Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-04-22

ONLY last week candid and dsin-
" tcrestcd investigator into cduCa
tional conditions within this state ar
rived at the startling verdict that "cdu-
rationally PENNSYLVANIA has been and
still is slackcr.' Awake at last to
this drplorablc condition. steps are being
actively taken to provide alike n reform
and To extend and Correlato our state
educational system. 1t is as n part of
this larger scheme that this provision
as to state university figures. The
state must and will in the near future
| have at its head a university to crown
! and complete our educational system.
Shall it avail itself Of what already ex-
/ lists, half heartedly recognized. and
make it effective? Or shall it destroy
! by the powerful competition of new
foundation what it has already long
fOstCrcd? Shall it continue n system Of
precarOuS encouragement to many com
peting institutions? Or shall il choose
/ from among them what may prove the
| best and most available properly to
maintain higher education in the state I?
T EANING out of consideration the
1.-two other components Of Doctor
| FinCgan' constructive state university.
/ concerning which the GOwnSman feels
less competent TO speak at first hand,
. no would most CmphatiCally diSavOw
/ for himself the attitude of some as to
, this problem as it affects the University
| of Pennsylvania. the attitude in which
il is assumed that our L University is now
turning to the state in the desperation
Of last resort. The University of
( Pennsylvania is prosperous. success
full and popular institution Of learning
In scholarship it ranks among the first
in America. Neither in the rcputc of
its teachers nor in the quality Of its
student body has it dctcriOratcd. and
the only limitation upon il is that Of
a want Of sufficient nurture. Indeed
Z it> very struggle against insufficient
support has brought out its strength {:
although further t" push its growth be-
youd its equipment would certainty be
a hazardous procedure.
THE University Of PcnnSylyauia has
L gone just as far as privately IN .
dNwcd institution can go in thos" days
"f the expansion Of popular cduca,ion.
II has long served the wider claims of a
ppIVlar university while losing nothing
uf it> prestige in scholarship. ANY
4. state might we'll he proud Of it as it
,tandS for none of its foundations are
idle. Becoming an institution fo,tcrcd
by tho state, the University Of PcnnSyl-
vana will enter into the stage Of new
Hud larger usefulness, not only movid g.
ing a crown To the system Of our public
schools. but turning OUT well cuIippcd
mcu and women from It's terminal and
professional schools and harboring re-
~cnrch and scholarship in the higher
learning which will rcdound TO the
credit and thc welfare Of the common
wealth, Th, GOwnSmau wonders at
tho tear Of state control in cduration
when hc recalls its universal success in
Ancri"a wherever il has been adc
Uuatcly sustained and not neglected ms
in our own hitherto backward state.
and when he recalls that the Wanted
universities Of Germany, 50 long our OK
ample, are all supported by tho state.
It il only the uniformed who think
the successful educational system of
France anything other than public
one. and in Great Britain TO large
degree even Oxford and Cambridge are
the ObipCtS Of s6licitud" on the part Of
the rulers Of England, aud commission
is now working to bring them both
, under national control,
IN An agreement between parties a,
equal as great university in the
strength Of its success and the common
wealth Of n great and wealthy state
there should be opportunity for q
happy adjustment by way Of grant anC
concession on both sides between the
high contracting parties. For great as
: is her need, the University Of Pennsyl.
vania is no pauprr, and she has in hel
a potential growth into n further great
ness and usefulness Of which almost
anything may be confidently predicted
Rcactionarics are said to be activ,
in POmcrana. Probably training th,
| n. .,.,, to H.. 4