New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-06-18
FOUND AND TEDEPEN-
DEACE.

Dispatche from Providence represent
members Of the special committee Of the
Brown University Corpora ton as being
convinced after investigation that the
Carnegie Foundation lis gradually re-
'fstricting instead Of increasing the indie
''pendence Of those colleges to which it
gives aid" Since among the members
Of the committee are such men as Presi-
dent Fauhce. Governor Hughes and
Everett Colby. that statement possesses
considerable interest, but whatever au-
thority there may be for il, such an
opinion is not expressed in the commit
tees report The report itself suggests,
perhaps, that the committee entertained
the view attributed to it, for it recon-
mends that the specific sectarian re-
quirements in the charter of Brown be
changed, but that q fund be raised to
enable the corporation to pension its
own faculty on the same scale on which
college teachers are pensioned "by any
other organization; that is to say, that
Brown make the changes in its charter
which would render its professors eligi-
bic to receive Carnegie pensions but still
depend upon its own supporters for the
pensioning Of its staff That recon-
mendation indicates a strong desire to
keep the institution Independent of the
Foundation, but it by no means neces-
sarily follows that the reason animating
the committee is the one ascribed in the
dispatches.
The committee puts its recommenda-
ton that an independent pension fund
be created on the ground that only thus
can the university have its purpose in
altering its charter not misunderstood.
The public, it says, 'has been inclined
ito assume-perhaps naturally-that
every college now making any material
change in its constitution does so from
"sordid motives" To. make it perfectly
clear that moral rather than a ffnan-
cial object is in view, the committee
recommends an independent fund. Only
one passage in the report might be con-
strued as limiting at views like those
ascribed TO members Of the committee in
the dispatches:
College faculties have begun TO fear
certain kinds of assistance which for
merly they sought. Even while this re-
port Is being prepared new factors are
entering into the problem. New founda-
tons are being created, new voices are
raised in admonition.
That passage seems to reflect some Of
the doubts which appeared in public dis
cuSSion over the proposed Rockefeller
Foundation and to suggest the wisdom
Of preserving the independence of col
hn 1r7H7 e
The recommendation of the committee
is so strikingly at variance with the
course that other colleges have gener-
ally been following, and its members
are men Of such standing and in1por-
lance, that the report will provoke a
great deal of discussion The work of
the Carnegie Foundation has been so
widely approved as unmistaka bly, whole
some in its tendencies that it would be
interesting TO know in what respect the
committee-f its opinion is correctly
erpreted-regards it as restricting the
essential independence of American col
Ieges and universities No doubt the fen
dency of the Carnegie Foun1a ton is tow
ard standardization, but only in limited
degree, and the standards il has sought
to impose are seriously felt only by the
weaker and smaller institutions. Never
theless, when a committee Of the intel |
leetual breadth Of this Brown committee
takes long look ahead. including In its
view the fact that new foundations are
being created greater than any existing |
foundation perhaps, and with greater |
power TO carry forward the process of !
1T may well consider |
the possible outcome of the tendency
and its Influence upon the independence
Of colleges.