The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-05-28
AMERICAN COLLEGE MEN
 TO AID COLLEGE PROFESSORS
MoyE CONDITIONS TEACHING-HARVARD ALUMNI A AND ONE-HALF MILLIONS CONFIRMATION OF COLLEGE. slsooooo ALREADY
 

Cambridge. Mass, May 27.-Along with the enthusiasm which the an- nouncement of the Carnegie founda- tion has created there has appeared a feeling among university teachers ana officers- as well as among alumni who are profoundly interested in the wei fare of their college, that greaterul- ness to MT. Carnegie for his admirable scheme of pensioning superannuated professors ought to cause no one 10 lose sight of the need of improving . conditions in college teaching In the ' United States. The donors purpose ''to encourage first-class talent to enter and remain in the ranks can. 1t IS be- lived, be carried out only 1T, In addi- tion to the pension paid after the period of a mans usefulness is past, ne IS guaranteed a salary sufficient to keep him and his family in reasonable com fort and contentment as he goes along. Discussions of the college professor sorry lot in life-sorry. that Is, from the financial point of view-have been very freouent of late years; the time is now ripe for concerted action to ameliorate 1t everywhere as rapidly as possible.
 For this reason the work of raising a special endowment fund of two and one-half million dollars for the pay ment of better salaries in Harvard col lege-an undertaking which was start ed a few months ago by committee of prominent Harvard graduates ana which it is now hoped will be compiet- ed before commencement time-ls one that will in no way be allowed to lan- guish during the last few weeks before the expiration of the time limit that has been set The attempt to create a fund for such a purpose, It may De said. has proved to be of much more than local moment. for 1t has been fol- lowed up by similar attempts at other educational institutions. The move ment, in fact has become Beherai ah" even national.
 As a final appeal in the campaign for better salaries at Harvard letter has just been sent out to all the alumni or the college by the committee of grad uates having the matter in hand--a volunteer body which includes among its members the President of the United States The committee consists of Bishop William Lawrence. chairman; Francis L. Higginson. vice-chairman; {; Charles S. Falrchild, Henry s. Howe, Francis R. Appleton, Augustus Hem enway Theodore Roosevelt, James J. Storrow, Benjamin Carpenter. Their Rcommunicat tion at once gives news that the big undertaking Is already weE along toward succession during the past few months a number of the alum mi and friends of the college have sub , scribed individually or through their classes about 1,S00, ,000-and urges that every son of Harvard, wherever he lives. shall take part in the gift even If with only small contribution. The entire sum desired, 1t is stated, "can" not be raised without large subscrip- tfons from those wno can afford even at O sacrifice to make them," and 1t is hoped that every living alumnus will render some token of his affection be- fore next commencement day.
 The special needs of the modern col leEe, as exempliiied by Harvard, are set forth in the following terms:
 Great as is Harvard University we sons of Harvard turn back to the old nolleee the School of Liberal Arts, for our happiest memories and highest ideals.
 The heart of the university is the college, the alma matter which receives the boys from their homes and leads them into her spirit and high tradi- tions The heart of the college is the teachers. The position of Harvard to- day among American universities is due not so much to it's age, traditions. or able administration as to its noble line of teachers. That the teachers in the college should be the best in the land: that the older professors should he free from the cares of a strengthened income; that the younger teachers should be able to give themselves with ont distraction to their work; that the hest men should not be drawn away to other colleges but should see before them reasonable promotion in work and salary, IS essential to the leader