Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1911-12-09
|NODETT FAV0RS
FEWER Schools
ACTING PRESIDENT OF STATE
UNIVERSITY EXPRESSES HIS
VIEWS IN BOLD MANNER
makes Dinner Club Speech
Great Institutions Are More AdNanta-
gcous In Every Way Can't Make
University Too Large.

OKLAHOMA CITY, Dec c'-N N'P''
claD-In the course Of his address TO
tho Mems Dinner club at Its regular
monthly banquet, held here in the
Lee-HuclSins hotel banquet han. Dean
J. c Monet. acting president of the
University OF Oklahoma, startled his
hearers by declaring boldly that he
believes the interests Of higher educa-
tion would be better subseryed IN the
state II the two university preparatory
schools, the small district agricultural
colleges and all except one or two OF
the state normal schools We're abol-
ished.
He also stated that he believes the
ideal way to handle the higher oduca-
tional interests OF the state would be 10
have the two years nomal course given
at the state university, and the state
agricultural college made an adjunct
the state university, thus uniting them
all at one place.
President Monet was thorough in
his treatment of the educational prob
common schools and continuing clear
through to the university, He spoke
highly of the consolidated rural
schools and thought that there should
be more OF them, so that the pupils
would be enabled to receive instruction
in them up to the tenth grade which
he does not believe can be satisfac-
toriy accomplished with small schools
He also stated that he is in favor of
high schools in all districts large
enough to afford them. or at least in
such locations that they could be read
lily reached by all the students who de-
sire a higher education. He was frank
in his disapproval of the university
preparatory schools. saying that he
knew OF no other state in the union
where the state itself supported high
schools.
In regard to the various state nor
mails, he called attention to the fact
that a portion Of their course Is given
in the high schools and that very few
students aside from those who live IN
the locality of the schools attend them.
At Edmond. he stated, there are less
than 100 from any distance. and that
the total from a distance at the six
normals would not exceed $50. From
these facts he drew the conc fusion that
with good high school facilities there
is no necessity for more than one or
two normals.
He complimented the work of the
state agricultural college at Saltwater
on 'ts extensive work very highly and
said that he does not think II would
be possible to do too much in getting
the work of the college to the farmers.
He said he believes the work of the
demonstration trains is well worth
while, but he said he thinks II would
be better, both from standpoints OF
economy and efficiency, to have one
large school rather than half a dozen
smaller ones for he said that he can
not see how the state l afford equip
ment and faculties Tor the smaller
schools that would do justice to the
students.
While President Monet thinks the
ideal way would be to have the state
university, normal school and agri-
cultural college at one place, he ad-
mitted that he does not believe that
such plan would be practicable or
possible in oklahoma. Continuing, he
said that It is almost impossible to
make a university too large, that many
of the great German universities,
which rank so high In educational
circles, have from $1,000 to 10000
students each.
one advantage, he pointed out, that
would ensue from a consolidation Of
the different schools. is that they
would insure a big institution with
greater educational facilities, better
paid professors and more chance for
varied work.
There were about seventy-five men,
bers of the club present at the ban
quet. President Monetts ideas along
the line Of abolishing some of the nor
mails, the university preparatory
schools and the smaller colleges,
came as a surprise to his hearers, as It
IS understood that the state board of
education or at least q majority Of its
members favor the retention of all of
these schools.