The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-03-13

or the 4st Institutions called rniversi-
ties and colleges rs have each less thsn
100 Students engaged in undergraduate
college work. The average number OK
students per college ~ 30. in some Q.
the largest institutions such as Harvard
and Michigan Universities the atteudance
is between 1000 and 3.oop
The total amount OF property belongings
10 the 49, colleges Is about S24S.0oW. on
which Sll00O0.00O is i'm endowed funds ana
Sl35 900 In material equipment, inde-
pendently OF the value Of nearly 65oo'Voo
volumes in college libraries. The average
property per college Us thus in excess 9"
half a million dollars. and tho included
average endowment S22l,3oo. The bene-
factiOns 90 these colleges during the
year 1851. so far as reported. amounted
20 Ss.gl2. rs. and the income exclusive OF
benefactions. was Sll9iS.l7A Tho average
benefactons per college thus amount 10
Sll.2i0. and the average income addition
ally $1,000 III we exclude the large num-
Der OF misnamed colleges" which are IN
reality only high schools. it would be
nearer the truth 20 say that the average
annual benefactions TO real colleges ana
universities amount TO No0oO and tho
average additional income 10 $4,000 In
this connection IL should DO remembered
that the year during which these sta
tistics were gathered was in the MIDST
OF the period OF business depression In
which all business interests were suffer
ing. and during which the unfortunate
fire occurred at THE University OF VIZ
glnla.
No one having personal knowls Ire OF
the University or Virginia would call Il
an average college" It's reputation for
thoroughness OF work is very far ebovs
average. Yet these statistics show that its
annual income is decidedly less than that
OF the average college. even n We admit
into Fellowship the nominal colleges of
high school grade. It's chief competitors
are such universities as Johns Hopkins
Princeton Pennsylvania, columbia Yale.
Harvard and Cornell or these tho first
is suffering temporary embarrassment on
account OF unfortunate investment OF it,
endowment funds. but It's equipment -
much more generous than that % the
University of Virginia. Tho endowment
of each OF the others IS measured In mill
lions OF dollars. Columbia University re-
ceived 90 least S5.000000 from various
sources during the first five years OF
President LOWS administration. which
began I'm 1890 In 1893 T visited the Uni
verslty OF Wisconsin. Inquirng what IN
come IL received from the state this an
svyer was given mes "Tho legislature
gave MS only $3.50 900 this year. but we ar-
confident OF getting 100000 next years.
The population of Wisconsin according
10 the census OF 1890. was l.ts6.S9i tnat
OF Virginia. I655.ss0. OF whom 04o.bi wers
negroes. leaving fol5.l3 whites. leaving
thenegroes out OF account the ratio NJ
population of Wincon7in 10 that OF VIZ
e,nia may be taken as three 60 two. "
would be hard 20 secure the data FOR an
accurate eompariso OF the wealth or
these two States. but if Wisconsin thus
Gives ten times as much as Virginia. 30
an annual appropriation 20 IT'S state
university. this must certainly he "a hff'r
percentage OF its wealth than Is accorded
I'm virginia for o. similar purpose VI"
the virginia Legislature, by stu iurthcf
cutting down its appropriation. JUSTIFY
tho conclusion that The standard m civil
lization is higher Don Wisconsin IMAM IT'D
virginia. m any country whatever me
average standard of education rs unlVer-
sally and justly regarded as a rulhlui
index 90 SIS civilization.
The University Of Virginia mas conuu-
ned 10 Justify its high reputation puI
n has been doing so against great am
culties II cannot continue 10 90 so h'-
definitely n its resources are withdrawn
while those of lts competitors arc stead
fly increasing DC must yield 20 inc u-
exorable law OF competition. ~ the stats
,s heavily hampered with debt The NO
,esaitv for economy IS obvious. But -
make the university the first object or
attack is economy Of such kind that us
enforcement can i'm the long run prove
only to boz unwise extravaganza.
w liz CONTE STEVENS.
Rensselaer, Polytechnic institute, Troy
March { 1Nah.