Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-02-18
THE COWNSMAN
The University

-" University - which should mean Penn
sylvania to all true Philadelphians. We are
about to turn the leaf, II not to close com
pleted volume and take up another Of which
we know not yet even the print. The spec
tacle Of an honored scholar, who has laid
his time, his opportunities, his health, his
all on the altar of service to the University,
SO wearied, SO worn with his thankless task
that he must seek retirement at the age. Of
sixty five, Is in no way pleasing to contem-
plate; for there Is no other reason for this
step. Those who know Edgar +. Smith
know that he would 60 further were 1t in
any wise possible In England man OF
sixty five is in his prime, and men over
seventy have governed the empire. Here we
kill our willing servants, too often with tasks
which are not theirs.
TNHE primary function of the provost or
a president of great university in leader
ship In education. His is the hand that
guides, prunes, fosters; the eye which fore
sees. And the countless educational prob
lens Of this unsettled and difficult time are
in themselves enough for any one mans at
tention. e A second important function OF the
head of great university is scholarship;
not scholarship viewed more or less sympa-
thetically from afar, but substantial attain.
ment in science or letters, eminence achieved
by the paths in which academic men walk,
and a recognition in that scholarship which
shall bring honor to the institution which he
heads. And third no less important func-
tion of such leader is the power to use
men, to keep them banded together, happy
and contented in great service, thus uniting
and knitting the institution into an organ
ism, alive, effective and adjustable.
DEYOND these three important functions
- and what s.contained within their elastic
bounds, nothing more should be demanded of
any such leader in education. Least OF all
is it reasonable, or profitable in any large
sense, to take him from these functions and
put him to the pitiful job of raising money
on which to ,subsist. The Gownsman con-
fesses to feeling of shame and humiliation
when he thinks of the honored head of this
great University Of ours waiting at the doors
of politicians, hat in hand, for their aims
wherewith to live two years longer. Doctor
Smith would not have done such thing for
himself. Nor did he do it at the expense of
his other functions which he strove honor
ably, SO far as man may, likewise to fulfill.
No wonder he is wearied, no wonder he must
have rest, and we, who love him, lose him.
Do we choose an architect for an important
building, or an engineer for a great bridge,
or a conductor for an orchestra, and then
take the architect from his plans the engi-
neer from his specifications, the conductor
from his baton to raise money? Mr.. Sto-
kowski conducts the orchestra, not million;
dollar drives. But the provost has conducted
the University, fulfilled diligently the duties
Of his chair of chemistry continued investi-
CATION a scientist and besides financed the
University with what assistance-or lack
thereof-is notorious.
THE University Of Pennsylvania is at the
- forking of the ways: rather, it has al
ready proceeded along one of the forks and
can scarcely return. Unquestionably, the
enormous expansion in education, its popu-
larization and the many new claims upon it
have brought us very many difficult prob
lems-among them that of finance. And our
inability or unwillingness - to solve this
last problem on the basis of the old conditions
has thrown us now into the position of men,
dicants for state aid. Now there are two
ways of looking at this. We may say, as
some of the Oldest some time friends of the
University are saying: "Oh, what's the diff.
ference? With women and everybody else
getting educated out there, I'll send Jack to
Yale or Princeton" And Jack goes to
Princeton or to Yale and in due course of
time, dads money goes after him. On the
other hand, there are those who feel that
In a democracy, such as America purports to
be, equality of educational opportunity is
the birthright of the people and that uni
versity is not university il it shut its doors !
to any who can profit by its courses.
L functions it is clear that the state is our
nJxy ox,l kk.A l.
we must be given of right what we have sued
for so often in forma pauperis. The Gowns
man does not know that it has been the de-
liberate policy of those who govern the Uni
versity to throw it into the arms of the state.
The same result would have followed n
policy of deliberatiOn. Neither Princeton.
Yale nor Harvard has found it limos ,ible
under similar general conditions to finance
the situation so as to preserve those
older conditions to which many profess IN
look back with regret. And it is not suffi-
eient to explain the poverty of Pennsyl
vania's alumni. 1t is preposterous OH its
face that the all but wealthiest state in the
Union is so devoid of moneyed men who
really care for education that they will let
Pennsylvania become n state college. unless
such is really their wish. And If that is their
wish, as they have themselves refused To give
why wall about it and leave the Up;vers;tv
neither supported by the state nor pr;.
vately?
A GREAT university Is an honor To anv
"A state; an honor to these associated with
it. But honor carries with il obligations
and these, disowned degenerate into dis,
honor. Whether Pennsylvania remains n
private institution, administered by prac-
tically self perpetuating board of trustees.
or becomes the head and crown of our pom
ular system of education, it will have to be
financed In some other way than by a semi
annual lobby dancing attendance at Harris.
burg. Perhaps there is small choice between
King Log and King Stork. Under the latter
rule there will be at least activity. Let Ma
manumit the next provost from the raising
of money. There are some other problems
over there; for example, How shall ws
teach 10000 students where 5000 would be
too manyT But that is another matter.