The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1906-03-01
SALARIES ARE TOO SMALL
DEAN BIRGE OF WISCONSIN UNI
VERSITY TELLS INVESTIGATING
COMMITTEE MUCH.
MANY ABSENCES GRANTED
Instructors in Agricultural and Science
Departments Often Interchanged-
Knapp Charges Up Tomorrow.

/ MADISON, Wis, Feb. 81 Special.
Deans +. T.. Turneaurc Of the college
! of engineering. and T.. \. BirEc Of the
college Of letters and science, We're be.
fore the university investigating commit.
tee this morning.
Dean Turneaurc testified that the
monthly payroll of his department was
between $1,000 and $4,000. He granted
carly absences in his department There
was no record, he said, on the payroll OF
absences. but lie admitted it might be q
good idea in the administration TO have
them
Salaries Are Too Small
He believed salaries in his departments
were, if anything, less than these in
other states. and cited a case Of Iowa
Offering $3.50 to man receiving $1,000.
Wisconsin then raised his salary to 5000
and kept him. Wisconsin can get men
cheaper and hold them for less than
Michigan, for instance, he said, because
Madison is pleasant place In which to
live and the faculty IS in cordial rela-
tionship.
lie would not favor reducing the fees
Of students and thought 1t would affect
in resident student attendance, while If
inc ties Ol OulNlflt ElhlfbAH N'It ItNA''''
they would 90 elsewhere. Resident en-
giuccring students pay $50 year fees
and non-residcnts so. Laboratory fees
amount TO about $50 q year more. lie
had written two books on which he re
ceivcd a small royalty, but 1t was his
belief that professors wrote books Tor
not purely commercial ends, but largely
for aid in instruction
Colleges Swap Instructors.
Mr.. Birgc said he was dean of the col
lcgc Of letters and science and professor
of zoology, but did no teaching now.
There are about 1900 students in his
college and about 100 instructors. Many
of tie professors in his college teach IN
the colleges Of agriculture and engineer
ing as languages and science. Asked
what recommendation lie had to SUI
gest. he said lie would like TO see an
improvement in the teaching force Tor
elementary classics; that while the stu
dents were constantly increasing, the
money from the state was usually appor-
toned on the basis of the attendance
the year before, which made it necessary
to keep the Institutional force and sala-
ries down 10 the lowest level. Likewise
the apparatus was kept down. \ new
building was needed for the biological
department. Science hall had been out
grown.
lie thought Wisconsin did as much for
its students in the matter Of maintainE
close relations between the faculty and
students MS other states, but wished II
might do more. He would like to see all
classes reduced to twenty-five or twenty.
In general he believed class officers were
considcrate 10 students and paid heed to
their troubles.
Don't Dictate to High Schools.
He said the university received many
calls from schools and organizations for
lectures and advice and believed it as
much the duty Of the university to re
spond to these as to teach the young
people, No attempt was made to die
tate 10 high schools in matters Of cur
riculum beyond fixing certain course
for credits.
Asked by Attorney Bennett if he
thought the cultural side was cmpha-
sized ut the expense of the practical in
the university, Dean Brge smiled and
said, mo, there is the other way with
the faculty. They did not attempt TO
make every student n college professor.
Some Of the departments Will be visit
cd today for vcritcatiou of testimony. Il
is probable the agricultural troubles will
be taken up tomorrow.