The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-10-12
MARKING TIME IN The UNIVERSITIES
Some Effects Good and Bad Of Greatly Reduced Resources
By WILLIAM MAC DONALD
Lecturer on Government in the University OF California

! sary Ia adjust lie burden by Offering
: less graduate instruction.
; The call for troops. the widened op-
; prrtunitic3 for scientific or relief work
/ IN connection with the war, and the
! ullurementS OF business career when
! men are III demand. inevitably combine
/ to lessen The apncal of any graduate
study that Is not strictly professional;
i for the bird In the hand ia prorrrbiall:'
worth Two in the bush. Study at foreign
universities has already been 'almns:
wholly cut off BY tho war. and the an
nuuncclment has JUST been made that
the Rhodes scholar ships for the United
I States are TO be suspended 80 far as
new appointment are concerned.
Nor arc the universities likely TO
make much progress with the important
problems OF educational organization
which still await solution. ii Is no
time for urerhauling the curriculum VI
| changing the entrance requirements
and these favOr!te diversions Of facul
| Ties had best he put aside until peace
| returns. With large numbers OF teach
ers called into the national service It
Will be no time. either. to reorganize de-
/ part ments or make permanent promo
i lions
Patriotism. not 70 speak Of self-'n-
terest. dictates hat tho pisces OF mon
who have gone shall he kept open To-:
them until they return. or until II is
definitely known thai they will not re-
, turn. even # the organization Of depart
ncnls suffers Il hilly from their alb
Rcnce. The question OF continuing the
salaries. IN whole Or In part OF abscn;
members ct a faculty Involves some
/ financial burden. o. course, and has al
ready been rarinusly dealt with by uni
SrrsIric,. but whether salaries arc KEEP.
on or not. there is Il clear moral ohlISa-
tluu to preserve for an enlisted protns-
sor al opportunity to resume his teach
ing after the war II he wants to do So
Obviously. however. the institution
which accepts tEYi obligation cannot
make many appointments during the
war,
In all these ways. accordingly. our
colleges and universities mutt be con-
! tent 20 mark time. With professors
going and coming In unwonted ways.
with the number Of men students de-
creasing and the number OF women stu
dents increasing. with extraordinary
emphasis laid for the timc-being on
practical courses. and with funds i'm
| paired. the exact lines along which
growth Will run III the immediate future
will only gradually emerge.
II - not wholly misfortune how
ever. that the minor problems or growth
| or administration should be temper
arily ehe!vcd. Tor By shelving Thorn thu
universities VII DO able 10 devote their
! powers better to the attainment Of the
one vershadowinG end. namely. winning
| the war. TO tho winning OF tho wa.
] with ali that tho winning Of the war
implies. every educational resource OF
the nation needs To he devoted.
! The college, or university that brings
! everything 10 b-nr on that one gre :
purpose will have It's reward IN public
esteem. and In The ultimate Strengthens
| ing OF tho financial and other resources
i which for the moment are straitencd.