New-York tribune., 1901-04-16
A F1CTLTY AT ODDS.

A recent incident in the administration or
| the School of Pedagogy of New-York University
seems TO be in danger Of greater public expiolta-
| ton than circumstances warrant. 1t Is natural
that Il wide and keen interest should be taken
In the welfare of an institution which was the
pioneer Of its kind in the United States, ana
which for eleven years has pursued so admi-
rabe and beneicent n course. The complete
reorganization of its faculty is not, therefore, to
be regarded with Indifference Since. however,
| all the issues involved are by common consent
those of technical administration there Will be
a general recognition of the propriety of leaving
the matter IN the hands Of the university author
! tiles with confidence that the judgment which
has wisely guided all the schools OF the uni
versity to the great expansion and efnclency
which they have enjoyed in recent years Will
so direct this particular school in the present
crisis as to confirm its prosperity and TO enhance
its value to the profession which it serves.
The whole trouble according to the pretty
full statements made public by both sides OF
the controversy. seems to have arisen in differ
ences of opinion and policy between certain
members of tho faculty of the School of Peda-
gogy. These differences. relating to admnistra-
tive details, and in no wise concerning morals,
politics, the liberty of teaching or any such
thing, developed into open breach between
the two factions of the faculty, which. II per-
petuated would menace the efficiency and pros
perity of the school, The higher officers OF the
university, namely the chancellor and the coun-
Gil stroye to heal the breach. but In vain. The
antagonisms seemed irreconcilable. Nor We're
the university authorities able to decide upon
investigation. that either party was wholly
wrong or either wholly right, and so they could
not sustain the one against the other. IL was
intolerable that the discord and chickering's
should be continued indefinitely But attempts
at harmony through compromise were unavail-
Ing. So the only remaining course was adopted.
y clean sweep was made of the faculty., leaving
every chair vacant for the university council to
refill according to its judgment
That was drastic treatment. but ii is not easy
TO declare what other would have been efficient.
Certainly the governing board OF n university
must govern. 1t cannot abdicate it's authority
in favor of any professor or faction of profes-
sors. Nor can it tolerate continuance OF state
OF affairs which initiates against the welfare
of any Of its departments. When such a state
OF affairs IS found to exist its first duty Is 10
remedy 1t. If the members of n faculty will
not live and work together in such harmony as
the welfare OF the university requires they
must give place TO those who will do So The
rule is stern but salutary. A university does
not exist for its professors; but the professors
fill, or should fill, their places so as TO serve the
university, and through it the public, and when
they cease to give such service satisfactorily
their usefulness is at an end. And seeing that
one Of the prime functions OF n university is to
incucate and to promote intellectual and spir-
itual discipline. more lamentabe lapse Of
service is to be imagined than is involved In a
defiance Of authority and disorganization OF
discipline.
These principles fundamental and obvious
We cannot believe that they will be overlooked
by any of the participants in this unhappy incl
dent in Washington Square. They will certainly
not be disregarded by the teaching profession
and by the public to which individual personal
itfes are Of small account. but the efficiency and
prosperity of a great institution of learning are
matters of primary and paramount Importance
There seems TO be no ground whatever for talk
OF injustice intrigue, infringement upon free
dom Of teaching or any sensation of such sort
The question is simply one Of administrative
policy, and 1t will doubtless be safe to leave il
to the settlement of those who are charged with
the trusteeship Of the university