Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-02-27
WASHINGTON AS CENTER
FOR NATIONS SCHOOLS
Dream of National University Will
Be Realized, E. ]. Ward Tells
Business High School.

"Washington's dream of national
university is going to be realized more
splendidly than he conceived" said
Edward J. Ward of the United States
bureau of education in an address to the
students of Business High School at
the washington's birthday exercises.
That dream is to find it's fulfillment
not merely in a post graduate semi
nary to be established within the lin
it's of the District of Columbia under
the auspices of the general govern
ment.' 1t is to find its fulfillment in
the Matchmaking of the public school
systems into one system. centered here
in Washington and fully used not only
for children's instruction but for the
continued training of youth. and as the
machinery of adult political expression
and industrial cooperation.
The soul of America is not in high
err education but in common education
The specialist, the technical expert. the
scholar and pure scientist we must
have. but the American ideal of ma
tional university is not to be reailzeo
in an institution of research. 1t Is 10
be realized in the perfection OF the IN
stitution for the general diffusion OF
knowledge the means by which pub
promotion Washington urged in his
farewell address as AN object OF pH-
mary importance.
Mr. Ward contrasted the conception
of the university that existed in Wash
ington's time with the idea OF the uni
versity that is being evolved In some
of the western states today. Wiscon-
sin for example.
THE old idea" said he. was a good
deal like that of the ancient temple OF
light. where the sacred flame was kept
ever burning: ATTENDED ny .ne aevG.eu
ton. To get its glow you had to go
within the temple walls The pilgrim
age was made by only the few. 1t was
"The modern idea of the university
may also be compared to that OF a
place of light But 1T is very dit.
ferent conception. 1t is the idea OF
an electric light and power plant
whose function is to generate illumi-
mating energy. not primarily for the
building in which it is stationed and
for the few workmen who gather
there but for the distribution of the
means Of light and power throughout
all the area it serves for the benefit
of all the people who live within that
area. So, in some OF our western com
monwealths. with the law speclncaliy
directing school boards to provide for
the community use OF the schoolhouses,
the people are making these educa-
tional buildings forums and centers OF
lifelong cooperation. For this the
university becomes the central service
station Thus. as they say. the pop
ulation is the student body. and the
whole state is the campus of the uni
versity.
How shall this heterogeneous pop
ulation bebcome the united people Of
the United States. Joined to develop
and. if need be. defend this homeland
of ours? How shall we take politics
QUE of politics and put common coun-
sci in its place? How shall we work
out our industrial ana other problems
by debate instead of dynamite? How
shall we conserve the energies OF
pleasure seeking to flower in creative
music. drama and other forms of art
instead of being worse than wasted in
dissipation? How shall We make de-
mocracy 'democ'? The Matchmaking of
public education and the organization
of the nations life in and through
this system is the way thus to bring
cosmos out of our chaos This is to es-
tablish here the head and heart quar-
tiers of the national university that
shall fulfill the dream of Washington
more splendidly than he conceived. the
national university whose student-body
is the citizenship of the United States
and whose campus is America