The Harrison times., 1915-09-04

The old question as to whether 1t Ia
an advantage or disadvantage 10
university to be placed in a city is up
again.
DR.. Frederic A. Hail. acting chan
cellor of Washington University, that
st. Louis seat of learning the remark
able expansion of which, particularly;
in its Medical Department. is a matter
of world interest, expressed when
seen. the opinion that ground for o
controversy on the subject no longer
exists.
That question was dealt with de-
cisiyeiy more than six years ago. said
DR.. Hall, referring his interviewer To
an address delivered by the univers
sity's chancellor, DR.. David F. Houstons
who is on leave of absence to serve al
Secretary of Agriculture in Presidents
Wilson's Cabinet, and to paper.
treating the subject in detail, prepared
by a professor Of the university sev-
eral months afterward.
"The points then raised in favor OF
the urban university seem to me to
gain strength with age, said DR.. Hall.
who, calling the librarian, procured
copies of the papers of which he had
spoken and presented them to hia
visitor
Or. Houston's Terse Argument
The Houston address, while dealing
primarily with another. although re-
lated, subject, includes terse argur
ment in favor of the urban uniyersity.S,
THE advantages OF city location,
for a university are obvious declares
DR.. Houston in this address. They
lie not more in the large collections OF
available books and documents and In
the interplay and friction of the minds
of the strongest men OF the nation,
and in the frequent presence OF the
great men of the world, than In tho
existence of great institutions like
courts, manufacturing establishments.
architectural monuments and under
takings, and engineering enterprises
which make 1t possible for the student,
and the professor as well. to keep
abreast of the times, and to see the
latest demonstrations OF applied
science"
The paper pointing out in detail the
advantages Of the city for a university
Is in part as follows
To begin with the city Itself IL a great
teacher--a teacher 0f knowledge which
no formal class instruction affords. but
which every student ought 20 receive
For all diW.ons Of social scicrre.
Economies Charities aud COrrectlons
Education, GoverumeuO and the physl-
cal sciences physics Chemistry. Bngt-
uear,ng the city best contributes tia
material needed by the student Some
OF these studies are scarcely possible out
side of a city Poverty crime, and vice,
and the means Of dealing with them, can
not be studied from books alone; tho
student must observe the facts at frat
hand and these he can find only In
great town--there only can he find la
sufficient numbers, living In their own
districts the classes OF people TO be
studied and also the institutions for re-
lieving them.
The life OF the city with Its sharp
contrasts OF rich and poor, has seen
thought the chief danger OF our FREQ
government. II the study Of these sub
jects IL to be OF practical use. that study
must take place in the midst OF these
puzsling and troublesome facts.
In many subjects OF study. the IL
braries OF the city supplement the library
OF a university. Large libraries nearly
always specialize more or less; one In
we'll supplied with certain books which
others lack. The presence In a oity OF
number OF large libraries IL, therefore,
a considerable advantage TO the uni
versity