The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-01-05
STUDENTS ARE STARVING.
Startling Condition of Things at the
CIiica&o University. !,


Chicago. ILL.,, Jan. 5.-President Har.
per. of the University of Chicago, at ths
twenty-first convocation of the Univer.
sity, held 3t the Auditorium Monday
night, made the astounding assertion
that of five deaths which has occurred
at the university in the last five years
three may be attributed directly to star
walton. His address has created SEN
sation here. The president stands by
his declaration, although he refuses t6
give any names.
Investigation at the university devel-
oped the fact that among the 1000 stu
dents enrolled there scores are COMPEL
ed 10 struggle along on the scantiest
food to pay their way. This applies not
only to young men, but to young women
as well.
1.-The question of providing nutritious
food for the great body of students OF
the university Is an Important one,
said President Harper, land il has been
forced upon our attention more than
once In a painful way. j did not over
state the question i'm my address last
night, when / said that hundreds of
students in the university are living
upon a diet which does not p,sIerIy
support brainwork.
Many are literally starving. The
university is turning out men of strong
intelligence, but weak bodies. Some of
them are moral and intellectual dys-
peptics. 1t cannot be expected that
they will be of much use in the
world. If the body is not properly
nourished the mind Will refuse to act as
it should, and therefore hold that il is
as necessary to take care of and Guilt
waite the one as the other.
This is subject upon which | have
thought deeply, and nothing but the
lack of funds has prevented me from
carrying out some of my ideas. What
is needed is a place where the students
can get good food cheaply. BY good
food / mean wholesome food that is
well and properly cooked Some of
them board in restaurants, which is
not so bad; others live at the frater-
nifty houses. where the food is excel
lent, but others batch" ii and live on
the lowest sum with which they can
get along"
Important announcements were made
by President Harper at the convoca-
ton. One of these was a gift of $780,
900 by John ID. Rockefeller to enable
the university to swell its income for
the year, beginning July /, 1898, TO s279.-
000 the sum needed to carry on its
work as planned.
that a college of commerce and politics
would be started under the auspices of
the university to teach practical bust
ness and politics, including debts of
railroads, finance, journalism, insur-
apce, manufacturing, trade and diplo-
matte service.
The utilization of Rush Medical Col
lege, one of the pioneer medical insti-
tutions of the West, with the universe
ty was also announced, one of the con-
ditions being that the qualifications for
admittance TO the college should be
gradually advanced until in 1902 they
should include a freshman and sopho-
more term IN standard university.
President Harper strongly recon-
mended a college for teachers in the
public schools in connection with the
Chicago University, which would ena-
bic teachers toeacquire college educa-
ton while pursuing their work. He
pointed out that but 10 per cent of the
teachers in the Chicago schools are col
lege men, and that as their tenure of
office is secure''it is of great import
ance TO the public that they should
have the highest possible education.
The president also announced the adj
ditiOn of Lieutenant Palmer, United
States Army, 10 the faculty. and the
contemplated formation of military
companies, adding that drill would be
optional with the students.