The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-05-25
Pensacola Boy Writes of University
of Florida and It's Possibilities

interests of the south in competition with
such education and training and such In
teiIiRence as this? There is but one
chance under heaven for US and that -
to provide here, at once, Sun Detter
| and more thorough system OF education.
Remember that this work Is all new,
even in these states, and has begun to
show it's results only during the last few
years. These results are Rs YET small
las compared with what they soon win BE-
to begin seriously to plan for education.
not heaven itself can save us from per-
manent serfdom.
But the direct beneficial effects of
the University of Wisconsin upon the
economic development of that state only
begin with agriculture. In the same way
this university ministers to all those in
dustries of that state which demand high
Ell cheering skill, whether this be as civil,
mining, electric, hydraulic, or chemical
engineer. Likewise the departments OF
Law, economies. chemistry and education
provide the state with experts in these
lines
Many of the good citizens Of Florida
Though favoring the PRONUNCIATION Of
higher education by the stat think that
Florida is spending more perhaps than
] she ought. From survey, taken in
1917, OF n average group o% our state
institutions for higher lpearning, the
bureau of education reports that $275 is
the medium per capita cost. While it ~
impossible to determine arbitrarily what
the per capita cost should be-. yet it is
| suggested by this survey and previous
ones made by the u. s. bureau of educa-
/ ton that $275 might well be made a
suitable figure for comparison. AS stat
ed in a previous issue OF The Alligator,
| the per capita cost for the University
Of Florida is about 1910. or sos below
the average per capita cost OF other state
institutions. The qunality and economic
worth of education to the state can only
be increased by further expenditures and
as illustrated in Wisconsin greater ap-
preparations for higher education bring
about economic and Industrial return
in almost geometrical proportion
J The Florida institutions for higher
have had wonderful growth and have
i just begun to affect the state to any
great extent For the condition and
wealth of the state they have been sup
ported very literally. but not too liber-
| ally as shown by the per capita cost
i The fact of the matter is that the Uni
versity of Florida has been giving the
ss.me education as the other colleges have
at a much smaller cost But can this
continue? The many gifted professors
| nave been .toiling willingly and unceas-
ingiy- for many years at salaries much
below the average, believing that their
work was being appreciated and forget
ting the pecuniary reaurn in their zeal
for their work. The war, however. has
changed conditions. Prices for neces 81
ties have gone up. and the professor
with a family finds himself unable TO
I've on the scanty recompense given byl
the University of Florida. Can you blame
him for going elsewhere to get a living
wage? Besides not earning more than
the average citizen, he has many EEK
tras that fall to the care OF the college
professor He is always the first one 10
| be asked for contributions and SUBJ
scriptions for student activities cam
! paigns. charities. etc, and, being
public spirited citizen and an example
he is always the first one to respond.
. his approximately amounts to about one
sixth of his salary.
SO much for the professors themselves
Let us consider the new equipment II
/ is this that enables the professors 20
Keep up with the constant advance If
the sciences and instruct the students In
The same 1t Is the equipment that en-
ables the professors by research to ere
ate invent and produce new ideas and
objects that win be of practical value to
! the state. Equipment and laboratories
1 for experimental re provided for the va
! rious departments of the state instfut-
tons In many of the northern and west
ern states. and, as a result, the states
/ themselves have reaped manifold
monetary return in Increased production
and Improvement in various lines of en-
deavor.
/ 1t is folly not to accept a new fnstr,,-
ment of progress which is In theory
good and when practice bears out the
theory. Practice in other states shows
4 tfat higher education brings an actual /
most profitable money return, and more
than pays for itself Lack of money is
the obstacle to the progress of the Uni
versity of Florida. Give 1t the money
and the return is sure. There is no risk
Whatsoever.