The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-02-28
Does the State Need a College of
It's Own?-Should 1t Accept
the OWNERSHIP Of Will
liam and Mary?
Or OF The Tfmc4-p!spntch:

sir,.-House bill No. AZ proposes n radi-
cal change in tho management OF VIII
liam and Mary College. 1t provides for
placing 1t wholly in the hands OF board
of visitors, all OF whom shall be APP
pointed by the Governor. Instead of only
Il part OF them, as at present. The effect
of this cahnge, as We are told, would be,
and is Intended to be- to make OF tn
venerable old college a State institution,
belonging to and controlled by the state,
just as are the University, the V. NJ. J..
etc.
This measure. by which the right and
title to this noble college, long the pride
of Virginia and the alma mater OF 30
many OF her iflustrious sons, would pass
TO the state, seems, ut the first view,
most proper and fitting one; and IL sem
timent alone were concerned, 1t would
meet with general favor.
But upon closer consideration the
scheme APPEARS hopelessly unwisc and
inadvisable, both for the State and for
the cause OF education. and even for
the college itself
/. IT would impose n new burden upon
the already encountered finances OF the
State. especially upon this funds to be
devoted to education and more espe-
cially upon that part of these that should
fairly be assigned to higher education.
a college. as we all know, is not. flnan
cially, a paying institution. Endowmcnts
or annuit'es must come In to make both
ends meet. This is true of al our coll
leges It is true OF William and Mary
ms OF the rest Year by year, then. II the
state is TO conduct the college. there must
be an annuity to mcet expenses. These
annuities also have Il fearful habit OF
getting larger year by year. For in
STANCE, this very college OF william and
Mary. contracted with the State in 1855
10 furnish normal instruction TO so MANY.
say about 10. young men for $1,000 per
year; but after three years the figure was
moved up to $1,000. and after twelve
years more 1t was. in 1908. s31,sO: last
year 1t was $3.50 and learn that sao,-
op0 is now asked for with n specIal re-
quest for 5000 extra To such demands.
j repeat. the State cannot, and should
not, subject itself
2 Nor does there appear to be any
corresponding advantage accruins to the
snate iron, TINS expenditure and this own
ership of the college
II is a well known and most i'm
Fortant fact that in Virginia, that mart
OF general system OF literary ediica-
e s,pn WI, Wn'e n is deslsnated as higher
Quoted almost exclusively by the indie
pendent collegcs-Emory and Henry.
m,Ia lamp Richmond. Randolph.
William and Mary. These colleges do
This work. and do 1t most effectively and
satisfactorily. without drawing upon the
state Tor single dollar They are. in a
system or education in the State Now.
would 1t be wise for the State to under
take to own and conduct Il college Mt
large expense In competition with these
institutions which she ought to foster
and encourage? These colleges have q
total yearly income and expenditure OF
about $4,000; they own nearly a million
and half of productive funds: and I
estimate that their plants and equipments
would aggregate three or .our millions
more. And all this is practically nut at
the service of the State in supplying, Mt
far less than cost. that large fraction of
general education which Is known as col
1egiatc education.
Should not the State recognize these
facts, and In all practicable ways en-
courage the colleges In their great work.
cmbarrass or hinder their efforts? / sin
cerely trust that. whatever the Leg
islature may do with regard to the nor
NAL department. of William and Mary. 1t
will promptly decline to assume the
ownership and management of the coll
leSc as such. but will leave II to pursue
it's way as a distinguished member of
that group of INDEPENDENT. sclf-sustain-
the Indispensable university. are conduct
ing In such splendid fashion the higher
literary education of our people.
81 think could easily show also that
operate most unfavorably, If not fatally
to the best interests of the venerable in
stitution In whose.history every vlrglnian
feels an honest pride, What will the
normal school for males? Will 1t make
1t a cheap college? or will it tire soon
of its ownership and give 1t UP with no
hope of its ever recovering its usefulness
and standing again?
have taken some pains TO get the
views Of some representative men among
our leading educators and am conf
dent that the measure proposed In House
Il tyn1
and think | see good reasons why 1t
should be for all classes of educators
University men, college men, high school
men and forAthose interested in primary
lar movement.
BY Your kind permission I will subjon
an extract or two from a letter received
by me from the president of one of our
most proS,lnent educators In our State.
lie says: The danger of this movement
Is that 1t will be the first move In q
policy to commit the State. to supplying
bounds 81 If tho state has one college at
williamsburg, why should II not have
one for the great Southwest, one for the
as'ern shnes one SEC frnm
This tic tic direct interest that the Univer-
sity of Virginia has in stopping this be-
ginning OF q demand that would mate
rally lessen the States ability and will
il. me money for higher education
would have to be divided among q num-
ber.n He says further; II think that
proposition from the standpoint OF tho
State. The immense demand for money
| for the primary schools itself .forblds, tho
Undertaking of this enterprise. which
followed all through the, State"
..The State Treasurer would he called. on
for millions OF dollars to carry, out tho
policy TINS begun. believe that clear
Legislators to think long before entering
| this field"
i hope 1t is not vet too late for our
| Legislators to slse the matter tho fun
consideration that Its Importance des
/ lnnnds. TT 'tlLLiIy