The Columbia evening Missourian., 1922-06-03

rows from the preslutICy Vi thc Ch"ci
sity of California has caused muc
comment. The San Francisco Argonau
discussed the resignation in a scarchin
editorial which is reproduced in ful
though the opinions expressed are no
altogether in accord with those held b.
the Missourian: -- -'--'--'''
Upon the retirement cf DR.. Wheeler
three years ago, wide search was made
for 4 man to succeed him as the hea6
Of our State University. Experts in th'
national field of education were con
: suited, with the result :. that twenty oil
more tentative nominations wee pre-
serted to the regents A committee Of
the board made tour Of the educational
centers of the country, giving to pre-
sumptive candidates something more
than 'eace over. Several months
were consumed in these Investigations;
and in the end the balance of judgment
was favorable TO DR.. David P. Barrows,
who As dean of the University was famil.
lar with its needs and had demonstrated
his working capabilities. DIR. Barrows
was then-and is still-under fifty years
Of age. A son of California, he had sup.
plcmented studies here by periods of
postgraduate work at the East and in
Europe, by extensive travel and by exper-
iencc Of men and things. A vital, forth.
right. outstanding man is DIR. Barrows
II not great academician. he is a man
Of highly respectable scholastic attain-
ments. More than that, as head Of our
educational service in the Philippine Is
lands he had had administrative exper-
fence and had been notably successful
IN ii. Further, he had had the broaden
ing experience of military service in
posts of independent command As he
had been the first man 10 be considered
so he became the last. 1t was to DR..
Barows' credit that he made no cam
paign fer the post and that his invita-
tion TO it came unsought from the board
Of regents. Now for neatly three years
DIR. Barrows has served as president of
the university; and in this great place
nc has confirmatory evidence of charac-
ter and ability. The university has
gained respect under his hand. He has
represented it with dignity and power on
notable occasions. Individually his re-
pute. high as it was in the beginning. has
grown. Today no man in the public
service of California-or in private life
stands higher. His domestic @ environ.
ment happily meets the requirements of
his position. Yet this highly qualified
man, after service of less than three
years, finds the presidency Of the univer-
siiy untenable. There is nothing the
matter with DIR. Barrows; there must be
something the matter with Berkeley.
No man working in any sphere under
the authority Of a corporate group NAV
be successful without fuff and cordial
suppor: al the hands of his spsiisors. II
is OF the essence of administrative eff
cheney that it shall be founded in def
mite authority. There, is reasop' to Gus
pect that at this point sqnaer4ihg sshas
been lacking in DIR. Barrows' position.
lhere Is reason to suspect that individual
desire Tor domination,that tIlterior aims !
more or less secretly maintained, that un- !
worthy jealousies have more or less had !
their part in influencing the course-both |
IN acts and neglects-of the regents and |
that the efec, has been TO bind the hands |
Of DIR. Barrows. He has made no COM
plant. Even in retiring he betrays no
grievances; yet to those who have OBJ.
served the course of events with attention !
and scliciiude the fact has become evi.
dent. DIR. Banows has not had from the |.
regents the prompt and the positive sup
port essential TO his authority and to his
dignity. Indifference and neglect on
The part Of some members of the board
have left him subject to the Vaccinations
of others. Thus he has, worked. under
'nerous conditions, none the less SO be.
cause he himself has not 50 much as
limited al their existence.
Among unseen forces in the organi.
.ation and administration at Berkeley
here has long been growing in the case
'f certain influential members Of the aca.
iemic senate a mischievous feeling that
administration ought largely
% be subject to its suggestions or com.
nands. In the academic senate there
Ire those who resented the selection of
Dr.. Barrows for the presidency. They
would have resented the selection of any
nan to that post, however. qualified OF
distinguished. II appears TO be in the
la'ure OF the teaching profession 10 , OBJ {
ect TO supervisory authority. to claim
or each professor species Of cantanker.
'us independence, to protest against any
md every act on the par of whoever NAV
'e charged with duties that NAV run |
ounier to individual theories or vanities. '
Alfhough forever quarreling among
themselves. members of an academic sen. :
tie are always united in criticism of 1
PRESIDENT. especially when that official I
acks the support of fun and united I
'card Of regents. To what extent the ac. G
demic senate at Berkeley has annoyed or $
hwarted DIR. Barrows, precisely as it will I
nay itself against his successor, NAV no, 9
ehnitely be known. But one thing is I
crtain. namely. tha, in the immediate in I
lance the spirit the senate has worked d
ut in a running fire Of naggi,g. and pin. l