New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-22
CORNELL'S CLAIMS.

President Schurman of Cornell University
sends us letter on the proposed establishment
of a State School of Pedagogy, which we take
pleasure in publishing in another column of this
issue. He naturally favors the grant, the wis
dom of which has been questioned by The Trib-
une, not in any spirit of unfrendliness toward
Cornell but entirely on grounds of public policy.
President Schurman holds that it is not in the
nature of q gift, but of a compensation for new
burdens imposed on Cornell by the Constitution,
since with the increase of the number of AS
sembly districts the institution has to give more
scholarships for its 100000 acre land grant than
nominated in the bond. Inasmuch how
ever, as the multiplication of the required num-
Der of scholarships by four is matter of the
unversity's own volition, not a requirement of
the State, and is of great value to Cornell in
attracting large body of students, we fear that
opponents of the appropriation will not be con-
WINGED that a claim is established against the
State on account of the education of more stu
dents than the land grant pays for.
We do not question President Schurmans
accuracy in saying that the value of the States
gift to Cornell was once iXed by the courts at
100000. So much Of the resources derived
from the land grant was determined to have a
special character in technical sense, dis
tinguished from the subsequent increase of the
value of the property. The property was put at
the service ~ Cornell on the agreement that
the whole net avails of the grant should go to
the university, and the Surrogate of Tompkins
County, in the Jennie McCiraw Fiske estate con-
test, appraised the State gift at that time as
having amounted to $20SSO12 rs. President
Schurman himself would we think, not value
the proceeds now at much less than $5,000,O0O.
If the property, under the good management of
men who received ii in trust for education, has
so largely increased beyond the original value
of the land at the time of transfer to them,
they might without great hardship submit to a
slight increase in the number of students edu-
Gated for it. President Schurman is also doubt
less right in fixing the cost of each free student
at $500 year. But as the annual tuition fee of
the university is, we believe, only 800, we do
not see why State scholarships should be
charged up at higher price
Another phase of the subject is not touched
by President Schurman. Even if Cornell has a
just claim for compensation. it may be ques-
toned if the State should make compensation in
such form as will discourage other colleges and
the schools of pedagogy which they of their
own means are maintaining or developing. An
official State school, it is claimed will do that
since its graduates would inevitably have supe-
rior advantages in securing places in the schools
of the State. In that case students of pedagogy
in other institutions even those doing good
work, would be at a disadvantage, and as a re-
suit independent enterprise for the promotion of
higher education would be hampered Persons
connected with other colleges will say that those
higher teachers and superintendent which Cor
nell asks the State to enable it to train would
without fail in selecting school teachers discrm-
mate against their graduates At the same time
it is always necessary to remember that the
mr. of nr1o jc
what concerns the State. but the promotion of
the larger interests of higher education.
President Schurman believes that a great
State school of pedagogy would do that best
Others will say that all the good he hopes
to accomplish would not compensate for
the harm done by the destruction of private edu-
cational institutions, which they fear 1t is an
interesting question, worthy Of much fuller dis
cussion than it has received, before the State
takes a step which must be of far reaching
consequence.