The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-09-18
MASON AT K. U.
Supreme Court Justice Delivers
the Opening Address. y
Takes Opportunity to Score
Privately Endowed Schools.
SYSTEM is WRONG.
SYSTEM
University Worth All 1t Costs
as an Educational Guarantee.
Institution Requires Neither
Defense nor Investigation.

Lawrence, Kan, Sept. 1S.-"Tf the
state university yielded the common
| wealth no other return for its invest
ment, it would be worth all that it
costs merely as guaranty of the
| maintenance of an establishment of
higher education beyond the control
of private interests. If any other are
controlled by private interests, 1t in
sures that they shall operate in com
petition with a rival having none but
private ends to serve-that a college
open to all shall be sufficiently sup
ported without the risk of its instruc-
tors becoming pensioners of successful
business mems interests in fostering
certain theories of government. An
endowment may be the means of pro-
pagating an idea of furthering a par
t1cular school of economics
Such was the rather startling at
tack made upon Rockefeller endowed
schools as opposed to the state uni
versitieS, made by Judge Henry F.
Mason of the supreme court, in his
opening address at the university. A
large crowd filed the Robinson gym
nasium for the opening address,
large number of town people being
present.
After the regular notices and we'll
received musical number by Mrs.
ed his address on 1.-THE University and
the State" a scholarly inquiry in re-
lat1ons of a school like K. U. and the
people who support it. Judge Ma
sons address was vigorous through
out and f1ttingly impressed upon the
minds of the new students a sense of
the obligation they were mourning in
their college education.
Education Is Public Duty.
''The, maintenance by the state of
Fr-AA fraeR f%I,k to- -
ton is so familiar, at least to us here
in Kansas, that 1t seems the natural
thing, requiring neither investigation
nor defense, like co-education or pro-
hibition. Yet we must not forget that
many who cordially recognize the
common schools, and even free high
schools, gravely question the wisdom
of and justice of loading upon the
taxpayer the further burden of pro-
viding free colleges.
The argument is that only few get
the direct benefit and that they ought
to pay for 1t themselves; that their
instruction is privileged, not popular;
public function, which the state can
not assume without undue paternal-
ism. We must admit that the revenue
derived from taxation should never
purpose; that the attendance at a
state university is not large enough
and in the nature of things can not
be large enough, SO that the students |
can constitute the public.
It follows that to justify the sup
port of a university by taxation some |
motive must be found outside of the |
benefit derived by those attending it
a selfish motive from the standpoint |
of the state"
Judge Mason then enumerated some |
If the direct returns the state received |
from its University, in inventions and |
new scientific processes.
University Benefits the State.
'"The maintainence of a university
'ubserves one of the purposes Of gov
equalization of life's op- |
1ortunities Again the part played by
he American college in the shaping of
public policies is hardly to be overesti-
rated The direct and indirect inf1u-
nee Of our colleges is comparable with
hat of the press. They who have taken
college courses are predes tined to exert |
place vastly out of proportion to their
;un1bers, because they possess traits of
But the largest return the public
sets from the support of its university,
les in the character of the men and
Homen graduated from it. The state
hrewd lawyers. skillful surgeons, re-
ourceful engineers wide awake news
,aper men. efficient educators. But it
las vastly greater interest in the pro-
lucllOu Ol SOOQ C4llZ6uS. 30 lar II 1d1lS
n its most important function.
81 do not assert that if General Fun
ton had never attended K. u. Aguin-
lido would still be roaming at large in
he winds of the Philippines. Yet 1
m sure the general would not be
, holly the same were it not for the
raining ne received here. Certainly
William Allen Whites message to hui
nanity would be less forcibly deliver
d but for the years he spent within
hese precincts.
Former students of the university
xert a great force in the life of the
tate. Their number is large and year
Y increases. They are found in every
tho commonwealth. They have
representatives in every calling. But
he loyalty to the university which
hould always be encouraged is that
which finds expression in rendering an
quivalent for value received. He serves
us school the best who serves his state
he best"
BURIED UNDER A TOMBSTONE.
Unfortunate Plight of James Richie
Who Stole Ride.