Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-04-28
Founded Upon Right Principles.

The university will live, because 1t is
founded upon right principles Avoiding
on the one hand the dangers which might
arise to the republic from a university
wholly maintained by the national gov
eminent, and on the other the dangers
of a great university at the seat Of the
national government endowed wholly from
private means to propaga sectarfan. par
itisan or class ideas. the George Washing
ton University, protected in some measure
by the great name 1t bears, holds tue
safe middle ground. on which alone com
plete academic freedom at the seat of ma
tionaI power may be preserved. THROUGH
academic freedom it may and will be-
come a mighty instrument for UNFOLDING
the great fundamental principles of the
republic and in extending to the rest or
the world those wise and conservative
and universal principles Of government
or which this nation is based.
This great function it may perform, IL
wisey directed, not only without injury
10 the other universities of the country,
but TO their benefit. The work of the
unive -sity, at the seat of government,
should in a measure, supplement all
other educational efforts by opening this
rich fed of research to all students who
desire to come here and Go work under
academic direction. 1t must not ever
attempt to supp ant or weaken the ef-
forts work of other universities Its
work must always be constructive and
6eavor
We have been met by opposition. Let
us ! arm from it how 10 bufd properly.
so that opposition may be converted into
friendly cooperation. For the present.
the work must be simply that of caring
for the needs of the District. Whether
wiGer and greater responsibilities may DE
laid upon the university must be deter
mined by, or come as the result OF, the
pubic sentiment of the whole nation. The
time viii come when such public senti-
ment will exist, and when such response
bilities may be laid upon the university.
President Needham's Aim.
I rejoice TO have had a share in this
great work. l have stood at all times
for the maintenance of the institution as
q true university, for / have felt that
once this idea was lost. all was lost.
Those whom l have opposed, / have op,
posed from no personal motives but be
cause | fear that their ideas, If allowed
TO gain Roadway. might reduce the insti-
tuition TO the evel of a college, and thus
work a destruction of the institution a
university Mistakes of judgment. mis-
takes of fact. and errors may have been
made. undoubtedly have been made, but
j believe i have made no mistake in my
general pos ton, that the institution
shou be elevated and preserved as
true I'm VerSity under all circumstances.
The various boards of trustees with
whom / have been connected have stood
lloyally by this position We shall all be
Judged in the long run by the general re-
suits of our actions, and these acts will
ultimately be found to make for the gen.
eral good. The purpose of the donors of
that great fund which was destined to
make a university out of the old Column
bian College has been fulfilled. though to
accomplish their general purpose their
subsidiary purposes have been Temporal
lrily disrea grded. A great and necessary
3nstitutiCn has been preserved in the face
of obstacles otherwise inSurmounta BILE.
1.et Posterity judge whether We have done
right.
Hope in the Future.
The time has now arrived in the growth
of the nation when the people of the
whole country are beginning To appreciate
the Nationa. Capital and its institutions
We may confidently hope that in the near
future adequate support will be given for
the name of Washington, and having the
form of organization and the scope of in
fuence which he desired.
The work of placing the institution on
firm basis which will make ii the model
aEd pride of all as institution of higher
learning, must be undertaken and prose-
cuted with untiring energy. 1t has al
ready been begun and is well upon the way.
q I'd, the board of trustees and its sue
ceSsCrs will carry this work to a success
flu issue / confidently believe. My hopes
and efforts Will always be to aid in the
accomplishment OF this great purpose.
Respectfully submitted,
tSigned) CHAS. W. NEEDHAM.
April -, 1910.