Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1911-12-27
State Universities o. University
States.


for few thoughts on the U.
question. I have given some atten-
ton to this matter lately.
State Universities in states Of this
union is a new phenomenon in soci-
ology. The state Of Michigan estab-
lished the first real State University.
There it has been q success so far.
But as one bird does not make sum-
mer, so the success in Michigan is no
proof Of the practicability Of state
universities as a general proposition.
Over in Wisconsin there is now a.
cute trouble between the State Uni
versity and the State Educational
Department. State Superintendent
Of Schools, G. P. Cary, has issued
circular to the teachers of the state
and the general public charging the
University with violating the civil
service law and trying to control the
political patronage Of the state.
In other words-with attempting to
change the Estate University Of Wis
consin" into the "University-S State
Of Wisconsin" And he is calling
upon the general public Of Wisconsin
to take notice. ~s. 2.
Now, whatever there may. be to
this controversy in our neighboring
state, the same issue is brewing here
and sooner or later will be in every
state having a State University. A
State University in state Of the
United States Of America is sort OF
an imperium in imperio in it's nature
It is the survival of the state church
in European countries. 1t assumes
to speak with authority on all ques-
tons within it's domain, and unlike
the state church whose domain is
confined to education and religion
the State University seems to want
to extend it's domain to every sphere
of life-intellectual, social and in.
dustrial.
And so the university professor
The Scientific Expert-naturally as.
sumes that he is the supreme author.
lily in his speciality, and feels that his
dictum ought to be law, and that thu
masses ought to submissively follow
his advice. On the other hand thu
ordinary citizen outside of the Uni.
versity atmosphere is apt to fee
that the prescription of the univer.
sity professor does not suit his cas-
land so refuses to obey-and the con.
Aict Of the ages is on.
| Now there is one fact that seem:
to be continually overlooked in thi:
controversy, and that it is that tn
University world and the world out
side-the actual everyday world o
the common people-are two yer.
different things. The University il
the world Of theory and science, tn
other world is the world of practica
doings. And the people who NOV
in one Of these worlds are stranger
to the conditions that exist in tn
other.
y What, for instance, does the grad
uate of the college agriculture knO,
about actual farming, unless he ha
been on a real farm7 Very little in
deed. It is not denied that the men
! tai training in the sciences, and tn
laboratory practice at the expert
: ment station is Of great educationa
value, but it is not real farming. Tn
real farmer has conditions to con
tend with unknown to the experiment
station. And such graduate Of tn
r college Of agriculture without actus
experience in farming would not b
I competent to lay down rules Of pro
cedure for the real farmer. Th
same holds true for engineering, Law
, medicine, or anything else within tn
domain of human activity. Th
University is not miniature worl,
but world Sui Generis. The expert
it develops are the supreme auth
ority on matter within it's world, Q
/ University matters.
al The expert with real authority #
,. the real practical world must con
from those doing the work Of til
real practical world. It is only lat.
ly that the world has discovered tn
lfact,-but it is a fact,-and on tn
fact rests modern democracy. tt
time is past when the masses VI
submit to government by class GU
y side of their own.
81 If the State Universities will
e content to stay within their sphe
le and do the work that properly b
y longs to them their futur is secur
= If they get expensive beyond Il
j. power of the masses to carry; if tn,
r attempt to exceed their proper pr
IS vince in the economy Of the mode
II democratic state-the masses W:
le find means to rid themselves of t
N burden or nuisance as they have
t. royalty, state church, and other
= herited membranes.
ID DR.. Christian johnson.
at 49,