The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1922-12-14
PRESIDENT UPHAM REPLIES

DR.. A. H. Upham, president of the
University of Idaho, on reading our
article of two weeks ago in which
we criticised the university man
agement for spending so much time
and money travelling around the
country for football games, replies
by letter as follows:
The special train to Boise, known
as 'The North Idaho Friendship
Special was not promoted or
directed by the university. This
year, as last, 1t was due to the
activity of the Moscow Chamber of
Commerce and the business men of
North Idaho who sought by this
means to create better feeling be-
tween the two parts fthe state and
to extend their acquaintance in the
capital city. Apart from the univers-
ity team and the Moscow high school
which was travelling to Twin Falls,
only a limited number of the pas
sengers were students, and most Of
these were young people from Boise
and vicinity, who took advantage OF
the reduced; rate to make visit
home. {4~ ASA
AS for my own participation in
the trip, I was enroute to the annual
meetings of the National Associa-
ton of State Universities, and the
Association of Land Grant Colleges,
both of them held in Washington,
D. G. The first of these happened
to fall at such time that was able
to go by way of the special to Boise
and thence over the Union Pacific
without consuming any additional
time or adding a penny to the cost
of the trip east. Last year I was
somewhat critized for not visiting
Boise with the Friendship Special.
This fall I was emphatically urged
by officers of our alumni and repre-
sentative citizens of Boise to make
the trip. / was invited to speak in
behalf of the university before the
Boise Chamber of Commerce and
the Boise high school. AS a mat
ter of fact, I left Boise at midnight
Friday night, and did not remain
for the game or return with the
special. I regarded the trip in every
respect as contributing to the well
fare of the university, and feel that
the contacts was able to make in
south Idaho, without adding a cent
to the expense of the trip east,
really constituted measure OF
economy. The meetings in Wash
ington are the regular annual meet
lings Of these two associations, at
which practically every state institu-
tion in the country is regularly
represented. Most Of our western
states sent as many as three repre-
sentatives to the Association of
Land Grant Colleges. ! attended on
authorization by the state board of
education as the sole representative
from the University Of Idaho.
I do not consider it advisable to
enter into the other matters in your
editorial in this connection. Some
of them deal with larger matters OF
educational policy on which there is
wide difference Of opinion and in
which we are still cropping for the
real light. Others of them indicate
considerable lack of acquaintance
with the serious efforts being made
at the University Of Idaho to ad-
vance the education Of our young
people. I am sorry that during our
recent meeting in Boise you did not
give voice to some of these convic-
tions SO that I might have talked
them over with you In detail. !
sincerely hope that in the near
future you may find 1t possible to
pay a visit to the University of
Idaho and spend enough time going
over the university with me to en-
able -us to arrive at a common
understanding of the difficulties
surrounding us here, and the sincere
effort we are always making to help
our students become the men and
women we all wish them to be.
Very truly yours,
A. H. UPHAM,
President.