The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-11-02
T, C,MASS|ES PIAN
FOR THE. UNIVERSITY
Thinks Salvation lies in Divorce
msnt from State and Politics.
DRAWS DEADLY :l'I!|,' PARALLEL
Shows How institutions With Private
Control and Endowment Have Out
stripped State Universities
in Every Instance.
Shows How Institutions With Private

In the following paper:
The University Of Virginia should be
removed from all political influences. and
sheltered from the storms of passion and
prejudice that are necessarily generated
in the atmosphere Of politics. 1t is hurt
full to her name and fame; It Is injurious.
to her scholastic and material interests;
it impedes her progress and thwarts her
academic mission to be drawn into public
broi!s, and involved in factional fights.
And. If left dependent upon popular favor
too often. the ftful zephyr will be
) changed into the boreal blast. That these
are not wholly imaginary figures OF
speech, the events OF the past attest.
It Is conceded by all the friends Of the
and circumstances nor in any sense. be
made the football OF politicians; and
1t seems to be further conceded that the
more she can be shielded from political
influences. the better 1t will be for her.
II this be 80. then the question arises,
how can such contamination best be
reached?
The logical answer Is: BY terminating
the ownership OF tho State. and thus abb
soIutely divorcing the University from
the State government and State control.
To como this may sound like radical
suggestion. and possibly the dreams and
aims of her great founder. Thomas Jefrer-
son. may be invoked In opposition.
To such would reply. that OF all men
In his day and generation. Mr.. Jefferson
was in many respects the most radical:
and that even II he can be shown to
have advocated different view. condi-
tons have changed since 1913. and doubt
less he would have changed with them
had his life been prolonged until The
twentieth century. His idea was to found
10 ,f,,Y
of his nature, thought and final ambition
should be an organism instinct with life,
and the faculty Of growth ana expansion,
And It is noteworthy that he did estab-
lish a University" The pioneer of It's
kind on this continent and one
to which the title Great" may
well be applied on account OF the
fundamental pricipal Of its constitution
as well as the noble achievements ot8lts
career. But at that time there was no
power great and strong enough to sustain
such an institution. except the state, ana
as Mr.. Jefferson was a. practical man. he
naturally turned to the state for ali! in
hin great enterprise. In these days, h5n
ever, instead OF being compelled to rely
upon the government. the experience OF
other universities teaches us that more.
certain and muniGcent endowmerts can
be obtained from private individuals: and
some OF the leading universities which
formerly depended to q greater or less eS-
tent upon State aid have found 1t to-
their advantage to cut loose altogether
from the government, and look wholly to
private endowments for their support
And to-day the greatest universities in
the United States, in point Of representa-
ton. endowment. and efficiency, are not
State universities. dependent upon the
State for their support, but private corpo-
raticns relying upon the benefaction OF
private individuals.
MAGNETIC GENT ILLUSTRATIONS.
A few illustra tons may be OF interest.
The State University of New York. that
splendid domain known on account OF her
extent and wealth as the Empire State.
dents. 81. 500, 400 of productive funds and
dent. 81. SOC, 400 Of productive funds and
s17a. $50 OF income while Columbia Uni
yersity. one Of her private corporations,
had. in the same year e65 instructors.
4 .o43 students, so,5oO.0Oo OF endowmeEts
and s7l1.o79 OF income. The State Uni-
yersity Of Illinois. in 1889, had 214 in
structors, 1, I5O students, Sl312.Coo of as
sets and sss54as2 Of income. while the
Northwestern University. private cor
5poration at Evanston. one of the suburbs
of Chicago, had, in 1898. 222 professors,
900 students. so465.s27 Of productive
funds and s275,3c0 Of income. and the
University OF Chicago. another private
corporation, which was not opened un-
til 1892. had. in 1903, oD instructors, $500
students. s5.sc1.Oo0 OF productive funds
besides about s4,n0o.O00 Of improved real
estate, and sIo6.973 of income. The Uni-
yersity OF Tennessee, in 1905, had Sc In
structors. sos students. $4,000 Of
productive funds and 72,94S,0D OF in
come while Vanderbilt University.
private corpora ton, which was not
opened until 1870. had 90 instructors. So
students. s1,10o.c0o of productive funds
and $780, OF income. Princeton Uni.
versity now happily presided over by
Hon Woodward Wilson. native of Vir
GINA and an alurnnus Of the University
OF Virginia. in $685. had 81 instructors.
l,1O2 students and comfortable endow-
ments and income Yale University. ir
1898, had c5s Instructors and 2.645 stu
dents. with productive funds reported at
&. 100000 In 1895, and an income OF s7o9.-
Gs1 and benefactions of s24.44S for tina.
wear: and he catalogue for 1878 states
that more than $4,000 is. apDlied an
nrally from her funds to aid needy stu
dents Harvard University. in 1878 had
4o4 instructors. $3.50 students, sS.3s1, ISL g?
Of assets and 81 .a01 .9ns.7S of Income
IN that year she had 1T students in at
tendance uron her summer schools; she
bestowed s11.6n0 in fellowships. ranging
from $500 to $3.50 apiece, and disbursed
s43475 IN scholarships.
Both Yale and Harvard were formerly.
to a greater or less extent. connected
with the State and subject to govern
ment control. but both have severed thai:
connection and placed themselves under
the general control OF their president and
fellows, and the special control of their
faculties In their respective schools. CIV
ing their alumni an influential voice In
the general election for the annual gov
eminent OF the institutions. Yale allows
majority OF her fellows to be elected
by her alumni at commencement ex-
erc,ses: and Harvard has BOARD of
Overseers... elected by her graduates.
THE PRACTICAL RESULTS.
Considering these facts We cannot be
o,.usad of being uisled by a yapary in