Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-02-01
SUPREME COURT CAUTIONS YALE.
Discrimination i'm the Price of Its
DormitOry Rooms the Cause.


A New Haven special says: Something
Of n sensation has been occasioned at
Yale because the Supreme Court Of Con-
necticut, speaking through Judge Ham
mers'ey has seen lit 20 caution the uni
versity upon the threatened loss Of it's
democratic spirit. The warning occurs
in the decision handed down by the Su-
preme Court IN the celebrated tax case
Of the town Of New Haven against the
university. One OF the contentious Of the
town i4 that the dOrmitories Of Yale
wera zed simply for trade purposes.
end o. .heir original purpose Of extend
ing equal opportunities 20 rich and poor
students had been entirely lost sight OF.
This. the Supreme Court says I'm effect,
IS true.
"The argument urged by the defend
ant" SAYS Judge Hammersley in sup
port Of its claim that the dOrmitores as
sessed are practically used for the pur-
pose OF trade is substantially this: The
college is intended primarily for scholars
who are poor ana the great majority Of
foundations express this purpose more or
less clearly; no one shall be prevented
by Limitation Of birth or means from the
full development of his capacity for the
service I'm the State; an essential feature
of the college Is equality; no special privi-
leees or h0u0rs can be secured except
through personal worth. when. therefore.
IN the apportionment the students are
practically divided on the right and left
hand according y the marks Of wealth,
and o. the finding shows the poor STU
dent Is RELOCATED 10 the unsightly GiscOm-
fort represented by 70 cents a week. and
the rich student promoted To the CONF
paratiVe luxury represented by $40 week,
"a rule OF apportiOnment is adopted which
ieyAiire." '
Upon this contention the Judge makes
the following significant comment: There
would be force I'm this argument. 50 far
as IL is supported 10y facts, II addressed
TO the college authorities. We do not
care 10 minimize It's force for that pur-
pose 1t goes without saying that the
most costly gifts cannot compensate for
any loss OF that spirit Of independent
equality which is the life of the uni
versity, and which has heretofore espe-
Cially characterized this plaintiff"
This is certainly a rebuke Of the pres
ent policy Of Yale. so far as it's dormi-
tories are concerned. from a high source,
and is so taken by the officials Of the IN
stitutiOn. 10 only brings prominently into
view once more q criticism which has
been directed against Yale, especially by
her own alumni, ever since the erection
of Vanderbilt Hail. Old graduates re-
turning 10 the university at the COM
mencement season have expressed aston
ishment at the large prices charged by
the university for their best rooms, and
the luxury with which they are fitted Up.
Even ten years ago a Yale undergradu-
ate who paid s. a week for his college
room was regarded as a young man either
Of unbOuuded resources or or unbOunIed
extravogance There were only very
few rooms in Durfee College which rent
ed for that sum; the majority ranged
anywhere from - cents 90 Sl.JJ week.
With the substitution of the Old Brick
Row by the more ornate dormitories of
the quadrangle, however, there has come
a change. IN ten years the average price
OF the college rooms has jumped from 81
10 50 a week, and the highest price from
s. 10 SO Whether this change has been
accompanied By any loss OF that demo-
cratic spirit for which the university has
always been so respected IS point that
IS vigorously discussed. There are those
who assert that the presence Of all the
rich men on one part OF the college cam
pus and all the poor on another cannot
couduce TO a democratic atmosphere, and
Vanderbilt and Welch halls are not only
criticised. especially by the returning
alumni. for the high rates at which the
rooms are rented but for the material
luxurles thrown in. These old gradu-
ates. who were accustomed 10 getting up
on early winter mornings and cracking
the Ice in their water pitchers before their
morning wash, shake their heads at the
porcelain bath tubs. the onyx freplaces,
and the carved oak wainscoting OF Van
derbilt Hall Chauncey NJ. Depew tells
a story OF meeting such an outraged
graduate on the campus one day. who
WOO Violently expostulating against these
bo'r 'ul~