New-York tribune., 1907-06-06
ANOTHER CITY COLLEGEg

In snite of the prevalent opinion that ex-
Controller Grout's measure to establish free
city college in Brooklyn could not possibly pass,
that bill has already reached Mayor Mcclellan
and will probably be approved by him, accord
ing to reports from yesterdays public hearing.
At that hearing the critics of the bill both out
numbered and outranked It's friends, but unless
Governor Hughes has firm convictions on the
subject of higher education the bill may become
q law in spite of its opponents forensic success.
In every respect save its motive the bill is
bad. We can well believe that many Brooklyn
ties would welcome a large, well equipped col
lege 1t would be a convenience to numerous
students, an ornament to the borough and
blessing 20 surrounding real estate. If such an
institution could be completed for few thou
sand dollars opposition to 1t would have to be
solely a matter of policy. But when we con-
slider that a second city college would cost at
least as much as the first one, the proposed
expenditure appears very much like gross per-
version of educational funds. The city has no
moral right to build colleges so long as thou
sands Of children are without seats in the
schools Nobody has ever ventured to dispute
this but many persons like to ignore Il in order
70 do something grand" with easy conscience.
If public funds should be spent where they are
most sorely needed the Governor will promptly
refuse to sanction a second city college
Serious objections may also be raised against
the provisions of the bill. There is one clause,
little short of amazing, which permits any cor
p0ratiOn conducting educational work in the
city of New York to consolidate with the pro
posed college. This opens up many new poSsi-
bitieS for pinchng penny or two out of the
municipality; 1t alone is enough to defeat the
bill If a second city college must be created
let 1t be by all means simple extension of the
present one built UP on some consistent, uni
form policy, and not a hodge pOdge of associ-
ated faculties varying widely in efficiency and
interests.
great college in Brooklyn would doubtless
be we'll attended within a few years after it
opened its doors. There is large population
on Long Island which would keep the class
rooms filed with eager students. But why do
not the people Of Brooklyn who are enthusiastic
on this subject subscribe privately for such an
institution if it is really wanted? Civic pride
is nowhere liveller than in the borough across
the bridge so that a local college ought to find
many enthusiastic benefactors. Civic pride
however, should be enlightened enough to dis
suade Brooklyn from deprlving vast host of
little children of the three RS for the mere
sake of giving q few hundred high school grad
yates the chance to attend college without leav-
ing their parents. A privately endowed college
would not hinder the cause Of elementary edu-
cation. but a municipal college would 1t would
also probably interfere sadly with the plans Of
the Brooklyn Polytechnic for the development
OF a real university with several millions Of
private endowment which are already we'll nd
vanced. With this fact uppermost in mind. the
citizens Of Brooklyn should tell the Governor
squarely whether they favor the Grout measure
or not.