The Washington herald., 1920-05-13
BY stan Correspondent.

|. Urbana, Ill, May l2.-Not long
ago a professor in the engineering
department OF the University of Illi-
nois went with a big manufacturing
corporation. His going will. without
doubt, mean the loss of millions of
dollars to the public, she he be as
successful in his new field as he was
on the campus. While at the univer-
sity he made discoveries that. from
a strictly commercial viewpoint,
were worth more to the world than
all the appropriations that the State
win make to the school in the next
100 years.
There was some criticism which
Ihlt at the professors loyalty when
the scientist in question severed his
with an institution with
which he had been connected many
years. How reasonable this view
might be, may be gathered from the
circumstances connected with hts
leaving. The highest salary he ever
ATTAINED to was $1,000 a year.
While in receipt of this he was
first offered one OF $4,000. He turn
ed that down. Later on a $4,000
salary was held out as a bait. This
was raised to 100000. Still no ac-
ceptance.s Then came the kiting of
necessities where his 5000 was not
worth as much as $4,000 a few years
before. His expenses. in the mean
time had increased, and. when a GER
tain corporation made the bid of
SIS, 900 for his services. he accepted.
Loss to the Public.
Now here is where the loss TO the
public comes in. While at the uni
versity everything he discovered or
improved became the property of
all. The university, it is true, took
out a patent IL it happened to be
an invention. but only on behalf of
the people as it has never asked n
nickel as royalty. Should the for
mer professor make important dis
coVeries while with the corporation
ent, the same as the university, out
with the difference that the public,
be is represented by a railroad or a
farmer. will pay the proper fee for
its use.
In this field alone the university
seems to be justifying its existence.
The Importance of bachelors de-
gree has become less and less i'm
portant with succeeding years.
The "B. A." or the "B. s." or even
the M. A" doesn't mean nearly as
much to the graduate as the fact
that he has had a hand in discover
ing new methods of using Illinois
clays, or of lessening the destruc-
tiveness of corn smut, gagged the
Hessian fly, gotten a strangle hold
on. the chinch bug, found a different
way of using reinforced concrete, or
helped in discovering a substitute
for sugar. Standing at the head of
his class doesn't mean anything un-
less practical results can be shown.
=. Need Practical Education.
1t Is not intended, in this connec-
tion, to convey the idea that schol-
arship is not appreciated. Far from
that. In fact real scholarship is
more necessary than ever before.
There is premium on book learn
ing" but this part of the young
mans or woman's education must
lead towards accomplishments IN
practical lines, regardless of how
this tendency might be deplored.
Many people think OF the uni
versity as teaching Institution
only, a kind of enlarged high
school," said President Mckinley.
This Is a mistake. A university,
particularly a State university, is
so much more than this that its
teaching, In the ordinary sense of
the term, represents but fraction
of, its service and expense. A uni
verstty Is, In fact. clearing house
for knowledge both old and new. =.
forum for discussion Of present day
problems andf'an ORGANIZATION for
the discussion Of new truths and
for the solution Of these problems"
With this as the cue the .'expior.-
ton" of the campus began. A
building to building visitation"
brought to light that the abode Of
the bookworm has been turned into
an Intensely practical. every day
Workshop. The information was
gieaned that In rooms and build
ings, with no particularly distln-
gushing marks, discoveries had
been made worth millions Of dollars
to the manufacturer. producer, con-
sumer and the world In general.
Dircoser New Precesses.
In laboratory In one OF the en-
gineeringy buildings the inishins
touchss Is being Put 20 the new
process. Tor oOkinE coal TIme and