New-York tribune., 1909-10-09
FOR FREE UNIVERSITY
IN NTHOUGHT AND TUITION
Dr. Schurman Says State Institutions
Are on Trial.

Boston. oct S.-President Schurman Of Cornell
Trriversity who Is president Of the National As
sociation OF state Universities addressed the as
rociation to-day on the topic, Some Problems OF
our Universities-State and Endowed" Among
the problems cited were those Of avoiding polit-
acal influence Of securing better teaching and fur
nishing free tuition students on the subject OF
political influence President Schurman said in
part
No one would pretend that the governing board
Ike the articles Of faith of religious denonina-
tion el mere are possibilities Of oppression or
overlooked. The people may elect. or the Cover
nor appoint regents COR trustees) not only who
heIonE 10 "a particular political party bur because
they belong 70 u They may be all Republicans
az Democrats or all OF some other political
stripe How VIII the idea Of a university fare in
the hands Of such political partisanso
a board Of political partisans might interfere
with The teaching Of some professor whose views
inenberS o RepubiicaB O'is5 bosTd t7 might resent
free trade reaching. and sympathetic eXpost-
fiOn a1d defence OF socialism might bring down
ap0U the head Of the professor the objureations Of
either Republican or Democratic regents This
IN which the members Of the board reflect the
views Snt3neIls an .1 and Prejudioes Of large ma
thons.L Iree9on OF investigation, freedom OF
feacilis freedom OF puhllcation-this Is the soul
OF 2 university. And dictation from the state is
tu-c Truth ust t udee iseIf SSfif II cannot 9I be be
eeteruliIed 10y counting noses one man with
free follow the dictates Of reason and the dem
dicesl which the mass of mankind regard as fun
insure linn that freedom it is to that extent not
university az all AS in The UNCONVENTIONAL uni
verstty the last word would be spoken not by the
intellect but by some power outside of it-bv a
i f te sople of ba lessature sfsfa OF oy major
I.5e other Institutions, the state university is
al Iir state VIII on the one hand tax themselves
- so[ = ana on ne other impose upon them
by application Of its own intellectual stand
ards. and the members thus chosen may be abso-
luttt -ee 70 investigate, TO teach and TO publish
NLete'eI AeA pelleFe 10 be the truth II our
people ao not already possess this conception Of
university tneT must be educated up 10 II. for
ifoa. T.-'' cannot flourish on any other eondi-
of -ae need Of better teaching the speaker said:
The individual universities Of this association
thoroughly drilled-drined as they We're in former
GAYS ny Jhose ineNorabe teachers OF mathe-
- ne atrocous intellectual soveniness. inaccu-
pupils In all American schools colleges and uni
EerSties As in so many other cases. reform must
begin from above. is for the universities 10 re-
scr the high schools and normal schools and
t1r01g2 t1em on the elementary schools. And it
IS in The freshman and sophomore years that the
university has the opportunity and the duty Of
reforming this high task and setting the shining
example
President Schurr7an advocated the establishment
of research professorshps and free tuition, say
irF
rs-iou ike the lowest should be accessible to all
=-Ne> OF me people without money ana without
I-lre. The laws governing the beQUest and
rsrrance Of property inevitably tend 10 create an
arISrocracv of wealth. II IS ali the inpera-
1--we. therefore. that We should hght every policy
and arrangement which tends 10 develop aris-
t.eracy Of intellect supported by and allied with
mat ariSIOcracy OF wealth. But every dollar
.larEed for higher education makes for the de-
-aiOpmeUr and consideration OF such alliance
free choice. IL is the necessity laid upon
rrern which has led the privately endowed univer-
-ries TO make charge for tuition apart alto
-other from laboratory and other fees) Of from
$40 $3.50 a wear These universities must have
fsnds 10 do Their work. and if gifts and legacies
Gro wanting there is no other source Of revenue
Ir-f receipts from students recognize the ueces-
FrF But g is none the less deplorahle and calami-
faItS for these high fees barriers which the
Il.f1 atoiw endowed universities against stu
daUtS who have little or mo means TO spend on edu-
W. -lon- The progress Of our nation depends upon
rrC educated brains Of individuals. We dis
over our most richly gifted youth and give them
fI tn. training our universities offer. To this
end ne should make their access 10 the universities
as easy possible