The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-14

perform, no greater service he can
render to his community than that NJ
thinking Alright, and no greater obi.
cation can be placed on the commun-
ity than that of teaching young men
to think rightly.
Universities DO Promote Thought.
THAT is the function Of the uni.
versities. They can and do promote
progress in thought which is ra-
tional, solid and enduring, instead OF
those attempts at over hasty gen.
civilizations and superficial theories
which lead to establishment. A
modern community could afford to lose
almost anything rather than its cen.
tres of learning.
And that is why the colleges and
the universities of the country are
justified In turning, indeed must turn.
to the public for support.
"Is there any particular reason why.
at the present moment, when such
great and various demands are made
from other quarters, unusual sup
port of this sort should be granted
is there any reason further than that
general reason which always exists?"
l asked.
Eyes, there is such a reason. In
fact at the present moment the ma
TONS institutions of the higher learn.
ing are in a very critical situation
said President Lowell, sowing to the
change In the value of money and tbs
increased cost Of living.
1.-THE increase In the output Of gold
during the last score or more Of years,
followed, as it has been during the
war. by the adoption of paper basis
for their money by a large proper.
ton of the nations, has so deprecated
money that 1t has shrunken to some
thing like one-half its former value.
From this the universities are es-
pecial sufferers. In industrial life,
to the wage earners at least, the Diff
ference has been made up to some ex-
tent by increased wages. The en-
ployer of labor in turn meets this by
increasing the price of that which he
produces. But this is not possible
to the universities. They can meet
the situation only through securing
tIluOWultill- luSll ItSOW ca
are mainly their income from endow.
ment. But a small part Of their in
come is supplied by the tuition feel
paid in by thor. students and If thea
| are to be raised then there will be
| excluded from the benefits of the ed
ucation which they offer the ambi-
-tious boy, without means, to whom
we owe, as we do to all youth in
whatever circumstances the opportun-
ity for the utmost development Of his
natural abilities.
| Professor Never VIII Strike.
professors never will strive for
higher wages, in the first place be-
cause they know that the resources OF
tho institutions with which they are
connected are strictly limited and that
there are no profits from which higher
salaries can be paid; and in the second
place, because their interest is in thA
success of the institutions which they
! serve and in the services they render.
They would rather struggle and suffer
as they now are struggling and suf-
| fering and look to the public with
eager eyes trying to determine whether
1t appreciates what they are doing;
they may wonder whether 1t will be
willing to help them from its pockets
but they are, unlikely to say much
about the matter.
| But it has broad new aspects
Whether she fixes it or not, America
has become a world power and will
take a dominant position in the world
Enthusiastically, socially and politically
and we must think in international
| terms. We have ceased to occupy a
lone, isolated corner of the planet ana
have become its centre; we must sheo
light as we'll as coal, iron and grain.
Our country has been built up by
its faith in education and the position
that It takes in the world; its pros
perity and its influence in the rutws
will depend more than ever before on
it's accomplishments within the realms
, of higher education. Education Is az
pensive and the higher it goes the
more expensive; but it is not luz
ury, it is worth all that it costs
| Should shape Character.
Upon the institutions OF the
higher learning, too, depends, or
| should depend, much in the way Oh
! national character formation. Tnere
are two views OF the relation OF tne
institution of higher learning TO us
students: one that its duty ls liniteo
to furnishing opportunities for educs-
ton which the student may take ad-
vantage of or neglect as he sees NJ
the other that 1t is the duty or the
institution to prevail upon him as lar
as possible to take advantage OF inc
opportunities 1t furnishes and, as
part of that same duty to develop MS
sense of responsibility to himself ana
| the community. II it takes the latter
| point OF view the institution will e1er.
an influence upon the students NORA
character as upon his intellectual oe-
velopment.
1.-THE first of these points OF view
that the duty of the university
limited, to furnishing opportunities
for education, came into this country
half a century ago from Germany ana
tended to displace the old Anglo-Sa1on,
idea of responsibility for the mora
| standards of the student; but for
score Of years there has been
stronger sense in all our American
colleges of the moral obligations Oh
| the institution TO the student WIN
| goes to it for training This mas
shown itself, among other ways III
the growing desire to house the SUI
dents, which provided means anu
| indaad an ipdiapanSpbla means, lOE