Evening star., 1918-01-18
AIMS OF NEWLY
ELECTED PRESIDENT
DR.. W. M. Collier States G. W.
U. Policy-President Wilson
Gives Thanks for Loyal
ty Pledge.
U. S. UNIVERSITY OPPOSED

The wholehearted support of George
Washington University to the govern
ment in its war on Germany is pledged
bv DR.. William NJ. Collier, newly elect
ed president of the university, IN let
ter to President Wilson.
The President has sent the following
reply to DR.. Collier:
81 need not tell you that very warm
ly appreciate your letter of December Z.
concerning the attitude of the George
Washington University and all those
associated with it with regard to the
country and its present policies 1
thank you very warmly
DR.. Collier States Aims.
A firm belief in the principle of spe-
cial training for special duties IN life IS
expressed by DIR. Collier in a statement
of his aims as president of the univer-
sity. ;,
More and more the world realizes"
said DIR. Collier. the necessity OF ex-
actness. of accuracy. OF the elimination i i
of waste, of the rejection of the imna-
terial, of special training for specinc
duties. These are the demands made
upon the universities and in the pur-
suits of life made upon the former, for
it is their duty to fit men for 1ife'S pur-
suits and for a fuller and more useful
life. The great war is daily giving US
cumulative evidence of these needs and
demands. And We realize that we must
act with vigor. and with clearness OF
aim and with directness of stroke
Opposes q. S. University.
Although DR.. Collier said it is ad-
unsurpassed facilities for educational
research in such institutions as the LII
brary of Congress, he expressed his in
tention of opposing any effort to estab-
HSh ernment-controlled national
university in Washington.
THE existing universities in Wash
ington." the new president explained,
being under denoninational control or
having limited their field of work to
postgraduate research. there is ample
room, in fact. actual demand. for a
great university, national in the scope
of its activities and in it's clientele and
in its support. but free from govern
mental control, just as George Wash
ington University. although standing
for the highest in the moral and spir-
ltual, is free from sectarian control and
influence, as we'll as totally independent
of government assistance of any kind.
Government control of a national
university. would. in my opinion, be a ma
tional peril. What would be taught
in such an Institution would depend
upon those in control of the govern
ment at any given time. Who can tell
how sudden or how subversive political
changes may be. or how erratic or in
constant national policy may become
A Russian national university under a
bolsheviki regime would be a very diff
ferent institution from one under con-
stitutional democratic control. and this
latter, in turn, would differ from a
strictly imperial university.
Sees Better Chance for Truth.
II 1t be said that the excellent re-
suits of the common school system and
of the creation of the state univer-
sites are a refutation of my argument
il may be said in rebuttal that the edu-
catlonal system Of each of the forty
elght states is Independent of all the
others. If in such system Oklahoma
errs. Michigan may correct. If Massa-
chusetts clings to old conceptions, Wis
consin can advance new ideas. The
of all. or one may be entirely right and
the other entirely wrong: but am GER
tain that the truth will be sought with
less prejudice and spoken with less fear
in such a system than in a centralized
one"
Although the university now has a
student body of 2.20O. this total could
be greatly increased in many depart
ments, DR. Collier states, if the stand
ards of the institution were lowered
1t shall not be his policy to lower
them. he said. He points out, how
ever. that the personnel of the uni
versity can be increased by more build
tngs. more equipment and an addition
to the corps ot professors.
Invites Students Confidence.
Inviting the confidence and co-opera-
tion of the students. DR.. Collier OBJ
cess of a university is measured. not
by the number of its buildings nor
the amount of equipment. but by the
efforts and ideals of its students. He
pledged his support to the students in
all wholesome college activities"
IF I were to choose~a motto for
my own guidance when I assume the
presidency of the university" said the
professor. 'it would be. Hew to the
line and cleave to the truth For the
search for the truth must ever be the
one great aim of man. and 1t is the
highest mission and the chief glory
of a university to be a leader and q
guide in this work. Prove all things
fput them to the testJ, but hold fast
to that which is good"
Announcement has just been made
that negotiations are under way by
the university to acquire an additional
plot of ground on G street near 21st
adjoining building on which the uni
yersity has just obtained a fve-year
lease. The lot is to be used in i'm
proving the appearance of the corner
building.