East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1911-01-27
COMMONWEALTH
SERVICE THE SLOGAN
OREGON FOLLOWS WISCONSIN,
PUTTING STATE TO SCHOOL,
The University as the Social Engineer
of the State-This State Keeping
Abreast of the Times in All Lines.

Those who have thought of a state
university as mainly a school for the
study Of the classics are awakening
in these fresh morning years of the
twentieth century from a Rip Van
Wrinkle sleep, to find the educational
world looking strange TO them. THE
state ar school" is the phrase coined
by noted magazine writer to describe
the University of Wisconsin, and this
phrase suggests the dominant ideal in
the state university today. Whenever
training is possible the lack of train
ing means social waste. This is why
the states are employing the agency
of their state universities to furnish
TO all classes such training as they
can receive. Wisconsin has as many
students scattered through the state,
on farms, in factories and workshops.
stores and offices, as on the university
campus. These pursue, at nominal
cost, courses which contribute direct
ly to fit them for higher grades of
work. and which, without the aid of
the university's correspondence de-
partment, they could either not pro-
cure at all, or could procure only at
very large aggregate expense All of
the other states supporting state uni
versities are following Wisconsin's |
lead in this matter.
University as Social Engineer.
The commonwealth service ideal in |
wolves much more, however, than |
merely ministering to the needs of in |
dividuals here and there. It means |
leadership in effecting improvements |
in general social conditions through !
higher type of municipal government, |
social surveys courses of lectures Civ |
en- to large groups of persons on eco- !
nomic, social, historical, literary and |
scientific subjects by university pro-
fessors in local study centers like |
schools and Libraries. 1t involves, also |
suggestions for. scientific surveys along !
various lines Of state conservation and |
the supplying, mainly through its |
graduate school, of experts TO serve |
state boards and commissions, like |
the railroad commission, tax coNnmis- |
sion, and the bureau of comparative |
legislation--in short. in every field !
where modern training counts toward |
efficiency, productiveness and the !
elevation of social life.
Oregon Abreast OF the Times.
Our own university has already an |
enviable record of service through its |
correspondence school, as letters from |
men in mining camps and logging |
camps. as we'll as from men and wo-
men in the more usual walks of life,
abundantly attest. 1t is the purpose
of the administration 10 push forward
this phase of the work by making the
facilities more nearly adequate to the
demands upon them
Field Sociology.
1t is also the expectation of the de- !
partment Of sociology to develop the /
work already begun in field sociology |
making social surveys of type COM
munities, analyzing community needs
and the forces which might be utilized
in improving conditions, co-ordinating
toward the end the most helpful lines
OF social activity
The University Advisory Bureau.
IN line with these activities is the
recent organization at the university
of "The University Advisory Bureau"
whose atm ia to make all extension
work Of utmost value to the state.
The bureau consists Of those mem
bers Of the FACULTY y We P
training and scientific interest oest III
them to advise locai communi,.
along such lines Of municipal organ
ization water and lighting supplies,
ventilation and illumination, roads and
pavements, parks, architectural prob
lens, power and irrigation problems,
etc.
II is not the purpose of this bu-
reau in any manner to compete with
concerns in carrying out
the details Of any improvement pro-
ject, but rather to act only in more
general advisory capacity, supplying
as It can readily do from the de-
partments-the preliminary informa-
tion which may enable any commu-
nifty 10 take the best and safest tlnal
action. \
The School Of Sanitary Science
In accordance with suggestions by (
members Of the oregon medical fra
ternity. there is under organization at
the university what may be called d
school of sanitary science. This will :
make still more effective the work Of
the advisory bureau, and help the I
state, It is hoped, to solve the press
ing problems Of health through scien-
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