The Washington herald., 1909-06-13


Once more the George Washington Uni
versity is the target OF deadly IRE from
an ambushed enemy. sim shaking from
the throes OF internal dissension and fac.
tional strife. it has sustained blow from
another source. which seeks, apparently
to undermine its reputation and throw il
upon the financial rocks.
President Henry s. Pritchett. Of the
Carnegie Foundation for the Advance
ment Of Teaching. yesterday made public
the letter which he addressed 10 President
Charles W. Needham. OF the university
on June 4 It is a scorching arraignmen;
OF the present administration. It causes
loyal sons OF the institution 70 boil with
Indignation. II is. they say. cruelty un-
just
Charges Are Arranged.
The radical charges arrange themselves
under three heads. as follows:
That the productive endowment OF
the university Is only Sl23.500. or under
the $200000 minimum required BY the
rules Of the Carnegie Foundation.
That the forcible retirement OF two
professors IS mot only an abuse OF
the retiring allowance system, but Is
entirely contrary 10 the spirit IN
which the foundation was conceived.
and is a blow at academic dignity and
academic freedom"
That administration is lax IN the
college Of political sciences. the divi-
sion OF education. and the medical
school entrance requirements. and
evasion Of al standards OF admission
is frequent.
With this bombshen thrown into its
ranks. the university Is. for the present.
without an Official head isr an omc.ai
spokesman. President Needhana is h
New York, although net for consultation
with the authorities Of the Carnegie
foundation fund. it Is said.
In the lighting mood George Washing
ton win meet these new charges and
strike back forcefuIly. The trustees are
as solidly arrayed behind President Need
hem as ever, according TO one OF their
number last night. and will not submit
meekly TO this cloud cast upon the insti-
tutioa.
Regarding the Rules.
The university has been cut of from
further participation IN the Carnegie
Foundations pension system owing to the
institutions failure 10 keep up 10 the re-
lurements Of the Foundations rules.
The formal notification was sent out on
June l. When the news was made public
some criticism was aroused. and the at
tentioE which the discussion attracted has
been such that DR.. Pritchett decided n
make public his letter to President Need
ham as containing a full explanation OF
he Carnegie Foundations action.
It seems that George Washington Uni
versity reported to the Foundation a pro-
1uctive endowment on August q 1917 ~
'zl9, SS2-S6. The rules Of the Foundatio1
require that TO be entitled to the nrIvt-
.eges OF the retiring allowance system se
institution must have a productive an
aoWment OF not less than 5000 600 The
reason for this minimum. II is exn1afne5
Is mat experience has proved that no
college can maintain fair eduea+fonsI
standards without adequate endowment ''
A nnancial statement made recentIv n
the Foundation by the university re-
ported productive endowment on Octo-
Der j. 1903, of only $123.500. In the mean
time the university had precipitated two
professors into retirement. Aside from
the falling of in the productive endow-
ment. this action by the university has
greatly displeased the Carnegie Founda-
ton governors. and Is held TO be in con-
ravention Of the whole aim and scheme
Of the Foundation for the advancement OF
teaching
DR.. Pritchett refers to It in his letter
as 'an extraordinary action" and in
forms President Needham that the Foun-
aation's executive committee feels com
PEELED to protest against the institution
'forcibly retiring two professors. both
of whom are In the prime Of the active
on the ground that the instltu-
ton needs 20 save money by the en-
ployment of cheaper men,
Such an action, DR.. Pritchett writes.
s not only an abuse Of the privileges
of the retiring allowance system. but en-
-irely contrary to the spirit IN which this
Foundation was conceived, and IS a blow
At academic dignity and academic free
DOM
DR.. Pritchett, on behalf Of the executive
committee, then calls President Need
hams attention to this extract from the
rules OF the Carnegie Foundation govern
ng The admission Of institutions
The trustees Of the Carnegie Founda-
hon for the advancement Of teaching re-
serve the right TO discontinue the privi-
ege Of participation in the system os
retiring allowances Of the Foundation
whenever, in the judgment Of the trus-
tees, an institution ceases to conform to
The regulations maintained by the trus-
tees Such withdrawal shall not. how
ever, result in the discontinuance Of re-
firing allowances already granted"
Safe in Their Pensions.
George Washington Universlty's two
Iorcihly retired professors are at least
safe IN their pensions.
The rules and the ruling on this matter
are far from all that DR.. Pritoh-
TT conveys on behalf OF the executive
Continued on Page 2, Column 3.