Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-27
EDUCATION IN TEXAS
How the City Of Dallas Secured
a University.
SYSTEM AMONG THE BEST
University Of Texas at Head Of the
Public Schools.
BACKED BY PUBLIC SPIRIT
When Money Was Needed It Was
Promptly Forthcoming-Growth
Has Been Rapid.
SYSTEM AMONG THE BEST
BACKED BY PUBLIC SPIRIT

BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence of The Star and the
Chicago Record Herald.
DALLAS. Tex, March %. 1911.
]. r. Babcock, secretary of the Dallas
Chamber of Commerce, told me an inter-
esting story today about the higher educa-
tional institutions OF Texas and the sue
cessful efforts he has been making to es-
tablish in this city q well endowed univer
sity under the auspices Of the Methodist
Episcopal Church. Mr.. Babcock Is from
Utica. N. Y, his family are neighbors of
Vice President Sherman, he is an alum
nus of Hamilton College. and came to
Texas for his health, which was q good
thing for him and good thing for Texas.
He has been secretary of the chamber
of commerce for only a year, but during
tina brief time has done great things for
Dallas. and has planned much more.
1.-THE public educational system of Texas
ranks with the best in the United States"
said Mr.. Babcock. Briefly stated, it con-
sists of a state university. an agricul-
tural and mechanical college. a college Of
industrial arts. four normal schools for
training white teachers, one normal and
industrial school for colored boys and
common schools. The University Of
Texas is at the head of the state public
school system. 1t is doubtful II any other
educational institution in America has
during the last quarter Of century.
Conceived by the founders Of the Texas
republic, the constitution of 1886 declared
for general system Of education.
pioneer Texans to build and maintain a
state university. but 1t was not until 1881
that tie present institution was located
at Austin and real university work in
Texas began.
University Has Grown.
''Since 1881 there has been a constant
increase in the attendance at the uni
versity. until this year there are 2,7O9
students in the different departments.
The curriculum embraces practically
everything that is taught in any other
school of higher education anywhere in
the United States. The faculty consists
of fifty-eight professors and assistant pro-
fessors, with ninety-f1ve instructors and
tutors. The legislative appropriation in
1910 was $4,000. The departments con-
sist OF college of arts, department Of
education, department Of engineering. de-
partment Of law and a medical depart
ment. All of these divisions are we'll
supported. and it is shown conclusively
the increase in attendance and the neces-
sity TO additional equipment. that the
southwest is awakening to the advan-
tages of higher education, both in the
arts and sciences.
The permanent school fund of Texas is
larger than that of any other state in
the Union This consists Of land notes,
interest-bearing bonds and leased land.
Its total value in 1910 was $50. 293, ~, :
The interest on bonds. receipts from &C.
cupation. taxes, special collections by the
CT q md 9th
come provided fund of $1O346. 500 for
the year 1910. On the basis Of the census
of that year, which showed 96s, 800 pupils
of school age. this allows a per capita
expenditure of $D.6s. When it is con-
sidered that Texas is a new and growing
country this per capita expenditure is a
matter of surprise to people OF the north
and east, who believe that very little at
tention is paid to school matters in the
south and southwest. 81
Religious High Schools.
There are 14O high schools supported
by religious denominations in this state,
with total property holdings of over 3d.
100000. These schools are developing
very rapidly. The Baptists have an insti-
tuition at Waco with over 1900 regular
The Methodists have at George
town the Southwestern University, with
a similar number.
THE last religious census shows that
there are 317, 49, members of the Meth
odist Episcopal Church South living in
Texas. They have at present eleven insti-
tutions for higher education and only
J. 453 students in attendance at these in
situations. 1t is therefore seen that there
is vast field in Texas for an institution
of this kind to draw from, as there are at
present 2S.OCO Methodists to each one of
their schools.
Their central college is at Georgetown
and is called Southwestern University
DIR. Robert 8. Hyer has been president of
this institution for number of years.
He is keen student Of educa tional mat
tiers, with supreme confidence in the ulti-
mate destiny Of Texas as the empire of
the southwest. He knows the ability of
a great institution, for years it has been
his ambition to remove Southwestern Uni
versity from Georgetown to some point
in north Texas that would be a more
To DR.. Hyer. therefore, belongs all Of
the honor for the elimination of the
plans which are now in sight.
I'm looking over the field and taking
council from those knowing Texas and
the opportunities in north and east Texas,
it was decided by some of the leaders
in the denomination that Dallas offered
the best unoccupied territory for the
founding OF a great institution that there
was in the United States. This was
confirmed by a number Of prominent
educators and those familiar with educa-
tional affairs. notably DR.. Wallace But
terick. the head Of the general board of
education of the Rockefeller Foundation.
Dallas Prompt to Act.
Carrying out this idea, therefore, at the
general conference of the M. E. Church
South, held at Asheville, N. c., early in
the spring of 1870 the question was dis
cussed and it was decided unoffically
that IL Dallas would make an offer for
the building of an institution in that
city that the leaders Of Methodism
would pledge themselves to carry out a
plan for the great university. The propo-
sition was presented to the Dallas Cham
Der of Commerce and was Immediately
and actively taken In. The shirt which