The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-18

 mand for more than one medical school in Alabama, economic reasons force the conclusion which we have just announced The needless expense, the shrinkage of student body by division. the sharp ri- valry which is constant temptation to low standards, all argue against local duplication Alabama Is not at this time prepared to give really adequate support to a single institution.
 Part of University
 "3. This one medical school should be part of the University of Alabama un- der university control, with university standards. and properly articulated, not only with the university. but with the general system of education. It is the duty of the University of Alabama to set up educational ideals and to fix educa- tional standards The requirements of medical education have in recent years enormously increased They have in- creased so rapidly that the people as a whole do not understand or appreciate the progress made. Methods of teach ing have undergone radical change. Stand ards are rapidly advancing. year of successful college work in chemistry. bi- ology, physics and a modern language, in addition to the accredited four-year high school course, will be demanded for admission to any medical college after January 1, 1914, if such college aspfres to be included In Class A. Many medi- cal Colleges are already requiring two years of preliminary college training for entrance. Some require college de- gree.
 "a Reference has already been made in general terms to the economic argu- ment against duplication of work Med ical education today is the most expensive form of education. The increase in cost due to modern methods has been enor- nous. Few medical schools have an in- come sufficient to provide standard fa- cilties. Fees alone are entirely inade- quate Sound medical training cannot be conducted at a profit or even at cost There must be adequate endowment or state aid. pr. Abraham Flexner, who is an expert In this field. gives 1t as his opinion that it will require from s125,- 900 to S150,000 a year to maintain modern medical college of 200 students. Such a school must employ largely an independ- ent full time teaching staff. These men must have living salaries. Modern lab must be maintained and such facilities cost large sums of money.
 Present Appropriations
 '5. It is proper that I shall at this point call attention to the fact that this great commonwealth is now appropridting by legislative enrichment to the University of Alabama only s25, Oo0 per annuin for tue of it's college Of arts and sciences, its college of engineering and its school of law. The balance of the in- come of these great departments amount ing to $100000, comes from fees. from en- dowment, and from the constitutional pro- vision in settlement of certain old claims of the University of Alabama against the state. The medical school is already re- ceiving Sl5,000 from the state for maIn- tenance. I should be unfatheul to my trust if failed to call attention to this which, 1 am persuaded is un- paralleled In American education. The work at Tuscaloosa is the heart of our problem. 1t is our chief responsibility. It Is by far the most essential factor in the problem looking to the well being of this commonwealth. and I desire here and now to go squarely on record that 1t is a matter of first importance not to allow to take any action that will em- barrass us .n performing our full duty in the great task of strengthening the work at Tuscaloosa. No action should he taken by the trustees concerning this matter that will by any chance involve the expenditure of a single dollar Of money which ought to be devoted to tho college of arts and sciences. AS a matter of fact professional education is a secon- dary duty of the state when it is con- sdered in connection with the duty to support the college of arts and sciences. It Is, however. a primary duty to do in a standard way whatever we at tempt to do in any direction whatever c nclkF ha ft.ItC f,, mind this fundamental matter in dealing with all problems that relate to the fu- ture development of the University of A Alabama.
 "6 Having made these general observa- tions, which must be kept in mind at every stage of our consideration of this great question. I shall now discuss brief ly the specific problem with which we are to deal
 Not for All Time
 First of all, let me say that l do not agree with Dr. Bondurant in his conten- ton that question of this kind ought to be settled for all time l do not believe that any generation of men should at tempt to tie the hands of a future gener- ation It would be difficult to do it if they tried. Democracy is an evolution, a growth. a development, involving change and readjustment to meet new conditions. It must be content to take one step at a time. exercising care that each step IS wisely taken. There is no one thing in a democracy concerning which this may be more truly said than concerning edu- cation. Perhaps changes have been more rapid fin matters educational .han in any other sphere of human activity. Our sys- tenn of education. therefore, cannot be a static system. Change is the inevitable accompaniment of schools which are tte support and defense of progressive so- ciety. It is, of course. essential that in every effort at educational reconstruction we shall not lose sight of the fact that educational experience teaches us that the world is daily growing older and bet ter that it's institutions vary with it's years, and mark it's growing wisdom. Yet changes should in no case be whimsical and irrational, the mere product ot tadicalism and reaction. A plant cannot flourish if it is too frequently trans planted. Changes should be based upon n sound conception of the needs of society.
 Those who suggest or enforce them should bear in mind sympathetically the history, the service and the char acter of the institutions involved. The