New-York tribune., 1907-04-21
ANOTHER UNIVERSITY


The American passion for creating universities
seems unouenchable. The latest plan IS to re-
viye George Washingtons dream of great ma
tionaI university at the capital The original
hackers of the scheme are men connected with
the present George Washington University, an
institution about which nucleus the future
national university is inferentally to be built
m There seems to be no limit to the aspira-
tiOns of the promoters in respect to the range of
sciences and arts falling within the scope of the
new school; yet IT is only fair TO suppose that
their chief efforts would be directed toward the
establishment Of chairs in political science. the
art Of government diplomacy, history and the
numerous other sub ects for whose pursuit
Washington offers unriyalled opportunities.
We do not wonder at the enthusiasm dis
pIaved over the proposition. Washington is I'M
auestionably an ideal site for large group OF
graduate schools carrying on work with the
powerful and willing aid Of the great govern
ment libraries archives museums and Iaoora-
tories And we have TO doubt that the cap'tai
will some day be frequented b. scholars ana
scientists from all parts Of the worlc. But
whether this day will be made TO dawn pV the
present plan Is fairly open 10 question Win
ont wishing 10 antagonze the new movement In
the least we might venture the suggestion that
the praiseworthy effort to draw graduate stu
dents TO Washington may succeed more readily
and cheaply f. instead Of covering ten acres with
new and necessarily expensive buildings. sin
gle large building devoted chiefly to lecture
rooms and special libraries be erected ana,
instead Of raising large sums TO endow new
chairs the promoters persuade our large uni
versities to send 10 Washington, al least Tor
part of the year those Of their teaching stahs
who specialize in subjects hest pursuedsa AT the
capital. Surely the promoters know that al
GrNa hFrFNH
ings so much as by prominent names. They
know. too. that no large buildings will be needed
for libraries and laboratories. And II Is not
improbable that they will learn how difficult II
is 10 raise adequate funds for such an ambitious
undertaking as that already projected.
At the present moment there is scarcely a
university in the land which has funds enough
10 maintain the necessary library and laboratory
equipments and to pay properly its teaching
staff Nevertheless. II is not very difficult To
find some charitable" people who are willing
to present empty buildings named after them
selves, but who resent every request for the en-
dowment Of PROFESSIONAL chairs. If our largest
institutions, with their thousands OF loyal and
wealthy alumni, find il hard 10 raise funds for
this latter purpose what will be the fate of an
unborn university
Is there any impracticabIe feature in the plan
of transferring certain appropriate graduate
courses from Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Johns
Hopkins and few other institutions to Wash
ington? Would not this cooperation Of all great
schools lend n national character TO the new
centre Of learning which no new institution
could create I'm less than century? Would il
rot save much needless EXPENSE Would il not
be much easier to raise the necessary funds if
each participating college took private pride in
maintaining n respectable quota of professors
at The national" school? Finally-and this Is
the crucial question: would Harvard and the
Others object to sending specialists and graduate
students off to- the banks of the Potomac? Are
the advantages OF Washington great enough to
win our universities over 10 some such plan as
this? If not, then IL is hard 10 believe that
true university. cluster Of we'll equipped, well
attended graduate schools will ever be seen in
Washington save in the magnificent distances OF
a dream. Might It not be worth while for col
lege authorities to debate the advlsabIlity OF
concerted action In the cndeavOr to make Wash
ingtOn a university centre? Surely the time
has passed when we'll meaning ambitious edu-
Gators have the moral right to call upon wealthy
citizens for millions OF dollars, to be spent in
creating a new seat OF learning, without first
considering the attitude of already organized
universities toward the project. There is no
more shameful waste than misspent educational
funds. To avoid this shame there must be both
discussion and cooperation among our eduCa-
tiOnal leaders and fnanciers. Let us hope Wash
ingtOn will soon have n great university, but
let us hope still more fervently that it will be
established wisely. that the methods used by the
General Education Board will be applied In
reaching a decision, and that to make the school
truly national the nations best men will COM
bine their talents in determining how the lnstl-
tuition shall be founded and run.