The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1902-02-01
THE 4 UNIVERSITY.
Let Common Sense Be Used In Spending the
Peoples Money.

leges. Nor dof'Ie join with those
who raise a hue and a cry over the
Greek Letter Fraternities." This
fraternity business is a small matter,
and will doubtless be managed by
those in authority to the best inter-
ests of the school, but we are opposed
to a wholesale expenditure of money
as now requested by this excellent in
~stitution. In the letter and memori-
al by the trustees to the legislature
the needs $50 called Of the Univer-
sity foots up a total of over two hun
bred thousand dollars, and some COM
parative tables are printed to show
the small appropriations to this insti-
tuition, as compared with other
similar institutions Of the country. The
comparison is unjust. The originator
of this memorial" should have CON-
pared the whole expenditure for edu-
cational purposes by those states to
the whole expenditure of the State Of
Mississippi for like purposes and the
population and Of the sever
al states in comparison. Mississippi
does a noble part by her young peo-
pie of both sexes and colors. No
State does more. We are now paying
s44, 900. 90 interest on the University
fund. a debt made not because we
needed the money, but because the
minority needed the interest. On the
greater part Of this fund we have
been paying interest since the foun-
dation of the school; have paid and
repaid the principal time and again
in the way of interest, and have at all
times and under many disadvantages
added to this interest liberal apprO-
priations from year to year. Water
works, electric lights, steam heating,
decorative expenses, repairs addition
al departments, and still the cry is
for more. more!! more!.! Longino was
right in giving the comparative ex-
penses in the different classes of
schools. If the University reached
all and benefited all, then all should
be given it that it asked and more,
but before we contribute more to this
single institution we should know
what per cent of our young people are
benefited thereby, and not give to a
certain class or small per cent of all
classes more than is deserved and
more than we are able to pay. We
ha We heard much of boaSted pros
perity, much Of an expected boom,
but we also know and speak from that
knowledge that our farming and la
boring classes are in closer straigbts
than they have been in years. The
siren song of prosperity cannot drown
the echo of the scoop as it strikes the
bottom Of the meal barrel. Visions
of gold seen by the over imaginative
do not pay grocery bills. The sore
handed son of toll does not smile and
shout hallelulia as he turns over his
meagre store, hard earned and badly
needed, to the tax-gatherer. The
much vaunted prosperity has not
reached him; his larder is empty, and
his children bare. The struggle to
keep the wolf from the door is dire.
Sing prosperity to him until the
crack Of doom; he has but to look into
the worn face of his life-companion tc
give it the lie. Prate Of your Univer-
sity and its needs to him, but it does
not arouse enthusiasm; he knows
when and how the said institution
reaches him. Every year he realizes
this God-sent blessing when he faces
the tax-gatherer to pay his tribute tt
support and shed the light of higher
education upon a favored few. He
! knows it then, and the we'll paid pro
~fessors, the pampered student, the
electric-lighted halls, the well paved
walks, the artesian water, we'll heated
and coy rooms and all the comforts
and luxuries prepared for the SUDDEN
body are sweet thoughts to him as h,
trudges his weary way hOmewart
through the slush and mud. We ar,
in favor of such appropriations as ar,
necessary for the University, but tn,
Legislature ought not to squander tn
l peoples money. We do not conside
a medical department as one of thes
+ necessities. Indeed we can hardly Sc
, how this institution has the gall t
ask for $50, 000. 90 at this time 70
such a purpose. The teachers de
partment desired and the modest re
e quest for $40, 10000 more money fo
e that purpose is, in u opinion, anotl
> er unnecessary ornament. What ha
' become Of the department of peda
D gogy? or, at least, the professor {
pedagogy that was added to this il
stitution? Is that not sufficient
U What is this man, or department, dC
ing? Is he not equal to the task {
teaching such teachers as seek the il
stitution? We are opposed to bot
appropriations. Let the Universit
wait some more propitious season #
its extra frills. 1t is a sore subjet