Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1905-09-29
OREGON STUDENTS GO ELSE
WHERE.


The Pendleton East Oregonian,
speaking Of this matter, is quoted
as follows:
That there must be some adj
vantages enjoyed by the Wash
ington school seems evident. In
the case of the Whitman this
might be attributed to its prox-
unity, and with the University
of Washington to the fact that it
is near a large city,
Admitting that this is in a
measure true the Portland Ore
gonian gives other reasons why
our students go abroad and pro-
poses some remedies, which,
however, it doubts whether ac-
ceptable to the country districts
of the state. This great paper
takes occasionto speak highly Of
our beloved OAC. It says:
The Oregonian thinks it can
supply a better reason for pre-
ference by Oregon students for
the Washington schools. It is
simply that the institutions are,
as a Glass; superior to our own.
State pride is not sufficient to
hold our own students to our
home institutions if the educa-
tional advantages the latter
have to offer are not at least
equal to the advantages to be
obtained elsewhere. The Oregon
Legislature has for years made
biennially appropriations in the
aggregate very large for institu-
tions of higher learning. Tt has,
indeed, gone to the extreme of
generosity in that direction, but
it mas made the mistake of dis
tributing its appropriations to
various schools, with the result
that there is not a single insti-
tuition in the State Of Oregon OF
the first rank. It is true that,
because of the liberal Govern
ment appropriation, the State
Agriculture College at Corvallis
has attracted more students thar
any other college, and that it is
doing good work; but Other
schools are, we think, below the
standard Of efficiency which they
might attain if the state coule
afford to give them larger ap
preparations. It cannot affore
them, and should not be callee
upon to do it. If the norma
schools were to be consolidated
it would be possible to provide
adequate equipment in faculty
apparatus, buildings, curriculum
and students. We should have
a school that would bear favor
able comparison with any similar
institution in the United States
The mistake we have made is il
attempting to place our norma
school on the same basis as tht
richer and more popular states
We cannot do it. The State Uni
versity, with something over 20'
students has suffered severely
by the distribution Of the state''
money to a number Of small in
stitutions, and it has been in
jured, too, in point Of attendanc.
by its location. If the STATE
University were to be placed a
Portland and united with The
normal schools, it would be pos
sible to build up here a single
magnificent institution Of which
every citizen might well be
proud. The Oregonian has ne
idea that any suggestion of this
kind will ever be adopted, be.
cause of the clamor that woulc
go up throughout the state thai
Portland is trying. to kill off the
normal schools and the State
University in order to revive
them in one colossal Portland
scheme. Yet The Oregonian is
not moved in this matter by any
consideration for the benefit of
Portland. It is sure that the
location at the metropolis would
be the best thing for such a