The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-01-19
THE MERIT OF 1T.

/
The following open letter to Gov
ernor Stewart was written by a for
mer Missoula man and a copy was
sent by the writer to The Muscular
with the request that it be published:
Hon. S. v. Stewart, Governor of
Montana:
Sir: It has been proposed as a de-
| sirable policy for the state OF Nom
tana to arrange for uniting the state
I school Of mines, normal school, agri-
cultural college and university In one
! large institution at the best location.
I wish to oppose this policy and write
you this open letter to express my
views and give reasons that appeal to
me as sufficient to condemn the pro-
posed movement. While not at pres
ent a resident Of Montana, I have been
identified with her progress for sew
eral years., and most Of my property
is at or near Missoula. l have been
a professor for a number of years in
a western college and for the past 10
years have been employed in engi-
neering, construction, and the opera
ton of irrigation projects. My opin-
ion is a disinterested one.
The argument for a greater univer>
sity hinges on the economy and pres.
tige connected with size and with the
greater equipment and larger facili-
ties available for the individual stu
dents.
If these schools were to be started
anew tomorrow, I should still strongly
..-- Al.A Ala,r ~ .ol1 .o 4, n 1
present, for the following reasons:
First. The reputation Of a school IN
the long run depends on the strength
and rigor Of it's course and the char
acter of it's graduates and not on its
size, or success in athletics, and not
nearly SO much on its equipment as
upon the character, energy and disin>
terestedness or it's president and fac
ulty. With such a great state as Mon
tana there will be plenty of growth for
all it's separate colleges and it should
be the public aim to support each one
in such a generous manner that the
faculty and facilities nay be increased
to keep pace with healthy growth con>
sistent with maintaining high STAN
dards of scholarship. The inspiration
of intimate association with the strong
men on the college faculty which is
possible in the small college more than
offsets the advantages of equipment
and prestige Of the larger institution.
The size of a school in no way limits
the standard of scholarship if the fl
nancial support and management are
Independent of political intrigues or
influence. The legislature may be-
come benefactors of the state and
posterity by enacting proper laws to
provide permanent support for the
schools from annual taxes, and re-
gents or trustees independent Of pc.
litical appointment.
Second. The worth Of an educa-
tional institution to the state depends
on the members reached and the re-
suits to the community, and not on
the cost per graduate, although the
cost should be no larger thar re-
quired by good business management.
All four state colleges are circles of
great influence in their home towns
and tributary region. They reach
many homes and interest many young
people who would not travel across the
state to a greater university no mat
ter how large, but who, nevertheless.
make worthy graduates. In my opin>
ion, the size and resources of Mon
tana are so great that it should cor
slider an institution Of higher educa-
ton for eastern Montana at Billings
or Miles City, rather than entertain a
proposition to curtail present advan-
tages. 1t is said that young men and
women go from Montana to eastern
colleges. This is true and would con,
tinue to be true if our university was
as celebrated as Vale or Harvard
Many fathers send their sons to thei1
alma mater wherever it may be To-
Gated, n rich mems sons can afford
to travel n will do so. The stat
Is concerned with the students who
cannot afford to go to a great eastern
college or those who prefer to take
their education in a western institu-
ton.
Third. While it is true that the
courses Of the different schools over
lap more or less, it is also true, and
of %much greater Importance, that the
aim and objects of a school of mines
agricultural college, normal school and
university differ just enough so thai
they can each accomplish more wher
held separately responsible, when they
have their w atmosphere, their own
pride and individuality in their work
Those who worry because our insti-
, buttons have a small attendance and
attract little attention from the out
side world have little faith in the
growth of the commonwealth, bu,
would do we'll to see that the sugges.
ttiOnS offered as to finances and man,