The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-07-25
.A NEW OXFORD MOVEMENT
INTERNATIONAL EDUCA.
TIONAL SYSTEM.
Ruskin Hall and Its Extension in
America-Problem for Higher Educa-
tion of the Masses.

tion of the Masses.
The man who received John Rusxin's
dying blessing, and in a sense, kuskin
commission to carry on his work, is IN
Honolulu. He is Frank Burlington
Nrooman Phi. d.
The ideas of Carlyle, RusSin and Toll
stoi, the dreams of many another work.
er in the advancement of humanity
have at last been crystalised and Prov
ed to be practical in the colleges estab-
lished in America and Great Britain by
the efforts of the Ruskin movement of
the last two years. While the enter
prise bears the name of the beloved
master the enterprise movement should
be indelibly Incorporated with the name
of NrOoman, to which is due the finan-
cial aid imperative to active philan-
thropy and the energy and capability
that has stamped success upon the
work.
In a letter to the Daily Chronicle of
London, Sir Walter Besant, author of
many socialistiC novels and instigator
of the world known Peoples Palace
writes
THE one thing most to be desired by
the Anglo-Celtic race is such an under
standing as will make war impossible
between any of it's branches.-The es-
Enlistment of the Anglo American
demonstration
of this opinion.-This movement of the
workingmen Games from Ruskin Hall
OXford.-It is a workingman's college
planted in that venerable seat of learn
ing. 1t receives students, not with the
idea of making them lawyers or clergy
men, but with the hopes of sending
them back to their own work fully
equipped for the leadership of their own
class. 1t has on it's rolls and educates
about fifteen hundred workingmen by
correspondence; it has founded in the
more important towns of this country
other Ruslin Halls and is founding
similar institutions with similar names
in the United States. One of the last
acts of John Ruskin before he died was
to give his blessing to Mr.. and Mrs
walter Nrooman with his sanction for
the use of his name in connection with
the International Educational move
ment which now bears his name and of
which Mr., Vrooman is founder, sup
porter and president.
Carlyle once remarked that John
Ruskin was the only man living who
was carrying out his ideas while Rus
KIN after Carlyle's work said that Toll
stoi was the only one now carrying on
his work. Frank Burlington Vrooman,
IN. ID. who is carrying out the advance
ment of the movement in America and
Is staying at present in Honolulu. feels
however that had Ruskin lived a few
years longer he would have found his
spiritual succession now under the roof
OF the Ruskin Home at oxford. The
inaugural address of the new movement
took place at the town hall oxford on
WashingtOn's birthday 1889 from which
thousands We're turned away and since
then marvellous strides have been
taken. Mr.. Vrooman himself shoulder
ed the salaries of the dons who were
10 develop the advantages and inspira-
tons of the university. By dint of care
full management Ruskin Hall, always
hlled to its capacity, reduced the price
OF an Oxford education from at least
$1,000 to $125 per year. Extension lee
lures were arranged for those who
could not be Accommodated under the
roof of Ruskin Hall and it was boldly
claimed that the Drawn of Great Bri-
tain was coming to oxford not merely
to learn but to teach, that the great
world from the factory the furnace and
the mine had a message to wealth and
drlstocracy. The entire trade union
element of Great Britain took up and
endorsed the movement. Then the
chief officers of the cooperative So
ciety, numbering five millions and do
ing over three hundred millions of bust
ness per annum became officers of the
Ruskin Hall movement.
Last summer Mr.. Nrooman returned
TO America and founded Ruskin Col
lege at Trenton Missouri, Offering to
pay the salaries of the faculty and be
responsible for certain other expendi-
lures farm of 1900 acres. for in
stance was bought and work offered to
All the students enough to guarantee
a supplement on the savings of S125 the
amount of cash required for the entire
four years course.
Overtures have been made by about
eighty colleges in different parts of the
states who will be affiliated with the
movement as finances warrant, The
State Federation of Labor Missouri and
the city Council of Kansas City. have
unanimously endorsed Ruskin College
chicago has taken up the movement
and Boston has also established a coli
lege on the same lines. The movement
mas been exploited in California and
Mr.. Nrooman believes that on his re-
turn to California a college will be es-
tablished. The work asks for neither
money nor students believing that both
VIII be forthcoming from the worthi-
ness timeliness, and universal value of
the work.
1t is interesting to note that the
movement, essentially a socialistic and
labor movement was
started successfully in the very pith
and center of the conservative tradi- |
tions of England, al oxford whose
every stone, ancient lawns and charters
speak of education and privileges for /
the rich. Still the wave of young Ideas. /
even from the classes. has gradually
trended towards the practical fellow
snip of man and the day has now dawn .
ed IN England when equal opportunities
are much nearer the reach of all. than
the ancient dignitaries of oxford
dreamed of in their medieval philo-
sophy