New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-03-03
COMPETITION A BANE."
President Remsen Deplores Drum
ming for Graduates.

That there is a tendency throughout INC Soo''-
try 10 rather cheaper graduate work was de-
plored by President Ira Remsen OF johns mop
kins University. at the annual dinner OF the
New-Y York alumni of that institution at ie
University Club last night
.rThere seems TO be a strong competition
among universities for graduate students ne
said. 1T is an unwholesome tendency. There
are those who might be called travelling men,
used to drum up graduate students. Then inVl-
tations are sent out. offering various induce
ments There IS no lowering OF the standards
Of graduate work in university. We are not
in what is sometimes called the souphouse
business. We are neither paying students to
come nor are we holding out any special In
ducements. For any who come we will do
legitimate work. ] hope the evil of which 1
speak may be lessened For years it has been
one Of the worst things In theological seminaries,
where the students get no end Of stipends. The
results. as we all know, bad. There should
be no short cuts TO degrees. A short course for
the degree of bachelor OF philosophy, for in
stance. is absurdty."
Speaking of Professor Osler. formerly of Johns
Hopkins Medical School, now of oxford Unver-
sity. and the Inaccurate reports of his remarks
on old age and chloroform that caused such
stir year ago. President Remsen said the stir
had caused Professor Osler much pain. He de-
things he had been reported saying. but that
his theories on old age We're exceedingly sensi-
BILE President Remsen said he would not at
tempt to explain them for fear he too would be
misquoted
President Remsen said that Professor Osler
had been so disturbed by the notoriety he had
gained that he had gone to Atlantic City for
rest under assumed name and when he sailed
for England it under other than his
own.
President Remsen said that the dark days
when the university was in financial difficulties
had about gone The members of the board OF
trustees were men upon which he could count:
only two of them were In office when he became
president The whole scene had changed. The
old trustees had been under the influence of
the old financial disaster. The present board
was willing to provide the money for anything
necessary for growth Of the university
The president spoke Of the recent organization
Of a department Of psychology and philosophy
and added that before the end of the year he
hoped to announce the appointment of some
rather conspicuous men to I'LL certain important
places that have been vacant for some time
Referring TO the new site for the university
President Remsen said that while he had a great
respect for athletics he hated to say that the
first thing done there was to lay out athletic
field. 1t just happened So he said. and was not
because they looked upon athletics as the para
mount thing.
DR.. John /. Billings. director Of the New-York
Public Library introduced as the head of
the greatest system Of hospitals in the city, hos
pitfalls not for the curing OF disease and wounds,
but for the curing of ignorance.
DR.. Billings said he could tell that this was
period OF unrest through the inquiries made at
the reference library. Now the patrons of the
library wanted information about railroad rates
and wanted to know how corporations we're han
died I'm other countries.
He said he thought there would be other wars,
material for explosives still existed. although
there might not be any melting cause now.
The temple of peace at The Hague would not
Danish
Ex-City Chamberlain f. r. L. Gould, Lawson
Purdy. Wyatt ". Randall and Professor Henry
d. Thompson, of Princeton, also spoke. Presi-
dent John II. Finley OF the College of the City
Of NeTv-Y York presided.
Before the speaking the following officers We're
elected: Charles /. Poor, president Frederic S.
Lee first vice-president; Henry Dallas Thomp
son, second vice president Philip Hanson Hiss,
secretary: Morris Putnam Stevens, treasurer;
H. S. Bird, chronicler.