Omaha daily bee., 1922-03-20
University
Expense Is
2 Million
lo,l Of Operation Includes
Running of Agricultural
College and Other State
Branches.
Question Vital to Public
By PAUL GREER.

4 vital question is: How good an
education do the parents Of Ne.
hraska wish their boys aud girls "a
Lave? When politicians start cut.
ting expenses. the first place they
turn is likely TO be the schools. To
the extent that there is waste in Ne
hraska's educational system there Is
no doubt that the people will be with
them. but no farther.
Oi all the states, only Iowa has
Smaller per cent OF illlieracy than
Nebraska. 'Since 1917 the increase
in common school education has been
l0S per cent: that III university cd-
ueation. so per cent. This has cost
a great deal OF money-more than
any other public activity.
The capstone OF civilization IN Ne
braska is the state university. Look
ed at in the aggregate the appro-
priation OF $2.0o2.927 for this purpose
last year seems large. Receipts from
federal funds and from the earnings
OF such activities as cattle feeding
at the agricultural college, the serum
plant and the college caieterias
brought the total stun handled by
the board OF regents close 10 $1,000
900. The item OF fees collected from
students, amounting 10 Sl27, 900, de-
serves particular attention.
Legislature Made Cut.
The special session OF the legisla-
ture cut S267 900 from the operating
revenue. The response OF the uni
yersity authorities TO the emergency
was prompt. and the cost of main-
tenance is now running To,OO0 less
than last year. The number OF em-
ployes in the power plant has been
reduced by one-third. more than SlZ,
600 worth of coal has been saved,
there are fewer janitors and night
watchman, and building operations
aud repairs are being held at mini
mum. Instead OF cement, walks arc
being made of cinders, rooms are lett
unpaintcd and some old shades re-
main hanging in the windows. Bet
ter organization OF the purchasing
department is also telling. Many OF
the professors are teaching more
classes, and expansion has been cur
tailed.
1t is natural that taxpayers should
look at the few acres OF colldge
campus downtown in Lincoln and
wonder how so much money can be
spent in such small place. The
answer is that it isn't. Out a few
miles in the country is the state
farm and the agricultural college.
The voters OF the state made a cost
Wv mistake when they voted to keep
the two educational plants separate,
thus nccessitating a certain amount
OF duplication. However, the eN-
penses Of the agricultural college are
paid out OF the university budget.
About two-fifths OF the money appro-
priated for the University OF Ne
braska is spent in agricultural activi-
ties. Part of it goes for extension
work and part for experiment sta.
tions. There is an irrigation school
at Scottsbluff with nine pupils, an
agricultural school at Curtis which
is rsed in lieu of town high school,
and a fruit farm at Union. Other
educational foundlings left on the
doorstep of tho university are at
North Platte and Valentine. .
Also Supports Hospital.
The university is further charged
with the legislative references bu-
1eau, the conservation and soil sur
vcy, and the state hospital at Om-
aha. which receives charity patients
from every county in the state. The
newest activity is trade school for
crippled soldiers run in conjunction
with the federal government. The
Turn to Page Two, Column Seven.)