Suwannee Democrat. (Live Oak, Fla.) 1897-current, 1909-04-02

Florida are Just now beginning to real
ize what true scholarship means
Amongst them are q number Of most
promising young men who win rank
high IN their professions They are re-
ceiving as good a training as any but
the largest colleges IN the country can
offer, due, / frankly think, to the IN
eessant labor, the heart-breaking toll
Of one man whom count it a great
privilege to knOw-Dr. Andrew Sledd
I was associated with him for four
years, and have been able to compare
his work with that done IN other col
leges. He is a man Of rare abilities
and sterling character, a graduate Of
the best universities IN the country,
able to attract the best students as
well as the best cO-wOrkers, which is,
in my mind, the best and most impOr-
tant qualification Of a college presi-
dent, particularly in a State removed
from the intellectual centers of the
country and unable to offer the induce
ment of large salaries to its profess
sOrs.
The trustees of the fOrmeruniversity
of Florida, the Board of Control of the
present university of Florida, did sig
nal service to their State in calling DR..
Sledd to reform the old and build the
new into State university that was
worthy Of the name. If the people of
Florida want sham and degree and
large numbers, then the Daily Sun is
right and Dr.. Sledd has "signally
failed" if they want the best State
university possible under the existing
conditions, be has made a genuine and
substantial success.
What the State university needs is
to be literally supported by the State
and-tO be left alone. An educational
institution is ike any other plant: start
it properly, keep away the weeds, wa
ter it, but-dOn't keep pOking at it or
pulling it to make it grow. The beau
tiful effect Of q REAL college on the ed
ueatiOnal system Of the whole State
can hardly be Overestimated. Witness
the uplifting influence that Harvard,
for instance, has had on the public
schools Of New England, and dare say
that the best principals in the State of
Florida already feel the stimulating in
Auence Of the State university and are
in hearty agreement with its ideals;
but an Institution which calls itself a
university" and is doing grammar
and high school work, as the university
Of Florida did before DR.. Sledd took
charge Of it, is pernieiOus in its effect
on the whole educatedlife of the State.
Let the people Of Florida be patient;
universities are not built in a few
years, and to provide the buildings and
equipment does not yet mean having
made a college. We all should ike to
see the number Of students doubled or
trebled but this is impossible at pres
eht If the State university is to eOntin-
ne really doing college work. The
thoughtful who study the conditions in
the State know this, and DR.. Sledd has
provided the public with exact nfor-
nation on the question. They want
10 leave the high school boys in the
high schools, which need them for their
own healthy growth and development,
and DO not want State university to
compete with them; and at the same
time they want to provide those who
have done the high school work with
the higher education which it is the
proper function of the State university
to provide. Nothing could therefore be
more misplaced and detrimental to the
beat educational interests of the State
than % stir uD feelings of dissatistac-