Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1922-04-20
|COLVI SAYS SEND
PROFESSORS OUT
(By Associated Press)

Lexington, Ky. April 2O-CO!-
lcge professors should be sent out
before the people on every occa-
sion possible and thus acquaint
the public with what kind of men
they are'and what is being taught
in the colleges and universities.
George Colvin, State Superinten-
dent of Public Instruction. today
told the National University Ex-
tension Association. He declar-
ed that in this way the influence
and power and popularity of uni
versities everywhere could be in
creased.
There is one temptation" he
said, to which, it seems to me-:
the college professors are suscep-
tibie by reason Of their very pos
ition. Appointment by boards,
with an indefinite if not perman-
ent tenure of Office, living their
lives in the classroom. clustered
and secluded and isolated, there is
a great tendency to lose touch
with the people; there is almost
an absolute power. Sometimes
they lose the common touch. |
believe that every member Of the
faculty should be given the op-
portunity and should be compell-
ed to accept it, of appearing be
fore the people and of helping
them to solve their problems di-
rect1y.
This conference is considering
the question of extension. One
OF the most effective ways of ex-
tending the influence and the
power and the popularity of uni
versities everywhere is in sending
the members of the faculty out
int the state on every possible
occasion. The people do not
know the members of the facul-
ty; for that reason the people are
inclined to believe ISLANDERS
against the members Of the facul-
ty. Give the members Of the
faculty q chance to show the peo-
pie exactly what they are and
what they believe and what they
teach and the people will come to
believe in them and to love them
even as the student body does
now"
The state superintendent de
clared that the state would no.
have good schools until the peo-
| pie want good schools and that
they will not want good schools
until they are convinced Of their
virtue. Our obligation is to
persuade the people to accept the
truth" he said.
School people, in common with
people of other professions" he
said, rely too much on legisla-
ton. Legislation when it is ef-
fectlve at all, merely reflects pop
ular sentiment and does not ere
ateit. Lobbying with legislators
exercising political influence with
the party III power, is not Our way
out. We sometimes feel that pc
litiCianS are hostile to ed11eation-
al progress. We fail to reme1n-
Der that politicians everywhere
are governed by that which is
popular and which is powerful.
Create an intelligently informed,
insistent, public sentiment that
favors educational progress and
no politician in the state or ma
ton will dare oppose the schools
demands. 1t does not profit rs
greatly, however, to criticise leg
islatures. We must go to the leg
lslature because the legislature is
! merely the creature of the people.
We must even respect the ignor-
ance of the people. They have
ali absolute right to be opposed
to education until they have been
taught. There are communities
in every state in the union that
have never known an efficient
school or a strong teacher. Tudo-
ing by their own experience, they
have q right to question the value
and virtue of schools" He advis-
ed that the support Of the people
be sought and other things vii
come.
Colleges and universities thru
out the nation are being attacked
at present, he said, some Of them
seeking to array the church
against the school. The church
and school are not in irreconcili- |
able conflict he added charges
that ARE made against universi- !
ties and colleges are due to mis- !,
takes sometimes on the part of |
an individual teacher, but for the
most part to misunderstanding
md 1a7icif7 form n + ion -