New-York tribune., 1905-06-19
EDUCATIONAL CRISIS IN FLORIDA.
Situation Created by Passage of Buckman
Bill by Legislature.

To the Editor Of The Tribune
sir: The recent passage by the State Legislature
of the Buckman bill precpitates a crisis in the
educational affairs of Florida of extraordinary
nature. This bill abolishes at single stroke all
the institutions Of secondary, formal and higher
education which have been maintained hitherto by
the State namely, the State University at Lake
City. the State College at Tallahassee, the normal
school at De Funiak Springs, the East Florida
Military Seminary at Gainesville and the South
Florida Military College at Barlow, besides Grip
pling one two other institutions which have
received some assistance from the public treas
ury Approximately thousand students en-
rolled in the various departments Of these insti-
tutions are thus on a sudden and without warning
thrown out of school This drastic action appears
on the surface to be disastrous to the higher in
terests OF the Commonwealth, as It is obviously
80 TO the particular communities where these in
stitutions are located. In the long run how
ever. it will probably advance the cause of edu-
cation. since II viii doubt force several counties
which have hitherto depended mainly on these
State institutions for secondary education to
establish and maintain local high schools and will
release large amount Of money for use in the
rural schools of the State, which have heretofore
been in q pitful condition. The immediate cause
OF the abolition of the institutions lust mentioned
was their joint demand at the hands of the Iegs-
laLlre tor appropriations aggregating $4,000 for
current expenses and new equipment-an amount
equsl 10 the average annual expenditure on all the
public schools. 1t thus became evident that the
state was posing its educational pyramid on its
the Buchanan bill provides for the establishments
or new State university and college for women
, but under conditions which apparently make it i'm,
possihe TO organize these institutions effectively
} Tor some years to come
Thus, the responsibility for providing collegiate
ana normal education for area as great as ali
NeW-tngIand-and, 10 large extent secondary
eoucation as well. inasrnuch as there are not more
than TWO or three high schools in the State which
ooilege-is thrown two private Institutions OF
these Rollins College has been IN existence twenty
years. mas had an honorable history and is highly
esteemed throughout the State. During the last
.o sMo years It has secured endowment fund of
t3obo-ltS future is thus assured. II has an eff
rieIl corps or teachers. and central, convenient
tealthful and beautiful location. The passage of
ne Buckman bill qUadruples the extent of its
neId ana OF its responsibility; probably there is no
ether institution in the whole land which has now
sqch an opportunity TO mediate between and to
piehu together sections long alenated to heal old
sores and 10 penetrate the Southland with those
educational and social and Industrial and religious
locals or which II stands in great need hut its
ooftnltories are already full and its resources
VIII its friends and the friends OF the South
20 pe IN a position % receive a hundred or more
ftucents from these defunct institutions the com
1ilg autumn. Who will provide the buildings in
.hlch they can study and sleep? Who will give
tLe score OF scholarships which win be needed for
me partlai assistance of worthy boys who must
o.herwlse give over all hope OF securing a college
euucatioh! who Will help to meet the other and
tne inevitable and sudden increase in the number
o. StnGentsE Or must these he turned away?
WILLIAM FREMONT BIACKMAN President
New-Tork. June l2 1906