The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1908-12-31
ROCKEFELLER
ON GIVING
Organized Charity The Best
He Says
WHY NOT HAVE CHARITY COMBINE?
1t Works in Trade. Why Not
In Philanthropy

In Philanthropy
| II a combination to do business is
enective in saving waste and in getting
better results. why is not a combina.
t1on far more important in philan.
thropic work."
In this question is set forth the text
OF an article of John ID. Rockefeller.
head of the Standard Oil interests,
published in the current issue of the
Worlds Work. The general subject
OF Mr. Rockefeller's article is "The
Value of the Cooperative Principle in
Giving"
Mr.. Rockefeller expresses the belief
that the general idea of co-operation
In giving for education scored "a real
step III advance" when Andrew Car
negle consented to become a member
OF the general education board for
IN accepting position in this direc-
tory he has, it seems to me, stamped
with his approval the vital principle
or cooperation in aiding the educa-
tlonal institutions of our country"
| Work of Education Board.
he goes on to describe in some detail
the work of the general education
board, which, he said, has made or is
making q careful study of the loca-
tion, aims, work, resources, admins
tration and educational value, present
and prospective, of the institutions of
higher learning IN the United States.
The board, he says, makes it's con-
trlbutlon. averaging something like
$2,000,00O year, one of the most
careful comparative studies of needs
and opportunities: throughout the
country Its records are open to all.
Many benefactors of education are
availing themselves of these disin-
, terested inquiries, and it is hoped that
more will do So
Some interesting general remarks on
the subject Of benevolence illuminate
Mr.. Rockefeller's point of view. For
instance, he says:
| ITO help an inefficient, i'll located,
unnecessary school is a waste | am
told by those who have given most
careful study to this problem that it is
highly probable that enough money
has been squandered on unwise educa-
tiOnal projects to have built up a ma
tiOnal system of higher education ad,
quate to our need if the money had
been properly directed to that end
OF Roman Catholic methods Mr.
Rockefeller says that he ias seen
the organization of the CONAN church
secure better results with a given sum
of money than other church organiza-
tons are accustomed to- secure from
the sam, expenditure. 1t is unneces-
sary to uwell upon the centuries of eX-
perience which the church Of Rome
has thrnnph tn nGrfpct great
power of organization"
! Commenting upon the great mass of
appealing letters received Mr.. Rookie
feller says that four-ffths of them are
requests for money for personal use,
with no other title to- consideration
than that the writer would be graft
fed to have it.
Warm Tribute to Harper.
MIR. Rockefeller pays a warm tribute
to the memory of the late DR.. William
r. Harper, president of the University
of Chicago, and makes without quail
fication the statement which will be
surprising to many persons, that dur
ing the entire period Of his presidency
of the University of Chicago he never
once either wrote me letter or asked
me personally for a dollar of money
lot the university. Ilc Soco oii " Ca
plain that in this as in all other cases,
the gifts to the university were the
result of the presentation of it's needs
made in writing by the officers OF the
university, whose special duty it is to
prepare it's budgets and superintend
its finances 1t is not personal inter
Vows and impassioned appeals, but
sound and justifying worth that should
attract and secure the funds OF phil
anthropy. The people in great num-
hers wto are constantly importuning
me for personal interviews in behalf
of favorite causes err in Supposing
that the interview, were it possible, IS
the best way, or even a good way, OF
securing what they want.
In the course of this article MY.
Rockefeller says of himself:
Criticism that is deliberate, sober
and fair is always valuable. and 1t
should be welcomed by all who desire
progress | have had at least my full
share of adverse criticism, but l can
truly say that it has not embittered
me. nor left me with any harsh feel
ings against a living soul. Nor do
wish to be critical of those whose con-
cientious judgment, frankly expressed,
differs from my own. No matter how
noisy the pessimists may be, we know
that the world is getting better stead
lily and rapidly and that 1T is good
thing to remember in our moments OF
depression or humiliations."