Evening star., 1901-12-20
NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
WASHINGTON THE PLACE FOR A
GREAT FEDERAL SCHOOL.
Would Promote Higher Education
and Assist in Purifying Ameri-
can Politics.
David Starr JOrdon, President of Stanford Uni-
versity, in the Pittsburg Dispatch.

David Starr Jordon President of Stanford Uni-
versity in the Pittsburg Dispatch.
l believe firmly in the public foundation,
support and control of institutions of high
er education. 1 believe in the encourage
ment and recognition of those on private
founda tions. But the university has pub
lie functions to perform, and these car be
made secure only by the establishment Of
such institutions at public cost and under
public control The university Is an insti-
tuition vitality essential to national growth.
The state cannot wisely leave its develop
ment to charity or to the interest Of reli-
gtous denominations or Of private givers.
Whatever is needful for the growth Of
the nation the people should give, should
own and control. By the influence of pub
lie institutions the institutions founded by
individuals or by churches will be kept
democratic and kept in the line of meeting
the public needs. This view applies to the
public schools. the high schools and the
state universities. 1t should apply to a ma
tioral university as well. There are means
of training stored up at the national capt.
ital which should be utilized in higher edu-
cation.
Facilities at Washington.
These are in the museums, the Congress
SIGNAL Library, the observatory and in the
opportunities to study the workings of dem
ordinated at the public expense by means Of
a band of chosen professors. These pro-
fessors should be investigators, who should
teach by training investigation. The ma
tional university should not be college nor
a professional school; 1t should have no ex-
aminations and grant no degrees; 1t should
have none of the degrees by which
men have been driven or coaxed into study.
! 1t should be generously equipped so that no
startling work need be done, and 1t should
deal with the needs of grown men in manly
| fashion.
1t Is not true that such an institution
would be corrupted by politics. 1t would
purify politics. 1t is not true that we have
institutions enough to do all the university
work that needs to be done. So long as any
| Institution in the world offers better facili-
/ ties for investigation than ours. then we
| have not universities enough. If the estab-
| lishment of better university at Wash
| ington should turn students from universi-
| ties We have. this Is an argument for It.
| There are facilities for certain lines of
work at the capital which exist nowhere
else. Let US utilize these and not compel
| students to put up with inferior things.
Talk of Rivalry Absurd.
| But the talk Of rivalry is absurd. The
| growth Of real university at Washington
| one devoted to investigation and to that
| only, would strengthen all other universi,
| ties everywhere. The recent organization
| Of a Washington memorial looks In the
| right direction-that Of utilizing for study
| the stores of museums and libraries. But 1,
| will fail. and deserves to fail, IL 1t Is not
| made primarily and from the start a pub
| lie enterprise 1t should rest on an appro.
! priation by Congress- made with open eyes
| for this definite purpose. Private gifts
| should be received, but they should not
| control nor direct its purpose.
] 1t Is the essence of democratic govern
ment that 1t should learn by its own mis-
| takes. Blunders have been made In the
control of every public institution, but the
| institution arises strengthened from the re
suits or Its own errors. The more impor
] tant the institution the more enlightened
the public opinion which controls it. Wher
the university of the United States arises a
Washington We shall be proud of its work
and every interest in our country will b,
| helped by 1t.