Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-02-29
PLAN FOR A NATIONAL
UNIVERSITY OPPOSED
BY BISHOP GAMBLER

would be assembled. Does anybody
think this would be well for the people
o.. any race which may he a part of
the population OF our country"
Again. some OF the rich educational
foundations. which already are in dam
ger OF destroying academic freedom.
might exert their influence to dominate
such an institution. They might put into
il their own agents and sympathizers.
At the meeting OF the National Ed
vocational association. held in st. Paul,
Mimi. the following resolution was
adopted unanimously;
Resolved. That we view with alarm
the activity of the Carnegie and Rookie
feler foundations. agencies not in any
way responsible TO the people. in their
efforts to control the policies of our
state educational institutions; TO fash
scn them after their own conceptions; to
standardize our courses of study; and
TO surround the institutions with con-
disions which menace true academic
freedom and defeat the primary purpose
inviolable in our common schools, nor
nal schools and universities"
The educators who compose this ma
tional association are not hysterical
alarmists They see 4 real danger and
point il out with clearness and force;
and this danger would be increased a
yersIty over which these boards exerted
controlling influence.
Moreover, politicians would seek TO
lay their hands upon such an institution,
in order to promote party ends, and
PERSONAL ambitions. Such an institu-
ton would be an engine of tremendous
power. for serving an ambitious coterie,
or an aggressive party. Suppose such
a university committed itself to the
| doctrine of free trade, or to the theory
of protective tariff with reference TO
national taxation. BY such a course
it could inOculate the whole country
with its doctrines. Or. suppose ii
should undertake in the department of
law to interpret the constitution &C
cording to the views of the federalists.
Its law faculty might easily so. infect
the public mind as to work a revOlu-
ticn in the very nature of our govern
ment
Again, how would such a political in
stitution teach history? In the course
OF instruction the period of Martin
Luther would be reached How would
such an institution classify Luther
without giving serious offense to the
Roman Catholics on one hand, or Prot
estsnts on the other? What would ii
say with reference to John Knox and
I the English reformers? What would
| il say with reference to John Wesley
and his associates in Great Britain dur
/ ing the eighteenth century? No course
/ in a real school of history can omit to
consider these mighty men, and GER
-tainly no political institution has any
right to take position concerning them.
And yet again, what would such an
| institution teach in philosophy? What
| would be its theory of the human viii?
Would il side with the Calvinists or the
Arminians?
Most important of all, what would
such an institution teach with reference
TO Jesus Christ? The figure OF the
| Christ overtops everything in human
/ history. but under our system of gov
eminent no political authority is ca
pabIe of determining His place in the
| universe. If the national university
/ should teach that Jesus is the son of
| God, such teaching would give offense
TO the Jews and other Unitarians and
] many otherss If. ION the other hand,
IHis divinity were denied, -Offense would
be giSssfr 20 sdlre Roman Catholics ana
all stIle nFth odeK bodies of Professionalism
| From these and many other consld-
! erations, it is Obvious that a national
1 university is not desirable, but would
/ be. poSitively injurious. This worn
does haS belong TO the federal govern
/ ment. Ii is not impossible that the
/ federal government has already gone toe
I far with reference to educational ef-
/ forts. Certainly it would transcend Its
powers if il undertook to set up 3
national university.
Appropriations to such a schemt
would be unquestionably in violation OF
/ the federal constitution. II is to DC
feared that the members of congress
are A little careless about violating the
constitution in making appropriations
| Many Of them seem never to thlnK OIL
/ the constitution after taking the oat.
- suDnort il. But certainly we do moi
/ ,-iSb 10 promote an increase of such
. constitutional immortality"