South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-05-29
WHAT THE PAPERS SAY
A NATIONAL UNIVERSITY.

The proposal to establish a ma
tional university. preferably in the
city Of Washington, in which the
youth of the nation may have an op
portunity TO obtain a comprehensive
education and at the same time to
watch the actual workings of the ma
tional government, has been Endorsed
by leaders in all political parties. and
a national organization has been
formed by 500 public-spirited Amer
leans, headed by Andrew =. White,
former president OF Cornell uniVer-
sity. TO further the establishment of
such an American institution of
learning. The movement is not an
tagoniStic to the great endowed uni
versities of the country or the uni
versities in each of the states, and il
would not limit the scope or belittle
the activity Of the municipal univer-
sites which of late years have been
coming into favor. A national uni
versity would be supplemental to all
these.
The suggestion that a national uni
versity be established originated in
the time of Washington and Jeffer-
son, who were earnest in its support
Washington especially so. Orally, by
letter and finally by will, Washington
favored a national university. Both
he and Jefferson believed that such a
school should be founded in the city
of Washington. inasmuch as IL was
always to be as far as man knew
- the capital of the country. The
part which Washington and Jeffer-
son took in the early educational
work Of the United States was consid-
cradle. AS Washington's character
rose more prominently before the
people OF his day the desire 10 re-
ward him was expressed in many
ways. One OF these ways was a gift
by the Virginia house OF delegates of
certain shares in the Potomac COM
pany, an organization for the de-
velopment of commerce on the Poto-
mac and James rivers. which Wash
ington had recommended.
Washlngton's correspondence con-
corning this offer revealed his broad
mind. He cared neither to accept
personally nor decline absolutely the
gift, which had then a value Of about
$4,000. SO he asked the Virginia
house TO set the sum aside for in
crease until such a time as IL could
Oe applied toward the establishment
OF national university. In his viii
| washington made plain the Idea on
which he believed such a university
should be founded He wrote:
1T has always been a source Of
serious regret with me 10 see the
youth Of these United States sent to
/ foreign countries for the purpose Of
education. contracting too fire.
quently not only habits of dissipation
and extravaganza, but principles I'M
friendly TO representative government
and to the true genius and genuine
liberties Of mankind.
Today the youths do not go abroad
for their education, but the place
which the national university could
have filled in 1895 il could I'LL today
do away with local attachments and
state pre1udices." TO use Washington s
own words. Jefferson, himself the
chief founder Of the first state uni
versity in the Union. the University
OF Virginia, advocated a national uni
versity as supplemental TO the state
school. The desire OF bo-h these
leaders, as is the desire of those who
{ today fSSor a national university. was
10 offer 10 the young men and women
OF the country a broader training than
sectional schools afford.-Indianapoli
News