The Harrison times., 1915-09-04


The world-famous Washington Uni
yersity medical group, at st. Louis, is
shown by reference to an address de-
iyered between six and seven years
lgo by Chancellor David Franklin
Houston, now on leave of absence to
serve as Secretary of Agriculture in
President Wilson's Cabinet, to be
realization, in part, of vast plan out
lined in that address, which, although
delivered before the Commercial Club
Of st. Louis, was really in the nature OF
an inaugural.
"A University for the Southwest
was the subject Of the address, the date
of the delivery Of which was October
81. 1903, and the hearers of which in
cluded most of the city's ultra-wealthy
men, from among whom obviously
must come the bulk of the money for
whatever extraordinary extensions
Washington University might make.
Dr., Houston pointed out courageously
how those men Of millions seated about
him could help to produce for this sec
zion of the country real university
something which many of them sup
posed st. Louis already to possess, but
which DR.. Houston insisted no South
western city, st. Louis included, had
yet acquired. Said he;
No great university can be built up and
sustained unless the university can Sc
cure and keep a fair number of the
strongest. greatest. most creative and IN
spring Of the worlds teachers and tr-
vestgatOrs.
Much Money Needed.
To DO this requires much money, high
salaries, not because any great man IN
this. any more thar In any other sphere
works for money. but simply because
money means relief from worry ana
command over necessary implements; IN
short, means efficiency
Men OF real creative genius are rare
and dimcslt to get, and really cannot be
paid. but when you get them-when you
secure a Huxley, a Pasteur Tyndall
and a Koch--you have university the
problem Is solved.
But much more is required There X
need Of great laboratories ana hDratleS
and money for operating expenses. AN
eminent German scientist, when asked
for his idea Of a university replied that
il was a laboratory and bank account,
and another said that II he were gong
TO build a university and had large tunds
he would FIRST elutp. q laboratory. an1
then II his money held out he night
GREAT A building aud then II he had a
surplus me might employ some profess
0rs, II he were sure Of their capacity
St. Louis the Logical Location.
Regarding the Pritchett report to
the Carnegie Foundation, DR., Houston
said
would not agree with Or. Pritchett
as 10 the necessity for the elimination
of the undergraduate college. such
colleges will continue for long time
TO come 20 be characteristic lea-
uIre OF American universities, dlStin-
gushing them especially IRON the
German II IL requisite only that
these colleges be 80 organized as 10
preyent them ultimately from croWdlng
out the professional and graduate schools
aud preventing the development OF true
university spirit.
But | do agree unreservedy With DR..
pritchett that Il would be OF immense
value to tho educational system OF the
country II few more institutions dolns
e(Iectiyely strong work OF real university
grade were developed, and would, with
eauai confidence, express the opinion that
IL would be OF more value to the eduoa-
tlonal interests OF the country II onc
were developed here on existing founda'
tions than anywhere else In the nation
and that u IL not probable thet any ~,
stltution elsewhere In the Southwest VII
aatlafy the need