Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-03-30
CLEARING THE DECKS
FOR GENERAL WOOD
Rejection by the Trustees OF the UNI
verslty Of Pennsylvania OF the Plan
70 Make Il state institution
VIII Be Regarded as Wise

THE declaration OF policy issued by the
l trustees Of the University of Pennsyl'
vania will not surprise those who have oeeh
following the course of events.
This newspaper said n week ago today in
rho course OF a discussion Of the announce
mcut that General Leonard Wood was TO
be put at the head of the institution: Ihc
decision to elect business ADMINISTRATOR
seems to Indicate that the trustees are in
clined TO make attempt to solve their
own financial problems without asking the
stotc TO take the whole burden of their |
shoulders
Their declaration removes whatever DOUBT
there may have been about the course the |
trustees are to pursue. II announces that |
the University will retain its present legal
status under its present charter and that
the board " trustees will retain full control
over the property. policy and administra-
tion Of the University.
This decision will commend itself to q
great majority Of those interested in the
development Of the University as an insu-
tuition Of higher education.
Many arguments can be- advanced IN sup
mort Of the proposition to make the tui-
vcrsity state institution. 1t cnn be said
TINT the whole educational system should
be under state supervision; that the hlVer.
sity should be the apex of the public scho"l
system and that It should be So managed
ms to provide instruction in courses thnt NJ
in with the courses that start in the prl-
mary schools and continue through the
grammar schools and high schools and are
concluded either in the collegiate department
| Of the University or in one of the protes-
| sional schools attached to It. This is what
evory svstcmatizer and caSsiher would ike
| tn bring about 1t would apply TO cduca-
,ion the principles of factory Organization
principles based on the desire to transform
| raw material into uniform nnShed product
without any waste motion.
II can be said also that tho University
should be maintained BY the stat" on so
generous n scale that it would never lack
for funds to pay its professors or TO carry
on its work in suitable quarters
Eut the trustees were confronted by
rrartical conditions which had TO be con
sidc-cd along with considerations Of the
| orctcll organization of tho "uucatlohal sES-
tenn. II the Pennsylvania politicians VINO
control the Legislature were ideaIlsts accn'-
toned to considering educational problems
on their merits and willing u permit the
cypcrts TO direct the educational work. the
objections TO turning the University over to
rho state would not be tOrcible AZ they
now arc.
PENNSYLVANIA politicians al" practical
men. They always seek a return for what
! thov givC. II they consented 10 the appro'
Driation 70 the University 0f aS much money
ms !, needs md if they pledged themselves
10 takc care Gf all its finances. they would
pqsuro, the right To diCtat" what should be
done with the money. II tho members "
its faculty should denoUncc political crook
cdness and Il in the courses IN government
they should use what happens in this htai'
aS a.. example Of what should not be done
tlc resignation Of tho offending professor
would br demandC or the appropriation
would BE- cut down that there would b'
no money 70 nay their salaries. this /
! ,.hnr hnpDpns in other departments Ut tn
Ct"~rnmcnt
The mon who d-nw pay from the "tau
r,,st work with the machin" or get out
, This Is unfortunate but it is true. There
! fore. The trustees deserve the thanks "f ever
one who would regret to SO" I'll" nlverSIt'
md, an integral part Of the state machln"
win its general policy dictated by the sam
Il man on whose word the legislators IN liar
> r'.hurr are waiting before they take an
/ / important action.
u 4 the University is 20 ron'ir'.c Unde
'n, direction Of tho trustees It mast have
largnr endowment. The trustc"N have nr
!, ,,,rdinyIv decided to ask th" committees
< r,r nI.nni to cooperate with their com
- ,,.,,nc II. raising an endowment fund Of q
: ,oo.r SO 0OU. 900 This sum is needed I
" rr,yidr income enough to cover tao prr|"p
annual deficit without any allowance tc
" cyuausion. The stat" il to be asked :
.yyllne some Of the responsibility for II
maintenance oE thos" departments close
allied with public health and general wei
fare. such ps the hospital, tn" gradSa
, 3, ,huoI Of medicine and the school Of "dirl
- t,or. The hospital i entitled 70 state q
Nv in nrcorlaurc with tho fixed pollr% fo!Iow'
W for years And the school of medicine NJ
+. the school oE education are entitled TO sta
!" aid ont ~ the general school fand II 90
Z" bc asked for with perfect Dropri"ty Will
:" ovt nuttinE the University undor any OBJ.
cations which would bc embarrassing
N If is not likely that the drive for {
Ps c,rarred endowment will begin until atc
IL tbc return or General Wood from tn" Pm
~ ;npincs in the summer. In m" meanuH,
VI. howpvpr. the committees Will p"obnb' beg
y ~ uryonizc for tho work They know tn
u" therc is money enough in tn" state to pr
vide for all the needs Of the institute
h' and that the men who own il arr in ma
a. ,oaas seeking for worthy cause on whi
'N ~ hastow some of their surplus wcalt
j. an that should be needed a. tap these
,,,rcos il 70 make il Cvidrat 10 m" NJ
icy v,irh millions that their money can he u
."e g., gnod advantage by tho University, cit,
'ru f,r increasing it productive endowment
'Ns f,r tho erection Of new buildings. II
II, mon do not wish to give their money
Wy tho nrc.ent time some OF them can be p
"a shaded to remember tho nivcrsty in IN
w. ,.iIIs an that tine good they do may
IN" og,cr ,npm for many generations, All 4
h' bouId he necessary is to state th" caSc
'r' tho nropcr quarters. Then IN the course
W II year or two the money VIII now IN rs
~ has been flowing in to the treasures Of IL
vard and Yale and Princeton unIv"rSit
in recent years.