The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1912-07-07
Movement Again Started
For u. S. University
Idea Born 1873 Years Ago in George Washing
tons Brain Still Discussed-Ohio Man to
Urge Project Which for Century Has
Been Only Words

\ Again has come to the front the oft
advanced movement for the establish
ment OF a national university. Ever since
the days of George Washington the cree
ton o. such an institution has beer
urged from time to time. The need Of
such a university is obvious; it benefit.
would be manifold.
And whenever this proposition II
brought before the public for reconsid'
leration. the greatest enthusiasm is pound
to center around Washington. 1t is uni
lversally agreed by those interested In the
project that the National Capital is the
logical place for such an institution.
With the revival Of interest in the
proposition, Congress in the near future
may be stirred TO action upon the mat
ter. II 1t finally is decided to estab-
lish such an institution. 1t will unques-
tionabIy be located in the Capital City.
The project will be presented before
the coming meeting of the National Edu-
cational Association at Chicago by four
prominent men. One Of these men is DR..
w. o. Thompson. of Columbus, a we'll
known educator. Recently the general
| subject was revived in the public mind
by the death of DR.. John w. Hoyt, an
Ohio man, who for many years was at
the head Of the movement and by some
was termed its father.
The designation. however. seems to be-
long to the Father of His Country. George
Washington. in his will, which became
effective 1898. he left SIS 600 in interest-bear-
ing securities as an endowment fund for
| the university and directed that il should
remain intact and automatically augment
itself by the interest until such a univer-
sity became an accomplished fact. This
| money seems to have disappeared. dis
solved into thin air. for accurate ac-
! counts of its history are meager. con-
Trajectory and vague. Money at 6 per
cent. compounded, will more than double
itself every twelve years. On this basis.
George Washington's bequest to-day rep
resents the almost staggering sum OF
] 81, so, 000
Talk, Talk. Talk.
This. or something like it, is what
Congress upon numerous occasions has
been asked to provide. Congress has
never done anything but talk and ask
leave to print. The history Of the move
ment through the more than Century
Of its existence has been the same-taIk
and inaction.
Proba bly, no proposition that ever has
engaged the attention OF the nation has
lad so illustrious an assortment Of in
dorsements- Ten separate Presidents
have recommended It to Congress. AL
most every leading educator. advocate.
statesman. jurist. editor, soldier. sailor,
and capitalist has spoken for Railways
talk. The reasons advocated for the es-
adjustment of a national university
would fr books-and do NIL them. The
records Of talk on the subject spread
over volumes; a considerable library, in
fact.
To-day the movement Is represented
by a committee OF 400 and by the spe-
cial committee OF the National Associa-
ton of State Universities. This con-
sists OF four men. and these are they
who. true TO the traditions of the ma
tional university. will talk next month
at Chicago. Besides DR.. Thompson of
o. s. L. there are President Edmund
]. James of the University OF illinois,
President Charles R. Van Hise Of the
University of Wisconsin, and President
James H. Baker of the University Of
Colorado. DR.. Thompson was an orig
inal member OF the committee of 40
which DR.. Hoyt headed when the last
active effort was made to awaken Con-
gress. That was in December. 1897.
From the Very first the general idea
of national university has been more
or less clearly defined. Considering its
age. this is not surprising. Washington.
in his will. spoke Of it as an institu-
ton where the brilliant and well con-
ditioned youth Of the country should
perfect themselves in the highest learn
ing. 1t always has been taCitly under
stood that this institution. If ever it got
beyond the province of talk, should be
located at Washington. In recent years
no other place has been considered.
Leaders IndOrse 1t.
Even talk will make some ideas eS-
pand. and the national university has
been enlarged. If not inflated. In the !
form in which 1t was last urged upon |
Congress it was to be strictly a grad |
uate university. open only to those who |
had taken degrees in other recognized |
institutions OF learning. Furthermore. !
the vast collections of historical docu- |
ments, the great libraries, and the scien- |
tific equipment for research, which the |
government has at present and in the |
and operation of which II |
spends in excess of $4,000 each year.
are urged as the proper field for system
affixed study such as only a great uni
versity could supply. The wealth of ma
terial these departments hold has lain
fallow these many a year.
The only record of rea, work in behalf |
II the university dates from the year
1906. At that time il VS. reported to
Congress that 1900 perS1n MS had pledged |
gross sum of $4,000 TO be paid in as
he beginning of an endowment as soon
Is Congress granted a charter. But Con-
yress never did. 1t only talked. There |
would have been another S25.00cOO0 work.
ng day and night in behalf of the high
.st education If only some ones fore
sight had been as good as present-day
lindsight.
Adams, jefferson, Madison. Monroe,
John Quincy Adams, and Jackson urged
he national university on Congress. and
LII in vain. In a later day. Hayes, Gar
ield. and Harrison did likewise. For
many years the Senate had a special
committee on national university. Some
lines this committee reported and some
lines It didn't. Talking was the most
hat ever happened.
The idea has had more Endorsements
han a patent medicine. From the Su-
IRENE Court up and down, every man
Il note in the government service has
'een for ii. For the last twenty-five
ears the educational societies have reg
llarly Endorsed II. Congresses. peace,
and many other sects,
ave adopted resolutions-and talked.
Just to enumerate the men who have
ttached the voice of their good will
ince the civil war, there may be men,