The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-10-31
MONDAY. OCTOBER Il. 1910.

Aresa o. March .. 1872
MONDAY. OCTOBER 81. 1910
szzss
TEAnIsG THE Gifr-IaAaE.ss.
The educational movement in sir-' |
ginia is gaining strength day by day.3I
ii is beautiful thing 10 see, this ire re- |
,nendous popular enthusiasm for tho
mighty nplfft OF all the people OF
Commonwealth. Discordant notes IN
this chorus of prosperity are few, but
tiiose that are heard are conspicuous
by their rarity. Narrowness and pre-
judice are lot yet weeded out. but the |
yestiges OF these evil things are few.
Harshiy 9iscordant falls, therefore herr e
the narrow utterance Of a contsmpor-s
airy In virginia recently disappearing.
the making OF gifts to our educational
institutions by men OF great wealth.
This. disapproval - based on tnei
feeling tiliit the acceptance OF
such gifts would obligate the institu-i
ton to adopt the ethical and business
standards Of the giver. This contem-i
porary fears for the reputation ana
character of the institutions accepting
gifts 80 made. 4
1T is a sorry, sorry plea. There cal,
he no reasonable basis for such POSI-
ton. There can be no reason behind
such an attitude There may have
been institutions-wc confess that
we are ignorant of them--which
nave accepted the ethical and
business standards OF the givers
of great gifts. to- them. On the
pthcr hand. of the legion of colleges
and universities which have availed
themselves OF tho philanthropy OF
wealthy men. experience shows that
they have-isept the even tenor OF their
way, walking their old accustomed
path or righteousness and right teach
,ng. There are many Institutions which
gratefully remember liberal hbenefac-
Tors. but none OF these has haN Its ethi-
sal standards shaped to Mt those Of
ITS patrons. Harvard and Yale have
received millions in endowment from
rich men. nut they have not thereby
seen irltineneeds +Pierpont Morgan has
p5iyon fortunes to Yale and Harvard,
Rockefeller has done likewise for the
t'niversity OF Chicago. Mrs Leland
stanford has shewered gold upon tile
uniYers,rx witch Sbear.s the, name Of
her SON. the Dukes have endowed
Trinity. I he Nanderptlts have given
freely to the institution which bears
their ma me vet wi Ii any Intelligent man
say that these Institutions have adopt
ed the ethical standards OF their bene-
factors, itl-s case the standards OF the
beneractors In any instance happened
to be, wrong2 s.,4s
Using the same logic of our contenl-
porary, the giving BY Pterpont Nor
gan Of s1oO,ooo the, at her, day. 20 the
q Epiaccopal Church would affect the
eth4ps of3 That church, its Reputation. its
CHA rifc Ter. its business relations. How
absurd q contentious!
81 The University OF Virginia and tho!
other institutions OF this Commons
wealth have right to accept funds
ssfor. their proper purposes from any
person from whom they see fit, to- ac-5
cept such gifts The authorities Of
these institutions are Justly jealous of
the traditions and the standards o (
right. truth ana honor viii h3 flourish
within their walls, They viii not sell
the birthright OF great educational
Institution Tor a mess OF pottage. or.
Tor aught else under the sun. sF
II men and women of standing dcsiro
to give OF their substance to educa-
tional institutions, whS should they
d not do 50? Is there q better cause?
Our colleges and universities are not
rich. They need money. IN most
of them. the professors and In
structors and assistnnts should
have more compensation. Scholarship
ought to be pursued under comfortable
n not penurious circumstances. Our il,-
st,tutions need new buildings, more
scientific apparatus, more books. more
+ conyeniencesf and comforts for the stu.
dents
was but 4 little while ago that
President Blackwell, Of Randolph Ma
1 con College, explained In this paper
that the o!ieges IN Virginia are dong
All All they +. I, the money they
2 aye-rsfar too little money tits gener-
d ny = an1tt Went on to say that
4 l'l salarlca are 70 lie raised,
w. Ina so rd sissal universities
fssto be put era more cauitab.e foot.
Ing mall atiolis they .inust be aidca
sss bys lltii q wealth WHO Gun give 10 and
4 endo ny q 4iese stttutsons He 10 right
The iylsti tutipns Virginia might
I receive c,stx mi itonr by way Of. endowment,
y but no sane person supp oses for mos
i ment that m such sascontingcncy. they
would adopt consciously or uhcon-
sciopsls tho. 'nlproper ethical standard
8sof any oIiof or dpRors.. .te here colleges
I and nnivsrsities in other parts OF the