Omaha daily bee., 1910-03-13
College Advertising.

The recent report of DR.. Henry S.
Prltchett as president Of the Carnegie
Foundation, on which we have already
commented once or twice, deals with
so many live topics Of education that
we feel justified in referring ono mor
to what it has to say on the subject Of
college advertising with which we do
not hesitate to take issue. Quoting
from DR.. Pritchett's Introductory para
graph:
One OF the factors Of American college
and university management OF rapid growth
in recent years is the practice Of systematic
advertising. Under this term are not in
cluded the customary newspaper notices Of
examinations, dates OF, beginnings of terms
and similar Information printed for the
convenience Of the public, but those pub
LEGATIONS whose distinctive object Is TO
catch the eye OF the possible student and
in the end to attract him to a particular
institution. Such advertising matter ap-
pears under several forms, but usually as
circulars and pamphlets printed and dis
tributed by the college, or paid advertise
ments in papers and magazines. All of
these agencies, as used by the better col
leges, nave at bottom a good purpose and
no doubt a certain amount Of good comes
from them. The practice has, however,
assumed in recent years proportions which
no one could have anticipated.
Continuing. DR.. Pritchett seems to
lament the sums which the stronger in
situations spend upon paid advertising
and to compliment the state ~universi-
ties because their advertising methods
have been in the main indirect" He
goes on to explain that the high school
inspector, for example, lis sometimes
more of an advertising agent than
an impartial Inspector" particularly
where the state has separate university
and agricultural college with rival in
spectors in the field. In the present
crowded condition OF most state uni
versities some degree of wonder is ex-
pressed that they should be advertising
for more students, and the very
thought is horrifying that would "im-
agine Ballot or Pembroke or the uni
verslties of Berlin or Paris sending out
the sort Of advertising literature which
Harvard and Chicago distribute" DR..
Pritchett proceeds to hold up to special
scorn the catchy advertising matter
which some colleges and universities
are circulating and to object most
strenuously Il the exaggeration and
half-truths by which lin a competition
by advertising the weakest college car
outshine the strongest university" All
this is to lead him to his concluding ad-
vice, that no youth seeking a college
education and no man looking toward
the profession Of law or of medicine
ought to allow himself to be influenced
in any measure by paid advertise
ments.'
But DR.. P%ritchett's further discus
sion Of college advertising carries the
REPUTATION of his w position. Like
some of the professional codes which
forbid a doctor or a lawyer from pla-
carding their successful cases, DR.. Prit-
chett's objection is not to college ad-
vertislng, but to paid college adver-
Using. In his view it is perfectly
roper, for example, for colleges and
universities to issue their own publica-
lions describing their work and ex-
plotting their strong points. It is per
fectly proper for them TO send their
presidents or faculty members or rep
re~sentatives employed for that special
purpose out through the country as ed
ucational drummers. 1t is perfectly