New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-03-29
Gifts to Public Schools
A Plea for Endopments as ii
Private Institutions

l>TpdtC INSTITUTIONS
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: In the midst Of the numerous
drives that arc now in full swing for
endowments and funds for private edu-
cational institutions It may not be
amiss to cali attention to the fact that
our public schools are being entirely
overlooked.
Aside from the gift Of 100000 to
tho public schools of Pittsburgh by the
late Henry G. Prick and the magnificent
high school building presented by
Henry H. Rogers to his native town Of
Fairhaven, Mass, the list Of benefac-
tions to eur system Of public educa-
ton is meager, Observation-Disclosures
by men who have acquired wealth in
America and as Americans have given
largely to private institutions while
neglecting almost entirely our Ameri-
can system Of public education. al
though Americans think of America as
the home Of public spirit and public
education.
1t was quite natural that while ones
relations to his fellows were local and
concrete, benefactions for the public
good should be closely related to the
benefactor. This impulse found ex-
preston in library or hospital for
the old home town. The simple edu-
cation Of the little red schoolhouse
didn't need much ou.ytde help. Be-
fore the state applied itself to higher
education there had to be, in the ma
ture of things, an era Of endowed acad-
emies and colleges. Gradually all that
service is being taken over more and
more by the state, and new sort of
public spirit has become necessary,
with a Aner accent on the public
The public schools are in a great
measure dependent upon the teachers
for whatever success may be accom-
plished. Their training and attitude
toward their high calling are greater
determinants of what the schools shall
be than the character of the building or
the mere physical equipment. And
let me add that most Of these teachers
are trained in public schools, espe-
cially in the state norma! and teach
ers' training institutions and our civic
colleges.
Horace Mann, who set out in 1887 to
make the schools of Massachusetts and
through them those of America the fin
est in the world, had an abiding sense
of the Importance Of this fact. He made
an eloquent plea for public normal
schools; schools which would send out
apostles Of democracy to leaven
the masses of our people. Almost
Immediately the response to his
plea came from a man Of wealth.
Edmund Dwight offered to donate $10,-
600 in case the State of Massachusetts
would supply like amount. His Of
fer was gratefully accepted, and, in
1888, three normal schools were es-
tablished-the first normal schools in
America. Dwight had caught the vi
sion of better schools; he aimed to raise
public opinion to the same viewpoint.
IT this dream is to be realized we must
look to the men Of wealth and holders
Of public trust"
1t is fact which should challenge
attention that the rnunificent gifts. en-
dowments and requests of the builders
of great fortunes have done little to
allay the suspicious of those in our
country who are preaching the gospel
OF class hatred-the gospel which
thrives on the belief that our men of
wealth are not interested in the well
fare of the masses of our people. What
better antidote to this than liberal Civ
ing to the schools of the people! Gifts
to museums, libraries, hospitals and
great corporation universities are laud-
able. But they do not touch the great
masses Of the American people CLOSELY
enough.
suppose memorial high schools or
elementary schools were as many in
New York as the Carnegie libraries
Or suppose a chemistry department,
or music department, was specially
endowed in Hunter College or the COL
lege Of the City Of New York. Is there
any room for doubt what it would mean
TO the taxpayers of this city,. What
better way to perpetuate a name or
sweeten the memory of a depsrtcd
one? HENRY T. FLICK,
department OF Music, Hunter College.
New York, March rs, 1920.