The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-07-02
Colleges and Commerce
BY PRESIDENT GEORGE H. DENNY Washington and Lee University

General Robert e. Lee was a great
college president. He was at least a..
generation In advance of his tinea.
In his educational policies. During his
presidency OF this institution that has
since his death happily become the
chief monument to his memory, he
planned. among other things. a school
OF commerce. His purpose was to
train young men. along large lines, for
business careers, especially in such
heios as banking. foreign and domestioi
commerce. Journalism and the publioi
service. This fine purpose, unfor-,
suHateiy' could not be realized in that
Jay or poverty and disaster
Thirty-five years after his death the
trustees of Washington and Lee IIn,-l
'ersity undertook to esta blish a SCHOOL,
Oh commerce. as originally RECOMMENDED
ca by General Lee. upon an endow<
ment fund of 100000. created in mem
DRY or the late President william ~
mison; the school thus becoming AM
expansion OF the work of the denart-j
ments of economics and politicat,
science. for which the endowment wnsi
speclncally raised, and In which Prest-
cent wilson was so greatly Interested
ihe prescribed curriculum now mi
braces courses In economies. political
SCIENCE. English history, modern Ian
suages commerce. science elementarv
mathematics and business law.
Merit Demonstrated.
The history of the school OF com
Hierce at Washington and Lee though
comparatively brief, has been most in A
teresting. It's merit has been demon-}
strated- BY Its fruits 1t must bel
judged. and the Judgment rendersd]
speaks volumes In It's favor The sol
cess OF many of the young men Syhol
have enjoyed its advantages has heenl
remarkable. 1t would be interesting tnI
state In detail what has been the actuaIl
irult OF the tree, but this Is neithert
the time nor the place to undertakei
that task
The so-called new fields OF -activttv
or service are daily attracting a.,
larger number of capable young men IL,
Ihese new forms of service hold QUIZ
greater inducements In certain Direct,
ions than do the professions It Ia
therefore quite worth while to ask thisf
question: Why should not tho collere.f
give young men an opportunity n &C.
cure the right kind of equipment for
the new as we'll as the old fields Of
service! In the long run. 1t will un-Y
doubtedly help the colleges II they re-
spond to the call for service in thIst
direction For one thing, 1t will tend
" tne criticlSm or the businesa
man that the colleges are not eouip-
ping for real life. 1t Is recognized
among thinking men that the college
or the future may wisely recognize IT'S
ooiigatlon to supply the ever GROWING.
demand for trainsd business mon.
I Perhaps 1t will be objected that com
mercial studies will tend to lower the
standard of scholarship In the COLI
leges; that the scholarly acttvitles ~
the colleges Will be submerged by tho
presence of young men having So
largely the material point of view. To
this 1T should be answered that the
pest colleges have been for a consIa-.
cradle period offering courses in eco
Monies and political sc1encs. withonA
matt or hindrance to their scholarly
Ideals. 1t Is conceded that in giving
hiscipline and mental grip these COM
paratively new subjects. IL taught by
scholarly men. are effective instru-s
ments. At any rate. they have come
TO stay 1t is difficult to understand
why these new courses should lose
their disciplinary quality and educa
tional value merely by being eronned
In an orderly system leading in tie
direction OF a sound business educa
ton. 49,
Requirements High.
moreover only select young men win
be able to take these courses. To
school
merce Will require high school grad
uation precisely as in the case of me
other departments of the college. Then.
TOO. the type OF high school graduata5
desiring such courses will be excep-
tlonal. The average high school grad
uate' having business career In view
WIZ hurry into that particular branch
or trade or industry I'm which ha
wishes TO work out his career. The
type TO which this college work An
commerce is likely to appeal will bay
the exceptionally astute youth. who,f
sees the advantage that such traInin est
VIII give him In his subsequent caree1l
over his unframed competitor TIFF
principle OF selection thus becomes Ell,
receive In very fine way; and theg
college, so far from being the loser
In any sense, Is I'm very deinite ana
vital way the gamer by the presenceS
OF these young men
II Is of course, understood that, In y
discussing a college course in cou-1.
merce. we have In mind something's
very different from the ubiouitousnt
business college" The school OF busi-fS
ness administration at Harvard. and
the Wharton School OF Finance atas
pennsylvania. are conspicuous types of j
such schools as we are here discuss la
ing The future will show many sucfJS
schools In eN ry section of the coun, IT,
try SO far as known TO the wrtter&3
the school of Commerce at washing. -
ton and Lee Is the hrst attempt in this
direction among the colleges or the ~
south ] am glad to testify to the
fact that this school has rendered.
notable service to large group oil
young mon, whose presence in thsH8
student body has been to the distinc ~
advantage of all. The intreductionf
OF these new courses at Washing tonI
ana Lee has In no way diminished the
popularity of the old courses BottH
old and new are abiding together II
the utmost amity They are mutuall
helpful in the great struggle the
scholarly Liberalism and scholarly ir3
sight is making In order To La an = 49,