The sun., 1909-06-21
ITS LOST CARNEGIE FUND
CONTROVERSY OVER GEORGE
WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY.
Protest Against the withdrawal Of the
Carnegie Formulation Endowment
without Giving the lnl, ersiiy Notice
or un Opportunity 10 He Heard.

or an Opportunity 10 He Heard
WASHING ron. June 2O.--Dr. Charles W
Needham, president OF George Washing
ton University. made public tonight GER
tain statements in regard to the contro-
versy that arose over the management
of the university, which led to the with
drarai by President Henry S. Pritchett
of the Carnegie Foundation for the Ad-
vancement of Teaching Of the endowment
George Washington University has here
tofore enjoyed. One of the exhibits is a
letter from President Needham TO DR..
Pritchett on June II. in response to the
notification that the endowment had been
withdrawn. This letter ia as follows.
DEAR SIR: Your letter OF June was
received while we were in the midst of
commencement week and for that reason
the answer has been delayed. lmme-
diate!y upon the receipt Of your commune
cation # was presented to a special meet
ing OF the board Of trustees.
IL 10 a matter OF sincere regret on the part
OF every one who has read the letter that
your organization, with its high aims for
the advancement Of all true efforts In edu-
cational work. should have taken this ac-
ton without any notice to the university
and without giving 1t any opportunity to
be heard upon the real and apparent reason
for your action as shown by your letter.
That An institution OF learning with fifteen
hundred students should be struck such a
blow without warning or opportunity to
correct any defects in Its administration
that might be shown is difficult to compre-
hend and. as expressed by others than
myself, almost impossible to believe.
Your agent arrived here on Wednesday
morning the I'd inst. and was shown every
courtesy that could be accorded to him.
Our deans. who have the immediate charge
of the educational work, although In the
midst OF examinations gave up their time
and showed him every consideration. At
the end OF the examination he came to my
ONCE and expressed In the most hearty
and gsntlemanly way his appreciation Of
the attention that had been shown him by
the secretary OF the university and by the
deans. / asked him to make any criticism
that he desired to make to me and assured
him that we should be glad to correct any
defects in our system that could be cor
rected. He made few remarks regard
ing some OF the work. part Of them COM
pltmentary and part in friendly criticism.
but there was no intimation that it was
contemplated or that the investigation was
with view to terminating the relation
between the foundation and this university.
Since the action has been taken 1t has
been stated by DR.. Sterrett that the agent
spent two hours with him and part Of the
time with DR.. Gore regarding the matter
of their retir ement What they said, OF
course I do not know. Had there been a
fair Investigation of that question with a
view TO your taking action regarding 1t
] respectfully submit that the other side
OF the question should have been heard.
To assume that there Is but one side to
an issue s not only unfair but tends to
create the impression that IL is desired to
hear only one side.
Since coming here in 1902 I have had
but one aim. md that is to gradually make
the institution a true university. serving
this community in all possible linee OF
higher education--a community that has
pressing needs for such advantages.
From my acquain ance with you ! can
but believe that upon mature reflection
you will see the injustice that has been
,ione aud will accord e hearing 10 the uni
versity. With very great respect. ! am.
sincerely yours. CHARLES W. NEEDHAM.
DR.. Needham reviewed at length the
Developments OF the work OF George
Washington University since he took
control in 1902. He says that prior to
that time the day college had less than
hundred students. with faculty Of eleven
professors and teachers and a small
scientific school doing undergraduate
work in the evening. The members of
the faculty were receiving from 81 900
to 81, 500 a year and rs Der cent. Of the fees
paid by students into the evening school.
The professional schools were conducted
by men who were actively employed
outside This whole system was changed
and professors were employed who could
give their entire time TO the institution,
Much OF the work was required to be
done in the day and improved methods.
such as are employed in the higher uni
versities. were introduced. such, for ex-
ample. as the case system Of teaching
(. law, as prevails in Harvard. The require
ments for entrance were also advanced
to conform with those OF the Eastern
colleges. Degrees were awarded on the
basis of the number OF hours actually
+, given In the classrooms. The effeet OF
T these changes has been favorable. accord
( ing to President Needham. who points
f, out as an illustration the fact that the
standing Of the law school in the Associa-
: ton OF American Law Schools has been
raised until now the graduates are enabled
! to pass successfully the bar examinations
!. in all the States. DR.. Needham says that
: in all these changes there was but one
object in view. namely to improve the
. educational standards and methods. bring
ing them as near as our resources would
permit to the standards and methods
prevailing in the best institutions
+, He adds that things have not been per-
iCCtcd DCCdubC vi tuCh Vi iutltlS, blt tHdt
great improvement has been made. and
says: 1T will be a matter OF profound re-
gret to have these new developments
abandoned He says that Washington
needs professional schools OF the highest
type and should have them. He points
out that by segregation of the engineering
and architecture from the liberal arts
college body OF over 200 students has
been added to the university, thus in
creasing the income from fees and making
but comparatively small increases in
expenses. He points out that the cause
for this segregation Of scientific work
was TO afford TO the young men OF Wash
ington an opportunity for entering high
grade skilled employment in the States,
which they could not do in competition
with the product Of the great State uni
versities and privately endowed nstitu-
tions that tare training thousands OF young
men in these lines.
President Needham says that the Col
lege, Of Political Sciences has received
special contributions the last year and
that its work has been greatly improved
The entrance requirement il two wears
Of college work. The library has grown
from 5000 volumes in 1902 to 40 900 vol
umes Reviewing the improvements
that have been made DR., Needham SAYS:
These advances in standards OF admis.io n
and work, together with the change TO a
ron-scctHrian basis. admitted tho rnivnr-
sity TO the benefit OF the Carnegie Founda.
zion for the Advancement of 'Tea.hiny q,