The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-07-07
CARNEGIE GIFT PRAISED
Educators Views on His Fund
For College Professors.
sOHURMAN CALLS IT MAGNIFICENT

Cornell University President Says
Nothing Better Could Have Been
Done For Higher Education-'Mos
Significant STEP" Says DR.. Harper
Of Chicago-A Canadians Opinion.
Presidents and professors Of leading
colleges in various parts of the United
States and Canada recently expressed
these opinions concerning Andrew Car
negie's deed Of gift Of $1O,OOO,OOO to be
used in providing annuities for super
animated college professors and in
structors, says the New York Tribune:
President Jacob Gould Schurman of
Cornell university: 1T Is q magnificent
gift. bespeaking at once a sympathetic
and generous heart and a wise and
statesmanlike head.
Nothing better, nothing else so good,
could have been done even with $10,-
100000 for the cause Of higher educa-
ton In America. Hitherto the pro-
fessors in our colleges and universities
were In old age either turned out upon
a cold world or retained to teach stu
dents In spite Of physical and mental
decline, the first course being an in
justice to them, the second an injustice
to their students. Their salaries are
too small to make saving to any con-
siderable extent possible. Mr.. Carne-
gie's gift will provide them in old age
them of anxieties which have hitherto
been acute and distressing. But this
is not all. In consequence of Mr.. Car
negie's gift professorships become more
attractive positions than ever before,
and men who enter on the teaching
career will have strong additional in
ducement to remain in 1t.
FINALLY, in an age Of stupendous
material achievements in which Mr..
Carnegie himself has been one of the
worlds foremost leaders, his gift is
triumph for spiritual civilization. It
will make for the exaltation Of let
ters, science and the things for the
mind, of which our colleges and uni
yersities are the organs and our pro-
fessors the ministers at the affairs, and
consequently Mr.. Carnegie deserves
hot only the thanks Of American pro-
fnssors, but the cordial gratitude Of the
american people"
President W.. r. Harper Of Chicago
university: This is one Of the most
significant steps in the interests Of
higher education in the last twenty
five years. 1t will give the college
professors a position Of dignity great
er than ever before. No class Of men
more richly deserve appreciation Of
this kind than the professors"
President Henry S. Pritchett Of Mas
sachusetts Institute Of Technology: Il
regard Mr.. Carnegie's gift as one Of the
most important and far reaching ever
made to education. 1t will establish
upon broad and general lines a system
OF pensions In a sufficiently large num-
Der of American institutions to insure
its general adoption as a part Of the
administration Of our higher institu-
tons of learning. This will 60 far to
give dignity and security to the calling
Of the professor"
President w. H. P. Faunce Of Brown
university: "Mr. Carnegie's interest In
American colleges is very gratifying.
/ only hope that Mr. Carnegie's agents
will consider whether it might not be
we'll to distribute the available fund
among the different institutions whose
professors are to derive benefit from
it rather than to hold the lump sum
under board Of independent trustees.
II might be that retired professor
who would be eligible under the terms
OF the gift would feel much more like
accepting the allowance allotted him
from the institution to which he has
devoted his best days rather than
from board of trustees with whom
he has nothing in common"
President L. Clark Seelye Of Smith
college at Northampton, Mass: 1T
will be Of incalculable benefit to
the colleges. No gift has been made
to colleges in general which will prove
Of such great value. 1t will make the
profession more honorable and at the
same time will attract and retain in
tie profession those who are best
qualified to instruct in the higher insti-
tutions."
Chancellor Henry NJ. MacCracken Of
New York university: From my more
than twenty years study Of the history
Of New York university have found 1t
the unanimous judgment Of the corpo-
ration that pensions should be given,
even when there was no surplus reve-
nue. from which to support them,
though there may be an annual deficit.
Very recently l made an appeal to
graduates Of New York university for
an endowment Of a pension fund. Vice
Chancellor Eugene Stevenson of New
Jersey, who is the president Of our
general alumni association, has offer
ed to be one Of ten graduates to give
each $1,000 for this object. Mr. Carne-
gie's benefaction will enable Vice Chan
cellor Stevenson and his friends to be-
stow their gifts on some other worthy
object.
eff Mr.. Carnegie wanted to do a