Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1907-12-27
ABOUT THE
UNIVERSITY
OF OREGON
A Friend of the University Who Be
Iieves It should Have the $780,
600 Appropriation Presents His
Reasons.

To the EDITOR. IN your ISSUE VI
Dec. 23 your leading editorial pro-
poses three reforms" for the State
University before the people should
approve the appropriation of $780,
900 per annum that was passed at
the last session of the legislature.
IL is assumed by the writer that the
Journal is sincere in making these
proposals, hence have no desire to
Iquestion the motive that prompted
them. But common fairness and
the interests of the people of this
state alike demand that no facts be
withheld and that these three re
form" ideas should be shown in
their true light
Reform" 1. The University
shonld move its medical, legal and
dental departments up to Eugene.
The first error lies in that the Uni
versity has no dental department
and never had such a department.
That leaves the question of whether
or not the Law and Medical schools
should be moved from Portland to
Eugene. II is doubtful II this move
would be wise. Educators and even
some editors have answered this
question in the negative. These
schools were placed in Portland for
purpose. viz: to give their students
an opportunity TO be I'm touch with
Hospitals and courts and to become
Ipractical and useful members of
their professions and not merely
Theoretical drones. Moreover, Eu-
gene Is building up and II Oregon
will support It's University IL too Will
build up and eventually there viii
be no necessity for conducting these
professional schools at Portland.
Further, these two schools will get
no more support under an appro-
prlation OF $125,000 than under one
OF $4,000, as provided under the
old law. When the time is ripe prob
ably these schools will be moved to
the Eugene campus. In the mean
time this question shonld not be
brought into the main issue OF
whether or not the state is going to
give adequate support TO the head
OF It's educational system.
Reform" 2. II should cut out
all courses OF study that are dupli-
Gated at the o. A. c. Is there real
duplication here? ! doubt II. But.
II so, why not let the o. A. G. cease
their duplication rather than Insist
that the University discontinue
courses that manifestly should be
taught by a University? The writer
has a very friendly feeling for the
o. A. C. and does not believe that
the college should abandon any OF
the work now done there. But II does
seem unfair 10 the University and
to the tax payers to ask the Univer'
sity 10 cease what Is a duplication
in appearance only just in order to
get the support of the state. II IL
pertinent in this connection to say g
word about the educational system Of
lOregon. We have course prescribe
by the state school authorities, con
sisting OF sixteen courses, of which
! leight are the grammar grades-sup
d posed to be taught in every locality
The next four are high school grades
i maintained at centralized points
county seats, cities, etc. The las
d four, namely, No. 1S, IA. 10 and l6
Il are the grades taught at the Stat'
Y University. The candidates mas
N have completed twelve grades fo
Z admission into the first year class
At the o. A. C. he must have com
= pleted nine grades for admission. i
q Is readily seen then that in fou
n years at the Agricultural COLLEGE
II the student can not accomplish mucl
81 more than the equivalent of grade
a No. 10, II, 12 and 1S, doing onl!
4 one year of University work No. 13
The mere fact that the same or sim
Il liar courses are catalogued at botl
n the college and the University is no
conclusive that either school is in
fringing upon the work of the other
For example, the Salem Hign schoo
N offers a course in high school alge
+ bra, the State University offers
K course in college algebra, and ye
no sane person will charge tha
either is out of its field. So, say
N that neither the location of profes
sional schools nor the adjustmen
of courses between the Universit,
and College should be issues in de
+ termining whether the State is I
support or abandon its University
Reform" 8 proposes that all pro