Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1915-11-17

soclatlon of Urban Universities at last
| night session of it's annual convention
here heard Secretary Walter f. Clark
read paper prepared by Prof. Charles
A. Beard, supervisor of the New York
framing School for Public, and pro-
lessor of politics in Columbia JTniver-
s'ty, discussing the subject of Train
ing for Public Service" Prof. Beard
declared the need for public service
training was increasing, far faster
than the need was being met. Since
tie establishment of the New York
Training School for Public Service.
through the initiative of Mrs. E. H.
Hartman, in 1911, there had been a
widespread recognition of the move
| ment by number of universities
which Prof. Beard summed I'D as fol-
lows
THE University of Michigan led tn )
way by the organization of a special
program of studies in municipal ad-
ministration opening immediately into
the public service The University of
Texas, under the direction of Prof H
G. James, has also laid out carefully
planned courses leading to the i'm
portant branches of public service.
such as those calling for training III
law, engineering, sanitation and hy-
giene, education, finance and social
science. Indiana University, in connec-
| ton with the reference library at the
capitol, which is under the able super
vision of Mr.. John A. Lapp, has made
an important beginning by linking
academic discipline with practical
training. Harvard University has made
special grouping of courses in NUM-
cipal administration and allied sub
jects which offers an ideal program
for students contemplating career il
public service. In 1914, President But
Ter of Columbia, appointed a large
committee representing all of the var
ious schools, and charged it with the
study of the problem of public service
in all of its relations to the university.
That committee, of which I had the
recommendation that will carry, no
doubt, weight in the formulation OF
future policies with regard to training
for public service in that university.
Minnesota University now has com
nlittee which is making a similar stu
Gy under the direction of Prof William
A Schaper. The College of the City Of
New York likewise has a COMMITTEES
On the relation of the college to the
municipal service. The committee, I'M
Ger the craftsmanship of DR.. F. Z.
Breithut, is making an intensive study
OF the civil service of Greater New
York, and will shortly report it's find
ings to the president and trustees.
For all these evidences of quick
e1ed spirit, we should be truly CRATE
full"
One handicap, however, which the
movement met was the refusal by some
of the university authorities to grant
credit toward an academic degree for
field work in the study of public ser
vice. This was one of the things
which Prof. Beard deplored.
Setting forth what Prof. Beard be-
lieved to be an essential part of the
program of those seeking to improve
t. pl bile service by securing trained
servants, the paper argued that a
larger number of the exempt positions
in civil service should be put on a
merit basis; and that the residence
qualification as a requirement for al
mission to public service be abolished
or seriously modified, thus making it
uossible for able and devoted servants
to move from city to city, or even from
state to state.
1T is the function of politics." the
paper asserted, ito determine what |
should be done, but it 10 the function I
of the trained experts to carry out the
public will with all the instruments