The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1911-11-30
The State University.

The State University.
The public wants to help the uni
versity, but it does not know how to
do it except to give it money, money,
and let it have its own way. The
university is the child of the state, a
beloved child, and a spoiled child.
The people of the state when they were
poor and when the state was new,
created the university. There were
then no alumni to deluge with frantic
appeals for aid. Alumni were I'M
necessary, for the university was an
ideal and a faith in the hearts Of the
people. They saw visions and dreamed
dreams. They knew some Of the older
and Weather states did not have state
universities. Why did the pioneers of
Wisconsin want one for their very
own? Certainly it must have been be-
cause they had an exalted opinion of
the value of higher education III rela-
ton to the general welfare. They
might have said, let those who want
higher education go where they please
and get it and pay for it. But they
did not; and all honor to them that
they took the unselfsh, broad-minded
view of so vital a matter.
From that day to this, the state has
cherished and even pampered the uni
versity. In the generosity of their
hearts they preferred to err on the side
of liberality and freed ON rather than
on the other; and that was well. 1t
would be surprising, however, If under
such treatment the university did not
over-reach and become head-strong,
eelf-willed child of the state. 1t would
be little less than a miracle if it did
not become aggressive and dlctatorlal
the final outcome of which, if carried
to it's logical issue, would be domino
ton of the state by the university
the parent by the child.
That we have been approaching such
condition of things by more rapid
strides than most people dream Of, is
inv candid and deliberate opinion
That the university may in part be
unconscious of this trend, [ cheerfully
concede; but that it is wholly so | can
not for a moment believe. Those who
think that the university wants to
make the laws Of the state, interpret
them, and execute them, are no doubt
extremists, but any one who has stu
died the trend Of things for the past
few years, must, believe, see that they
are not so far from the truth as at
first blush might appear.
The intolerance Of adverse criticism
which has been manifested by the uni
versity is an unfortunate symptom.
Directly or indirectly, all who adj
versely criticise the university are put
to confusion or rout. The result is
that the public, in the main, is kept
unenlightened except for the kind of
news the university wishes to have the
public read. There is naturally grow
ing timidity on the part even OF re-
gents and members of the Legislature
in opposing anything the university
wants. or in advancing anything that
it distinctly does not want. 1t will be
readily understood that IN general, con-
crete Illustrations must be omitted, for
the reason that in order to be sufficient
ly definite, they must be personal.
shall venture to give one illustration
which is recent, and which is compare
lively free from the personal clement.
At the last meeting Of the board of
regents, the university presented
recommendation to the board, asking
concurrence in plan that was already
consummated except for the approval
of the board of regents, to the effect
that certain civil service positions IN
some of the commissions at the capitol
be turned for the current year, into
paid fellowships for university students,
the university to make the selection. |
think it is safe to say that 40 member
Of the board was entirely satisfied with
the proposition. Objection was raised
that we were thus side-stepping the
civil service commission, and further