The Washington herald., 1907-08-06
Sees COLLEGE GREED
Chancellor MacCracken De-
cries Present Conditions.
TRAINED TEACHERS NEEDED
speech Opening Visit of L. :. Com
missioner an Attack on the System
Which Fails to Provide for the
Half Million Educators in the
Primary and Grammar Grades.

New York, Aug 5-Chancellor Mac
Cracker delivered the chief address at
the special exercises held at the New York
University Summer School. on University
Heights. to-day In honor of the United
States Commissioner Of Education, Elmer
Z. Brown. The university" he said.
must serve the public teachers. rather
than cater to the undergraduate sons Of
the rich, with the object Of building UP
enormous endowments." A large part of
the $50 summer school students were in
The auditorium to greet DR.. Brown, who
was later to deliver four lectures on edu-
cational subjects.
Introducing the guest, Dr. MacCracken
said that "tha day had come when the
university which forgot the school teacher
was discredited.
The university forgets the common
school teacher" he said when It does
not organize a system Of direct instruc-
ton for his help. 4 recent newspaper
announcement that a great university has
decided to shut up its summer school for
teachers, after a brief experiment, seems
this university has been bankrupted by
the school, nor that it has found some
better way Of helping teachers. nor that
such help is not the duty Of a great uni
versity.
For any faculty to advertise that it is
a university, and yet do nothing for a
teacher is like the New York City apart
ment houses, which advertises Attractive
homes for families Children not ad-
mitted.' Only here it is the children's
teachers who are shut out.
Teachers Need Good Training.
mo excuse can be taken for a uni
versity not organizing service for public
teachers. In these days. when universi-
ties can organize even the building OF
lakes in defiance of the laws of nature
and Of Jersey mosquitoes, a university
surely can attempt anything that is
necessary TO fulfill its mission.
Among the ten faculties which make
up the New York University no fewer
than three have been organized on the
call of teachers of our public schools in
order 10 serve teachers. The faculty of
pedagogy began work in 1890. that of the
summer school, the only one giving nc
degree, in 1885. and that of the collegiate
division Of Washington Square in 1903
This last takes teachers who have gone
through at least half a college course.
Not one OF these faculties is the
creature OF an endowment Had II beer
so, there would have accrued great honor
TO some far sighted, large minded philan.
thropist. But not a dollar has been re-
ceived which has not been labOriously
solicited by either the university officers
or the woman's advisory committee. Each
year for near a score Of years has
brought as a deficit, yet we carry forward
these schools vigorously and hopefully.
This year. for the first time. they have
passed the thoUsand-stUdent mark. en-
rolling an average of nearly 400 students
under each Of the three faculties.
Every true university will accept the
care Of the learned professions as a prime
obligation. Unfortunately, this or that
university in America, following tradition
has accepted il as its first duty TO cater
to the tastes of Its crowd of undergradu-
ates. But this makes only an Overgrowr
college. The genuine university aims pri-
marilv 20 give the nation better teachers
preachers, journalists, physicians, scien-
lists, engineers, lawyers It cannot re-
strict its help, though II may its degrees,
to such as first have gone through col
lege.
Profession Should lie Respected.
ITO deny instruction Of every sort to
nonbaccalaUreate teachers is like the
s
teaching Of Christianity from the Roman
captain until Cornelius should take a de-
gree in Judaism. Some of our universi-
ties need a vision such as came to Simon
Peter. II was a great sheet, knit at the
four corners. which came down from the
sky full Of common animals, which had
never been seen on any Jewish bill OF
fare, and a great voice telling Peter no
longer TO say such animals were common.
Our universities must stop calling the half
million teachers common school teach
ers, with a slur on the word common
Which OF the two policies most helps
knowledge? To support a half-dOzen spe-
ci1lists TO make research in half dozen
sciences. which research, in nine cases
NNN Va tTtf El44S Diill III Lilb pruning OF
papers which nobody reads? Or to helI
care for the haf-milHon teachers who
teach 20O59C5O Of children. so as to in
crease measurably the knowledge gained
by the children during their school
lives?
A few trust magnates are giving tc
certain universities millions Of dollars
These universities are to-day in danger
OF being reckoned the purchased servants
OF narrow caste. The sure and efficient
way TO escape this suspicion is for the
universities 70 rid themselves Of idle un-
dergraduates who make no end Of trou-
bic, and TO devote their money and
energy to giving instruction and inspira-
ton 70 the public teachers throughout the
land. IN word, let the university cease
10 serve so largely the improbable few
and rather serve the productive and in
dustrioUs many"