representatives in the Legislature the
ri the taxpayers have doubled the revenues OF the
university derived from taxation. Generous mil
lionaires have been lavish of gifts among the most
munihcent in the annals OF educational endowments.
One among them, Mrs. Hearst has provided for OBJ
tanning designs that will make the structures OF the
university the most imposing and most beautiful
group ever devoted to the OF science and art;
while another Miss Cora Jane Flood, has bestowed
upon the institution gift OF lands and buildings of
such value that they alone would be accounted sufi-
Gent in any other State to establish a university of
themselves
Just at this iuncture, while so many of the nobler
energies and more liberal impulses OF the people are
being directed toward bestowng upon the university
everything that wealth purchase, President Kel-
logg announces his intention to retire from office
next March The vacancy that will be then caused
in the headship OF the university will be that none
but great fill 1t therefore becomes the
imperative duty of the regents to seek out such a
man. to find him, to elect him and to ntrust him with
such ample powers will enable him to direct the
progress of the institution the highest levels OF
liberal learning, and to infuse into its academic life a
mental vigor and moral force that will make it
worthy the splendid habtation for which public lib
crafty and private munihcence have provided
The president of the University OF California
should be something than man of learning
He must be leader OF men, having statesnans
grasp OF large affairs well a scholars devotion
to ideals OF truth and beauty. He must be man
who radiates energy around him, who inspires youth
to all noble activities and whose personality is so
notable that the whole nation marks it and honors it.
1t is only through such that universities be-
come true centers OF higher education, and where
such preside it does not require years for them
to attain that proud distinction What Gilman has
done for Johns Hopkins, Harper for Chicago and
Jordan for Stanford shows in how short space of
time the true teacher and leader can win for his uni
versty not only fame, but something better than
fame-the reverence the multitude pays to nstitu-
tons where learning is not regarded as mere &C
quirement OF information to crafty intellectual
curiosity, but torehouse of truth for use in ad-
vancing the welfare OF the world and the best inter
ests of humanity
AT the University of California a strong man is
needed 1t matters not where he comes from The
position is not one to be given to some local celeb
rity to satisfy local pride The University of Toronto
once had an opportunity to have the late Professor
Huxley as its president. 1t rejected him for Cana
dian Huxley became famous, but the University of
Toronto remains provincial. Princeton and Column
ba dragged along weak and comparatively inefficient
tor years, but when Patton called to preside over
the one and Low the other they at once adj
vanced to the front and now stand among the fore
most universities of the world
1t is useless to multiply examples History is full
OF them. All the world knows them MANY as they
however it is doubtful if such possibilities of bril-
liant accomplishment in university work were ever be-
fore offered to great teacher as those which will be
realized by the University of California provided its
affairs are intrusted to the direction of man who
is capable OF grasping and mastering the thousand
opportunities that crowd around it from every side
All that is needed in the way of revenues lands en-
dowments, buildings, libraries and museums can and
will be furnished by the people What is wanted is
that which is summed up in great man-brains
energy, Inspiration and that power of leadership
which drawing all its forces from the native powers
of lofty manhood wins the sympathies and excites
the emulation of all that come under its influence
Aguinado thinks his government will build ships,
II. H. 4,,@1 l.