Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-01-31
The Independent College.


W. J. Bryan favors the independent
college. He is opposed To- the monop
olizing of the educational institution.
Of the country by money kings. who's,
donations are not Objectionable. bu
whose dictation is too often detrimen
tai TO the purpose OF the college edu
cation.
Speaking Of Illinois college at Jack
sonville. the presidency OF which Bry
an refused, the Commoner says:
The press dispatches have called
attention 10 the fact that Mr. Bryan
has just been chosen president of the
board OF trustees of his alma mater
Illinois college. located at Jackson
vile. III. The dispatches have also
announced that at the same session
OF the board OF trustees AT which he
was thus honored a resolution was
adopted providing for n termination OF
the agree sent entered into a few
years ago between Illinois college and
the Chicago university-the institu
ton which Mr.. Rockefeller is backing
This agreement gave the Chicago in
stitution partial supervision over the
ing that his alma mater ought 10 be
Independent OF the Rockefeller infiu-
ence and free 10 teach economic truth
without fear or favor. Mr. Bryan op-
posed the agreement and declined to
BE- officially connected with Illinois col
lcge while the Objectionable relations
continued. II goes without saying that
he i gratified 10 have his college freed
from any suspicion of plutocratic in
fuence and he hopes that those who
are opposed TO the substituting of our
institutions of learning by the mono
poiists will lend encouragement to
this splendid old college which has
had the courage TO put its trust in the
plain people. II deserves well OF the
public. If you have a boy to educate
you can send him to Illinois college
with the assurance this his mind will
not be biased in favor OF organized
wealth by teachers who receive their
daily bread from the hands OF the ben
eficiaTies Of the trusts No college can
do its full duty To the rising genera
ton 50 long as II tries to so shape its
course of instruction as to please the
commercial highways and plumber the
passerby. In the great struggle be
tween the people and intrenched priv
lcge the people are entitled to the
championship Of cOllege-bred men. and
II is a pity that more OF our colleges
do not take the independent position
which Illinois college has assumed
Some colleges. not all colleges. are
under the detrimental dictation of the
None should be. Some of
the greatest colleges in the country
fail Of the purpose for which they
were founded. because of the infiu-
cnce which the monOpOlist eXerts over
the faculty and system of education
in some Of our colleges. There is an
absence Of the independence in educa
ION and particularly of the genuine
in the college. The man be-
hind the money too often gives the
college the educational system which
strengthens those things which are
lristOcratic or plutoCTatic TO the detTi-
nent Of that kind Of democratic edu-
.ation which has-individuaI needs and
which the country depends upon for
T. existence
The independence OF the college:
he independence Of all schools from |
iny such influences is essential TO the
proper conduct of such institutions.