The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-10-24
FREEDOM In COLLEGES

Fault is found with The Spy by the
Morning Mercury of New Bedford for
referring lightly, as The Mercury
thought to a remark made by Mayor
Tom /. Johnson of Cleveland, to the eff
feet that college professors stand in
fear of losing their places If they speak
their minds. There was no intention Of
treating the matter in a cavalier fash
ion. The thought was that Mr.. John
son had, apparently for effect, at
tempted to draw a deduction that was
erroneous and misleading, for it seemed
as though anyone at all familiar with
American institutions Of learning, or
anyone familiar with American life,
must be sure that our colleges contain
many broad minded, good and brave
men. No doubt some narrow minded
men, possibly a few unprincipled men,
are to be found within the college
walls, but 1t is only reasonable to sup
pose that a fair proportion of the fac
ulties is made up Of men who are bent
upon performing their duty in the best
sense of the word. Would anyone wish
to say that these men had sold them
selves? That they keep silent when
they ought to speak, simply because
they are afraid Of losing their posi-
tons?
The truth is that most large institu-
lions of learning are pretty sure to
have included among the members Of
their faculties some who hold views
quite adverse to those popularity enter
tanned. The public often hears Of such
men. They do not attempt to hide their
opinions. Yet as a rule they remain
honored members of the faculties and
respected members of the community
in which they move. If they do not
assert their ideas offensively-and al
most any idea can be asserted often
sively-shall one say they are timid. or
that they show a craven spirit?
There are three institutions of learn
ing recalled by The Spy from which
there have been in the past few years
designations which were made, 1t is
said. under pressure, because Of views
expressed on political and economical
questions that were not acceptable or
at least, welcome. There may possibly
have been other institutions from
which such designations have taken
place. But even so, and granting for
an instant that the pressure was I'M
Just, the instances are not enough, in
comparison to the great number Of
-. g.
an argument in support of the theory
that the college teaching fraternity is
denied broadest liberty Of speech. The
emphatic discussion that has followed
such designations is rather in support
of the belief that college professors
may speak their minds with great free
dom. Were 1t not so, there would be
countless designations, for one cannot
accept the idea that the professors are
guarding their speech through cow
ardice.
The designations that have become
notable have behind them stories more
or less intricate. Two universities
where there has been some friction are
institutions fresh from the hands Of
the donors, and subject to conditions
not shared by older and better sea-
soned schools. The question is deba-
table whether. If the men over whom
the trouble arose had themselves been
broadly thoughtful, there would ever
have been any difficulty. Their taste
in having accepted the positions might
In the first place be questioned. AS to
the third university in mind many may
regret what happened there. But the
occurrence was when popular feeling
ran high, and to say that it came at
the dictation Of capital is not justif-
able. Here, too. tact. perhaps. should
have suggested early to the man con-
cerned that he could best serve the
university by leaving it while ardently
supporting a radical movement that
was the issue on which one political
party based its campaign. But any
just survey must include the insttu-
lions Of learning North. South, East
and West. and not narrow itself to
three colleges.
It seems as though the college pro-
fessor was given fullest liberty of