New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-12-12
BUFFERS ANNUAL REPORT
President of Columbia Empha.
sizes Value of Administration.
NEED OF LOYAL TEACHERS
Says He Who Offends Against
Morality Has Destroyed
Academic Usefulness.

| The ONCE and value of administration In
a modern university" saws President But
Ter. in his annual report on Columbia. care
not yet clearly understood. But they are
vitality important II the wisest use IL to DC
made of limited resources. IL waste and
confusion are to he prevented. and if the
conditions surrounding teaching and inves-
| tigation are to be such as TO make easily
possible the prosecution of successful intel
lectual cndeavOr.'
| The year has brought TO the university
| benefactions quite without precedent both
| in number and amount. says the president.
| The first one noted is that of John Stewart
Kennedy. whose bequest will amount TO not
| less than 81 100. COO including the amount al
ready given for the erection of Hamilton
Hall. Among other generous requests is
that of George Crocker providing for the
sale of property in this city and New Jer-
sey. valued at about 81 500, 900. to be used
as the foundation of a fund directed mainly
toward the study and prevention of cancer.
In all. ,97e 80 was received by the uni
versity In gifts during the year. exceeding
the amount so received in any previous year
sir 1901 by nearly 100000.
! The report goes on to show that the mem
beers of the teaching staff have increased
are five new full professors The total in
CT ease in the whole force of the university,
including administrative and emeritus Off
GERS, has been sixty-three- The net gain
in the number of students in all depart
ments of the university was rs, the sum-
mer school holding the record increase. with
43e new students During the academic
year t9n9-'10 there were conferred $50 de
grees and "a diplomas. with 6fo2 students
in residence.
Considerable space N the report is de-
voted to discussion Of the combined aca-
dernic and professional school course, first
instituted at Columbia in 1891, with view
to opening its privileges to students who
have come in from other colleges before
receiving their academic degrees The
trustees have authorized the president to
enter into negotiations with certain Ameri-
can universities for the purpose of extend
ing. If possible the advantages Of the COM
bined course
Turning to the teaching force of uniyeT-
sity development. president Butler declares
that the increase in salaries during the last
few wears has done inestimabe good. one
main difficulty with which higher lnstltu-
lions of learning have to struggle to-day
in his belief Is militant mediocr1ty- mere
is room in a great university, Pres'deh'
Butler points out. for scholars OF every COLI
ceivabIe type. Freedom of spirit IS the eS-
sence of q 1Iniversity's life. Whatever else
is done or left undone, that freedom must
be made secure
@sEut freedom the president conJlnue"r
.imposes responsibility, and there are dis
tinct limitations which ought to be SELF
imposed upon that academic freedom whlcn
has prod,,ced such noble results A teacher
or investigator who offends against COM
mon morality has destroyed his academic
usefulness. whatsoever may be his intel
IectuaI attai1ments. A teacher VINO oi-
tends against the plain dictates OF coih-
mon sense is in like situation.
"a teacher who cannot give TO the lnsu-
tuition which maintains him common loyalty
and that kind of service which loyalty m
plies ought not to be retained 'AIou7"
fear of cldn1or of criticism Men VINO
feel that their personal convictions require
them TO treat the mature opinion OF the
civilized world without respect OF WIFI
contempt may well be given an oppor-
tunity to do so from private station ana
without the added influence and pTestiSe
of university's name.
1T Is the responsibility of the trustees
to give 10 academic freedom that coilSIdhI
and complete protection which II must
have If the true university spirit Is 10 De
fostered and preserved. This must be done
without either fear or favor, whatever the
consequences may be-
The report further recommends certain
improvements in the work in applied
science more particularly in the med1-
cal school, which President Butter hopes
may in the near future be ailed 70 0de
of the big hospitals in the city. Tie ad-
vOcates the institution of a course IN asr1-
culture and also the division OF the stu
dents into pass and honor men, some
what on the lines that prevail at Oxford
After taking up the subjects of extension
IL aching relations with the University or .
Paris and the growth of the university
as a whole the report closes with six
page list of the needs of the university
that are vet 10 be filed, among them the
completion of University Hall. the building
of a university stadium and third d0rTni-
tory OIL the order of Livingston and Hart
IpV