The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-02-18
PEOPLES FORUM
New York City Chapter Continues to Oppose
Election of Mr.. EggIcston.

Election of Mr.. EggIcSton
In the DEVELOPMENT of great enterprises, GER
tain more or less fixed policies are necessary
and wherever modern business reaches us 4, ma
mum of efficiency the element OF enance 10 =
duced to a minimum by the prosccuuoN "
carefully formulated policy. .n1 ,,a
destinies of some OF our . io ,nor
education do not appear to realize the IInp lr-
lance of a definite, fixed policy TOT .ne oeNeot
ment of the institutions fntrusted TO me me-
charge This curious phase OF modern euuS"
tionai life is we'll brought out in an article that
appeared in the January issue OF the De" ~ a.
Review entitled The Most o,t ths very wide
divergence of opinion In regard 70 tue a s,
of the word education" the writer con.lhu res
s.J,nt TODAY we are wandering between TWO
worlds having just at this moment, II mus. NC NC
admitted tendency TO go backward historlcallg
and make economic CONSCIENTIOUS sie Is
checked by numerous other tendencies SO t Una,
the total effect is that OF great confusloh1 7.
amounting almost 10 absolute anarchy. * rs
in our colleges perhaps, that this coniuslon
shows itself in the most pronounced lorna.
Continuing along this line ne cars altsitSn the
the impression conveyed to the mind OF tne
ordinary citizen by his condition OF aHaars ana
the probable impression such ciIizen 0ou u
bring away from the ceremonies fncioehL 20
the inauguration OF a new president of one or
our larger Institutions of learning. Wnen UNI
versty inaugurates new presiden. INC &c ~ an
nounce a policy chiefly designed to upset the
work of his predecessor; or. II circumstances
make that impossible, one that Will nave .he
plausible appearance of doing So In the speeches.
| that constitute the chief feature OF the lnau-
gural ceremonies, he notes with amazemen' .nas
| two contradictory things done and that each
is received with decorous but universal ap
piause appropriate to such respectable yer Joy
Gus occasions; he hears the retiring presloeht.
the responsible author of the vicious past giorf-
! fed for his great services to the cause OF eou-
cation; and then he hears the same acc,ana
whose avowed purpose 1t Is to cancel the worK
of his predecessor at the earliest possible oate.
1t Ia not surprising If, when the speeches are
ended, the citizen leaves the hall in state OF
/ confusion. wondering whether education is not
rather mystery than q science
Confusion of Purpose
The confusion OF purpose animatng tnose
who control the destines OF some OF our insti-
tutions for higher education is abundantiy Illus
trated by the history of the Virginia Polytecn-
/ mic institute. Founded In 1872 under an act
| OF congress known a The Land Grant Act the
institution had for a number of years precar-
! ious and troubled existence. Animated by no
fixed policy. it became easy prey for designing
/ politicians and made little grogress In fuiniiing
/ it's true functions. This condition of AFFAIRS
| existed until Captain c. e. Nawter was appoint
ed member of Its board of visitors. Captain
! yawter was quick orealize the necessity of a
/ definite policy for the development OF the IN
stitution. and it was largely through ms IN
| fuence that the board, in 1880, undertook 10
secure the services of competent man to ex-
! ecute the work. Naturally. they looked for
| a man who had proved his ability as a college
president. They decided on the type OF man
that they wanted, and secured him. The SUD.
sequent development of the institution proved
the wisdom of their procedure
The board OF Visitors of the v. P. l., as at
present constituted numbers among lis members
men of the highest type: men whose loyalty
! to the institution is beyond question. and the
/ alumni and the public have every right To ex
pect that the board in the present instance
will adopt policy similar to that OF the board
of Captain Vawter's day and select man for
president who will carry into effect the policy
that they have adopted for the institution 1t
! is hardly conceivable that they will leave the
development of policy TO the incoming presi-
dent.
| have no desire to instruct the board but
! / cannot refrain from expressing the hope that
they will carefully consider the future policy
| of the institution when selecting president. and
| in making their choice they will be guided by
the experience of the years of bitter toll through
which the institution has reached its present
high station. The matter before the board Is not
merely the selection of a president but the
adoption Of policy for the future development
of the institution. There are TIVE distinct lines
/ open for the future development of the insti-
tuition and the board must decide whether the
institution shall continue in it's present field
of endeavor, or shall venture TO different
! field tried already by many and abandoned by
every land grant college in the country: IN
short. to be specific shaik the Nlrginia Poly
technic institute continue polytechnic in
stitute or shall ii become agricultural school.
pure and simple, retaining only enough of It's
mechanical course to comply with the act OF
congress? 1t il for the board to decide. / am
sure that the alumni have no personal feeling
against Mr. J. ID. Eggleston. who Is man Of
high attachments. but do maintain that IL the
Virginia Polytechnic institute is to continue as
"a polytechnic institution his election the pres
idency would be illogical. Mr. Eggleston is
publicly committed to the policy of developing
the institution along purely agricultural lines,
and in proof of this assertion / cite Senate
Doc. III, Report of the Virginia Education
Commission" page 8:
Purposes of V. =. 1.
IA That the Virginia Polytechnic institute
the State agricultural and mechanical college,
shall, as rapidly and as far possible, make
its work conform to combination of the two
following conceptions of an agricultural and
mechanicalcollege
"la1 A school whose purpose it is to attract
the youth from the farm, giving him two years
more less--of practical agricultural train
/ ing and elementary shop practice in n1echani-
cal arts. accom- panied with theoretical instruc-
ton, and directing him back to the farm trained
for the vocation OF farmer along modern
lines.
entrance requirements and giving emphasis to
elementary mechanic arts would fulfill this
conception.
"(b) college of agriculture and mechanic
arts-the college of agriculture associated with
an experiment station. and starting from the
same entrance requirements other college
departments Such college of agriculture
would train the leaders In agriculture the men,
hers OF great agricultural plants, teachers of
agriculture and the like. The college OF me-
chanic arts should include two-year course In
engineering OF college grade.
1.-The function of the Virginia Polytechnic
institute and State agricultural and mechani-
cal college. then. should be exercised in three
directions:
.'lal In the further development az thu. tour