The Minneapolis journal., 1906-06-11
Is Minnesota Generous to
Her Great State University?
Not Generous Enough to Hold Good Men from Other
States -Meaeer Salaries for Able Men Result in Con
siderable Number Departing to More Lucrative Fields.

like ten chairs at the university
at total of not more than 100000, the
situation would be much relieved. The
Carnegie fund for pepssioning, old pro.
Selg have given @ their best YEAR years to the state ate
at very small salaries should have an
assurance Of comfort for old age, and in
most cases should be retained in emerit
us positions for their influence upon the
student body. Minnesota will not be
able to do her own pensioning for
years to come. =. - RI
The only thing that should be care
fully looked after in preparing to re-
ceive the Carnegie pensions is the
early wedding out of poor men. This is
difficult task. In private business
an employers discharges an incompe
tent or reduces his salary to something
like his earning power. The whole
matter is private and the employee has
a chance to seek more suitable employ
ment without the humiliating knowl
edge that everybody knows his failure.
A university professor is public en-
ployee, and a cut in salary or a forced
resignation places him where he can
scarcely get a suitable position. A man
may fail utterly in one place and sue
ceed admirably under different condi-
tions. This being true, he should be
particular sphere of usefulness. Get
ting rid of unsatisfactory professors is
not an easy task, and yet it must be
done. The university is established
and exists for the Students. The board
of regents is the official guardian to
the hundreds Of young men and women
Of the state. A legal guardian would
be considered a very poor one if he in
sisted upon giving a ward incompetent
teachers because he felt sorry for them.
The regents are bound morally to pro-
vide the best teachers that the money
they have will hire. The university
exists for the students and not the fac
ulty. Broad-minded and capable pro-
fessors will make a great school. -
Minnesota owes her present rank now
mainly to the self sacrificing and high
principled men and women whom she
has been fortunate in securing, and re-
tanning in the faculty. It has not been
possible to keep all Of the good ones.
The only consolation is that every
bers of the faculty casts some glory on
Minnesota. Gabriel Campbell was one
of the earliest to leave the university.
professor. Alexander T. Ormond was
considered the second real loss to the
philosophy department. He Is now at
Princeton.
Stars in Philosophy.
The department of philosophy has
been particularly fortunate or unfortu-
nate as one chooses to view the matter.
No other department. has had so many
big men. Good men seem always to
have replaced good men. John Dewey
followed Professor. .Ormond. Professor
Dewey came here from Michigan, and
was recalled there. From Michigan he
! to tho TTDiuorsitv of Ghiasro
where he was the center Of the univer-
sity's School of Education. He made
the school the best known of it's kind
in the country He really was the
| school, for when he2Yent to Columbia
the center Of gravity linuthis line shifted
from the University Of Chicago to Col
cheaso HIS At focag Mb pgg6fsssdr pg6ffas oD Dew
ey is. a professor of philosophy. His
work is mainly in ethics. 81. ..
Professor James Angel, son of Presi-
dent Angel, succeeded Professor Dewey
at Minnesota. He came here a young
man. His work was excellent and he
was given g.,e3a+veg over to Ghicago, university
accepted by DR.. Wilde last year as the
university textbook, to take the place
Of James's. Professor Angel s work on
psychology is, regarded now as the best
textbook Or that subject and is rapidly
displacing James book in other in
stitutions. .. ..-
Professor F. J.. E. Woodbridge came
Xngell's A ssi s ieaving. PRO Professor r" ' Wood
bridge was power here from the first.
He was recognized at once as a worthy
successor to the big men who preceded
him. He went from here to Columbia,
where he is now the senior professor Of
philosophy. He, is now recognized as
one of the leaders in the revival Of
philosophy in this country. He is a
younger member Of class of philoso-
piers and psychologists which includes
James, Royce, Muensterberg, Dewey
and Baldwin. u.
In four years time Professor Wood
bridge has made of Columbia one Of the
most important philosophic. centers. He
al of Philosophy, Psychology and Scien.
tifc Methods.
1 for the discussion of the most Vita
\ problems of present day philosophy
/ Professor Woodbridge will deliver the
l Phi Beta Kappa oration in the, chape
h Wednesday evening, June 13. He viii
\ be given great reception. T.
Il A Big Man in Botany.
/ The department. of philosophy ha
Il had more stars than really should hav
II fallen to it. But other department
Il have also lost good men. The remova
Il of D. 7. MacDougal to the New Yorl
Il botanical gardens took another nota
II BILE student away from Minnesota. Pro
II fessor MacDougal was an extraordin
III arily fine teacher, and at the same tim
N he was splendid man for researc
III work, His published work, togethe
III with the unusual efficiency Of men wh
II had worked under him, secured for hill
m the place in the botanical laboratorie
III at Bronx Park, under the charge of \
II l.. Britton. MacDougal went right VI
II He was placed in charge Of researc
III work in plant physiology. Later he wa
HI instrumental in establishing a labo,
III atory in the tropics. He was offere
III and accepted the directing of botanic;
II work for, the Carnegie institute. Br
HI the New York Botanical Gardens j
III giving him up invited te him to coptinu