Evening star., 1909-05-17
President Needham Discusses
Affairs of G. w. u.
MEDICAL SCHOOL POLICIES
Questions of Administration Remain
to Be Decided by Trustees.
NEED FOR FINANCIAL HELP
University Student Body Now Pay
ing About 62 Per Cent OF the Cost
Of Educational Expenses.

MY policy in regard to the Medical
School, and to the whole of George
Washington University. for that matter,
is to conduct an institution of the high
est grade in the District of Columbia
and for the District of Columbia.
This is a statement made by DR..
Charles W. Needham, president OF
George Washington University, this
morning, in answer to a question. There
may be opposition to some of the de-
tails of the presidents plans, and it is
possible that there will be changes an
nounced on or about the 18th of June.
but as to that Dr. Needham is silent,
except to say:
There are questions of administra-
tion and matters that have been dis
cussed and decided, and others which
will be decided by the trustees, which
| must decline to make public
Dr. Needham was anxious to clear up
several statements which have appear
ed since the first tempestuous neWspa-
per article regarding internal strife IN
the university. In the first place ne
said that the whole discussion surrounded
the question of whether or not Dean Phil
lips of the Medical School would be re-
appointed but that the fact that this par
ticular dean had received notice that his
term of service would expire June Is did
not bear very much weight as the term
of every dean expires on that date and
all of them received a similar notice
Some Prospective Changes.
Some of the positions will be filled by
reappointment and others will be filled by
new men. The matter has been thrashed
out by the trustees. and as for the dean
Of the medical school there have been
three names considered-Dean Phillips.
DIR. William c. Borden and one other. 1t
has been predicted that DR.. William G.
Borden will be chosen by the trustees II
he has not already been selected
Speaking of the medical school, DR..
Needham harked back to the time when
the school was almost entirely discon-
nected from the rest of the institution
His present policy started when he took
hold of the work. He said this morning:
'.The old medical school was controlled
by an executive committee of its faculty,
consistinf of seven members. They were
in reality proprietors OF the school. Ihey
took in all the money, paid the expenses
Of the school and took charge of the
balance. They paid the university moth
ing and the univ ersity paid them nothing.
The school was night school, almost en-
tifely, and it's faculty was composed of
practicing doctors. There was not sim
gle professional teacher or professor
among them. The whole business was
nothing more or less than commercial
education.
Platter this executive committee Of the
medical school faculty wanted to buy
some land and erect new buildings. They
came to the university and after con-
The university should build the new hospi-
tai and medical school, and the cid medi-
cal faculty should pay the interest on the
money involved. The university had the
title to the grounds and buildings. To
get control of the medical school. the uni
versity later assumed the interest and
changed the entire faculty arrangement
OF the school. so that there was no longer
any splitting up of the surplus fees, and
the faculty members were put upon a
salary basis.
Present Medical School.
From then on we built up a real medi-
csi school. All the necessary Laboratories,
clinics, libraries and other things neces-
sary in q school of the most effective
character have been added. We still have
practicing doctors as instructors. as in all
schools, but we also have professional
teAchers-men who have no other vOca-
tien-who give their entire time to the
medical school.
Now as to the hospital. 1t is neces-
sary part of the course of the medical
school, and is not a charitable institution
or anything of the sort. We have pay
rooms and rent them to patients who can
afford them; but on the whole the hospi-
tai is vitality important to the medical
school, and the cost of it's running we
charge to the cost of education. The total
receipts of the hospital for 1907-19OS was
$42.S9S, and the expenditures were $53,-
673. 81. The deficit for the hospital was
SO.T5.62, but the combined deficit of the
medical school. the hospital and the den-
tai school was about $4,000. This year
il will be reduced to $4,000"
General Cost of Management.
Speaking of other features of university
management, DR.. Needham said:
Under the old system the fees of the
students paid for about IS per cent OF
the cost of education. Other universities
paid for about % or 35 per cent of the
cost with the students fees. Just now
we pay for 62 per cent of the educationa
expenses with the money which the stu
dents pay. Other universities Of the
same size pay about 30 per cent; but this
Is a showing which i am not particu-
larly proud Of because we need so much
help and could do SO much with the
if George Washington University canno,
be conducted as a university on high
standards for the sons and daughters OF
the people of Washington then there Is
no chance for many of these young mer
and women to receive such a university
education. We have realized that there
are about 10000 people here dependen,
on small salaries, yet people of the higher
grade and we'll educated people, who can.
not afford to spend the money ii costs
TO send son away to college and ye,
who can send them to a college or a uni
rersity in their home town.