New-York tribune., 1905-07-01
FOR AN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM.

Mr.. Rockefeller'S gift OF S10000000 to the
General Education Board much more
than the devotion of that great sum of money
TO colleges or the still greater sums which may
not unreasonably be expected to follow into
hands so trusted for the wise administration
of benevolence. 1t means the unifcaton of the
educational system of this country. Our schools
and colleges from the beginning have worked
more or less haphazard and have been sup
ported In much the same fashion. Each inSti-
tuition begged for funds where it could and
secured them In the measure that blind luck,
the enthusiasm Of graduates, local pride or eiu-
cational fashion dictated. Resources often had
no relation to the solidity and value of courses
or the existence Of any constituency demand
ing an institutions ministry. The college world
has been q world of chaos characterized by
waste, duplication of effort. mistaken location
of schools, starvation Of worthy but unfashon-
able institutions and preservation through mis-
taken kindness of some which should have
been allowed to expire.
The General Education Board and its com
plement the Southern Education Board, de-
veloped a new method in doing the work which
has been reproachfully characterized by some
as the Ogden movement" and in reality de
serves to be ever honOrably associated with the
name of that modest and devoted worker for
humanity Mr.. Robert &. Ogden. Every South
ern school poor, and indiScriminate giving
to every applicant meant doing more harm than
good. So the boards made minute fnveSttga-
tions and planned the campaign on a large
SCALE helping institutions differently according
to their special needs and possibilities, encour-
aging one sort of school where It's particular
work could be done to advantage and creating
system of benevolence founded on expert
knowledge and sta tesmanlike outlook. Hitherto
the activities of the General Education Board
have been confined chiefly to the South. Now,
with the aid Of Mr.. ROckefeller's money, the
whole country will benefit by the development
Of higher education according to an intelligent
plan based on a survey of the whole field and
of the educational problem to be solved, rather
than q narrow view or the ampluohs OIL
particular institutions.
II is a great compliment to Mr.. Ogden, Dr.
Ruttrfck and their associates that Mr. Rookie
feIIer thinks they can distribute his money
more wisely than he could himself, but that Is
undoubtedly the case. For many years his ad-
wiser in matters of benevolence, Mr.. Is. T.
Gates. has been studying the educational PROB
lem along these lines AS a strategist he has
sought In the organization Of educational WORK
10 make every effort produce the greatest ben-
eft TO the greatest number. His part IN the
Southern work, and now in this proader ell
fort as is shown by yesterdays statements,
@NN0N-
ton Board.
The plan for expending the income of this
fund. as outlined in Mr.. Gates's letter, means
tbe giving Of helping hand to colleges every
where with comprehensive wisdom. Amounts,
purposes and conditions will be prescribed ac-
cordipc to circumstances, and a powerful in
huence will be exerted upon all our colleges
for the suppression of shams, the Systematlza-
ton of their work and its more careful adapta-
tion TO their abilities and the needs or their
constituents. and the closer harmony OF all In
stftutions as articulated parts OF weil round
cd educational organism. If the General Edu-
Ito, Roard succeeds as well with this enter
prisa as its past achievements give occasion
to expect. Mr Rockefeller's S10,OoO0oO Is prob
ably only & small part of what II VIII nave 10
administer Other men who wish TO promote
hiber education wisely will seek to act through
IT'S expert agency, and by this means. in spite
of our great variety of educational foundations
personal. denominational, city ana STATE, we
NAV secure sound standards and true educa-