Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-03-01
nois. Wisconsin and Minnesota are to
their respective states.

During the past 10 years the "westerr
Plan has been tried in a very modest
way at Orono with most gratifying re
suits, which certainly justify a contin
uance of that plan on a more liberia
scale.
The State pays money to High school.
and academies to teach Latin and Greel
so that the contention that the State
University should not allow a student t.
continue study which he has begun ir
the High school is ridiculous and UNI
worthy Of the support of a friend oil
higher education. At this distance il
looks as if the UNCONVENTIONAL colleges
were trying to form Greek and attn
trust
The better the State University, the
better the UNCONVENTIONAL colleges will
have to be in order to compete. This will
make them hustle around and improve
their institutions instead of trying to rise
by pulling the university down; and the
grand result will be improved higher ed
ucation in every college in the State
l remember with pleasure our slight
acquaintance formed through the Central
church at Yarmouth last summer, and
hope we will meet again during the sum-
mer of 1907.
Very truly yours,
LOUIS W. RIGGS.
Some reference has been made in one
Or two of the papers in the State to a
statement made by the Hon. John d.
Long. letter was addressed to him by
Louis c. Southland, ESQ, and bears the
date of Feb. 10, 1907. In the letter he
says:
81 do not think that Mr.. Potter has any
very considerable number of sympathiz-
ers. but I am informed that the Lewist on
Journal reports you as having written to
Mr.. Potter. stating that in your opinion
the State should not allow the universe
ty to maintain its Bachelor of Ar.s
courses.
From my long acquaintance with you
1t does not SEEM possible you can have
been correctly reported, but in any event
as distinguished son of Maine and a
distinguished citizen of Massachusetts
and the whole country, your opinion
would be entitled to great consideration.
and I shall be very glad If you will
kindly express it to me- with the privi-
lege of quoting the same
And this is Governor Longs reply:
John D. Long.
337 fremont Building
Boston. Feby. IS. 1907.
Dear Southard:-I have your letter
about the University OF Maine.
The report you quote is, as are most
such reports, incorrect.
1t probably arose out of the following
circumstances:
Sen. Potter wrote me asking my opin-
lon whether, as a matter of law, the au-
thority for prescribing the branches OF
instruction is lodged in the state or. in
view of recent state legislation referred
TO by him. in the trustees of the uni
versity. 1 replied that in my opinion it
was still. under the act of July g. 1862 (of
Congress). in the state
1 expressly declined Indeed, he did not
ask mel to express any opinion as to
what should be the courses of study-B.
A. courses or otherwise-which the State
should authorize.
Very truly yours,
(Signed) JOHN D. LONG.
That is the reply of Governor Long T
think that Sheds a little light on that
discussion as to what Gov. Long may
have said in regard ts the A. e. degree
Now, 1t has been alleged that the
courses which lead to the a T. degree
in the University of Maine are inferior.
therefore they should he cut out Let
us examine that proposition for a mo-
ment and see just what the conditions
are there and whether they should be
inferior or not Senator Potter says in
the minority report: Because it is ex-
pensive The courses terminal
ing in the degree of Bachelor Of Arts
are at present necessarily inferior to
those of the other three colleges The
president of the university, with natural
loyalty to his institution. denies that
this Is so, but II must be so and the fact
reflects discredit upon the university" ]
never have known before that the state
ment lit must be So was ever consid-
cred an argument. AS matter of fact
the professors in the University OF
Maine, who have come there from Yale
and Harvard and Johns Hopkins with Il
degree of Phi D., who teach in tho
courses which lead TO the A. L. degree
are fully the equal of the professors in
any of the other colleges: and / leave il
to you in all fairness if they would no;
be Just as capable of instructing along
those lines, so that the student might
graduate from the university With the
same honor under the Il. A. degree rs
they might at Buwdoin or at Bates or al
Colby? Isn't that the criterion? Does il
make any difference as to how long they
might have been there. providing they
are there and they are Endorsed by tht
best cducationa, institutions in this
country-does it make the least difference
whether they have been there weet
or whether they have been there siN
years or longer? 1t is true that it is
expensive. Every system OF education i
expensive. But isn't 1t the place of cap
ital to bear the expenses of education
We naturally have a system of schools
which is secondary to none. We natu.
rally have a State university because II
Is needed; and one reason ut least why
the B. a. degree is conferred there and
the courses are taught which lead uD &c
1t Is that ii was necessary to develop the
branches for which the institution was
originally started and I refer to tn,
technical and the agricultural branches
for it cannot be denied that the univer-