New-York tribune., 1921-03-06
Oppose Making
u. of p. a State
Institution
Representative Alumni Go
OH Re- cord Against
Proposal to Change the
Status of Alma Mater
Prefer to Raise Fund
Want Committee Appointed
for Conference Regard
ing 10 Million Endowment

The Associated Pennsylvania Clubs,
representing tho great body Of the
alumni of the University of Pennsyl-
vania. yesterday went firmly on record
in opposition to the proposal Of the
faculty and others to transform their
alma mater into state institution.
While favoring the continuance of
state aid in the nature of an appro-
priation during the next two years, the
conference held at the Hotel Pennsyl-
vania made clear its desires eventually
to see diminished and severed any ties
Of independence that might upset the
traditions of the university as private
seat of learning.
The sentiment of the alumni was
contained in resolution introduced by
George w. Wickersham. former Attor-
ney General and an alumnus of the
class of 1880.
The resolutions, unanimously adopted
following long discussion, in which
sponsors of the state control idea par
ticipatcd, set forth:
That the only proper and safe policy
of the university, in the interests of
sound education and the maintenance
of high standards, is to continue the
independence of the institution under
its present charter and to avoid further
subordination to state control and to
diminish as speedily as possible reli-
state.
THAT the trustees be requested to
appoint committee with whom COM
mittce Of the alumni can confer con.
corning the raising of an endowment
fund OF 100000. That the trustees
request from the state appropriations,
particularly for the maintenance of
the hospitals, the graduate school Of
medicine and the school of education,
institutions which arc not necessarily
connected with the university and
which properly should be supported by
the state.
THAT the trustees consider limiting
the number of students and increas-
ing the entrance requirements. That
the conference dsclaim any desire to
discourage cooperation between the
university and the state in the de-
velopment of the best possible system
Of higher education compatible with
independence of the university and its
freedom from state control"
1t was evident from the outset of
the conference that the alumni and the
cold guard" were solidly lined up
against the report OF Cne committee OF
faculty representatives, which termi-
mated with the statement: "Thc main
tenance of universities by the state is
an inevitable development in the trend
of modern education, whether in this
country or abroad"
Leading the fight for the preservation
of Pennsylvania as a private institu-
tion, former Provost Harrison de-
clared
There is an insidous political in
| fuence which is inserarable from large
and increasing state aid"
The conference terminated last night
with q dinner rendered the visiting del
egates by the New York Alumni Asso-
citation. William Mcclellan, former
dean of the Wharton School, rresided,
and the speakers were Mr. Wickersham,
George Wharton Pepper and John Heis-
man, football coach of the university.
Newly elected officers of the asso-
ciated clubs are: President, Theodore
Z. Brown, of Chicago secretary, Ed
ward de May, Pittsburgh; treasurer,
! David Tracy, Harrisburg, Pa; vice
presidents, George A. Sangendorph,
Boston; w. L. Saunders, New York :;
DR.. John A. Lichty, Pittsburgh; Henry
Hepburn, Louisville; J. B. Shoeber,
New Orleans; George A. Dieterls, Gin
cinnati; Beaver W. Day, St. Paul;
George Taber, Tulsa, Okla, and Frank
de Lisle, Oakland, Calf.