The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-09-05
BY ESTHER GRIFFIN WHITE.

day.
Or lack of it.
At least of the incompatibility of
the university ideal, or its social stand
ards, with that of the national.
This was illustrated at first hand
last week through an incident in
which the writer was concerned.
Not that it was, of itself, of any par
ticular Importance, but was a straw
which showed which way the wind
| blows, to use a homely metaphor.
DR.. Edward Ross, of the University
of Wisconsin, who, within the past
few years has been attracting atten-
ton with his studies of modern condi-
| tions, especially in their relation to
national life and which have appeared
in both magazine and book form, and
| who delivered that fine series of lee
lures before the institute and chau-
tauqua referred to a time or two be-
fore here, was the medium through
which a glimpse was caught OF the
entirely impersonal attitude the uni
versity takes toward the public and
the utter impracticability Of fusion
between it's substance and that of the
life about it.
Dr. Ross was approached by the
Palladium representative, who was de-
tailed to report his lectures with others
of the ,chautauqua program, with the
request that he give the former a
brief outline or short synopsis of his
lecture to be delivered at half past
one in the afternoon SO that it could
be covered in the afternoon edition
Of the paper.
Explaining that it was impossible
! for her to get there and even should
she do SO the report could not be made
| for that issue, since it would be i'm
! possible to get back to town, write
the account and get it in in time.
DR.. Ross was all courtesy. All
smiles.
He begged the reporter to sit down
He sat down by her.
She explained her purpose in ap'
preaching him.
| He said that he could not grant her
request. Not rudely, but calmly, i'm
personally.
And why?
Because he didn't have the notes
with him.
Because it was the reporters place
to get the account of his lecture. That
was the reporters business. Not his,
DR.. Ross's.
1t was a matter of absolutely no in
terest to him whether the reporter
succeeded or not.
He was Indifferent about the reports
of his lectures in the papers.
Didn't care whether they were no.
ticed or not.
Said he had not arranged the chau.
tauqua program and couldn't help 1t
If he did appear at hours when it was
impossible for papers to reach his
lectures.
Said, however, that the coming lee
ture was reproduced, or originally ap-
peared, in a certain magazine, in 1908
Upon the reporters timid remark
that the office did not have a file OF
that magazine and that it probably
, could not be consulted without trip
to New York, the excellent DR.. Ross
smiled merely and again remarked
that he couldn't help that.
However, he went on to say, it i
also included in chapter SO and so n
my book on so and so, which you cafl
get in your library. You can cas- ~
go to the latter place when you te
turn to town and there you will fhd
| it in whole.
! The hour was eleven.
Another lecture was to be lat
through by the reporter which wotld
not close until after twelve.
Then foray back to town with DIE
chance in seventeen Of catching q
car.
Possibly and most probably hill
instead, with the thermometer sta1id
ing at almost any dizzy figure in tie
shade.
And this probability was realized.
A return to the newspaper office af
ter half past twelve.
! And then the translation of notes
and preparation of copy for the after
noon paper, time taken for a hasty
smack" and back to the chautauqua
bleachers at half past two.
In the meantime DR.. Ross chatted
pleasantly about himself and his meth
DDS Of procedure, his preferences in
the way Of writing and speaking and
other things.
Not averse, evidently, to an inter
view, although an interview was not
asked for or mentioned.
But entirely averse to giving hard
run reporter little assistance.
In the time taken to talk about him
self he could have given the reporter
all the information she needed OF
wanted concerning his half past one
o'clock lecture.
When the reporter again murmured
| that the office did not possess a copy
of his book referred to, he again point
ed her to the library, stating that she
| could easily go there and copy the lee
| ture.
Now this may seem banal enough
| and again 1t may seem illuminating.
The point is obscure or obvious as
| you care to look at it.
But its supposed essence lies in
| this
That DR.. Ross in referring the re-
porter to the files of magazine which
could only be consulted in New York