New-York tribune., 1908-07-07
REGENTS NOT REGNANT.
DR.. MacCracken Says They're AH
Right, but Hare No POzCer.

Chancellor MacCracken of New York University
officially opened yesterday the summer school for
teachers at the university. Andrew S. Draper,
State Commissioner of Education, spoke on demo-
cratic ideals in American education. Chancellor
MacCracken, in a brief Introduction, said
New York State for over century has had, be-
sides it's political Legislature educational legis-
Iature known as the Regents In addition to its
political executive. who is called Governor it has
an educational executive, called commissioner, In
copied by the other larger states of the Union The
teachers who here from score Of great states,
upon their own states having board of regents.
with executive on the model Of the commits
The chief fault find with Regents is that
anteed by the state constitution: 1t is like the
existence OF the universe on the first day OF crea
Legisaiture must enact law before the Regents
can peep or move. have seen the unanimous
leges of the state completely hoored a unver-
sity issue before Republican Legislature and a
a party boss When you teachers ask your state
to establish regents be sure to have the const1tu,
small boy who stared at a university chancellor
said that he wanted to see him chancel. I want to
see the regents regnant.
For quarter of a century I have found the
versity has sought legislation three four times
only in twenty-five years. It has never get 1alr
treatment except when Democracy in power
upstate politicians fill the State Treasury chiefly
give them back for higher education not one cent
For example, they give a veterinary college up
state hundreds of thousands Of dollars. They refuse
to give the oldest veterinary school in the United
States a dollar It is in New York City.
The Legislature is hopelessly partisan. The Re
gents are non-partsan. The Legislature is ig-
gent The Legislature is in Office year: The Re-
gents change gradually. They might well be given
the right originate state appropriation FOR
education. subject to the veto Of the Legislature
and the Governor. -
One thing however, do not ask to have i'm
proved-that is the present executive of the Re-
gents.
Chancellor MacCracken then introduced DR.. Dra-
per who said, In part:
Some radical readjustment is apparently neces-
sary in order maintain the intellectual and In
dustrial equilibrium of the nation. We attempt to
to the end that every boy and girl may have his
or her chance STILL we do not do some things we
undertake to do well other people do some
of the things they undertake to do In their
schools In truth. We have unique education sys-
tenn wholly unlike that of other people, though
not In all regards superior to all that is IN other
systems. wi, -
child that he can be President Of the United
States 1t Is not a mistake to tell him that ne Us
eligible. But do not explain the remoteness OF
the possibility and we err in describing the ROAD
Tor reaching distinction. We believe in this coun-
try in work more than in chance. It's work tnat
counts.
New York University has enrolled for It's summer
class five hundred and fifty pupils the major por-
ton of which teachers from all parts OF the
United States The runs six weeks