Gainesville daily sun. (Gainesville, Fla.) 190?-1938, 1909-03-23
PRESIDENCY OF UNIVERSITY.

appeared I'm The Pensacola News an
editorial entitled a Heart 90 Heart
Talk with the Board Of Control
Again on March 10th appeared anoth.
or editorial by The editor of The Pen.
sacola News entitled An Error EX-
planned" Both Of these editorials
dealt with the question Of the soloc-
ton by the Board OF Control of
president Of the University for ne,t
year. The Daily Sun has reproduced
the latter editorial, and also on the
/ l4th reproduced I'm its columns an
editorial from The Live Oak Demo
craft and you have expressed IL as
your opinion that while the present
president lis a fine gentleman and
is universally esteemed for his noble
traits Of character" yet "he has sig
nally failed to make of the Univer-
sity what was and is expected OF IL"
You then add in your editorial: Pos
sibly the people expect too much. but
they are at least entitled to better re-
suits than have so far been obtained"
am a member of the Board Of
Control, and II may be doubted
whether, under the circumstances, IL
is proper for me to have anything to
say publicly i'm connection with this
matter. do not propose to discuss
individuals and would not write this
letter at all but for the fact that
fear injury might be done to the Uni
versity by the expression I'm your edi-
tOrial that the people are entitled TO
better results than have been obtain
eO. Il has seemed 20 me proper
therefore. 20 call TO your attention
some facts i'm connection with the
University which, i'm my judgment.
demonstrate that the University has
been i'm no sense of the word a fail
ure but that, on the contrary. IL has
been OF incalculable benefit TO the
educational interests of this State
In a matter OF as much importance
as this, individuals count for nothing
AS citizens, all OF US ought to sub
scribe 10 the sentiment expressed by
The Live Oak Democrat referred 10
In these words, THE interests Of the
University are. OF course. paramount"
and those of us who have the re-
spOnsibility Of selecting a president
for the University for next year ought
20 apply that sentiment as the SUI
preme test in making the selection.
My opinion is you are correct In the
statement that possibly the people ex-
pect too much
The University is nearly four years
old. Everybody knows that bitterness
existed for a time because the old
institutions were abolished. You
know that all was not plain sailing
when the location was changed. !
doubt II but few people know the
difficulties under which the institu-
tiOn was conducted for the first year.
Necessarily, buildings had to be
erected at the new location, and the
funds az hand were insufficient TO
meet the necessary demands upon
the Board OF Control We have new
er yet had available sufficient money
TO do the things needed at the Uni
versity. but In spite OF all this | make
the following statements with perfect
confidence that they cannot be- sue
cessfully assailed.
The University compares iayOrably
as an institution OF higher learning
with the other State Universities Of the
South: Il provides twice as much work
as was actually provided In any OF
the State institutions five years ago.
The work being done az the Expert
ment station Is of more benefit 90 the
people now than IL has ever been and
more interest Is being taken by the
farmers uf the State than has ever
been thc case before.
The character Of the work being
done cannot be- assaulted. ! know what
YOU mean. Mr. Editor when you say
| that the University has not achieved
|ths success it should have. sou rr-
| fer On tn small attnudluc. And ]
regret a- much as auyuu" 'at ihr
/ impression -.aus to prevail that
/ ru.L.r- f. fNr t,-t u. OH. .urD. ".