Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-07-25
College Control Menace
Impressed by Hub Prof

Cambridge, Mass, July 81 "a. P)-
Cooperation between national socie-
ties representing college teachers on
the one hand and college administra-
tive officers on the other as means
of arriving at better understanding
and better methods in American COL
leges and universities is suggested by
Professor Harry w. Tyler. Professor
Tyler is head of the mathmatics de-
partment at the Massachusetts In
stitute of Technology and secretary
of the American Association of Uni
versity Professors.
Referring to the recent enforced
resignation of President Alexander
Meiklejohn of Amherst College and
the resignation of several Clark Uni
versity professors accompanied by
statements protesting against the
methods of President Wallace W. At.
wood, he says:
These events cannot be regarded
as merely local in their significance.
Quite regardless of the faults or mer-
it's of individuals is there not reason
to infer that the events are merely
symptoms of some more fundamental
defect in the organization of our
higher institutions?
The four groups involved in univer-
sity management, Professor Tyler
says, are the trustees, the faculty, the
alumni and the undergraduates. The
trustees are usually Somewhat
averse to Innovation. Members of
the faculty may have become critical
rather than constructive or cooper
alive. To certain faction OF the
alumni athletic victories are the
chief aim and glory of alma mater.
The undergraduates are "eager for
new ideas and leadership, not always
just in their sense of proportion as to
activities and scholarship and liable
to be exploited by those most inter-
ested in commercialized athletics.
Remarking that the college presi-
dent is expected to make more or
less successful appeal to all these
groups. Professor Tyler says:
There are probably such supermen
(f not in presidential captivity but
the chance of discovering one for n
given place is well nigh neglible.
The difficulties which arise are main
ly due to the fact that the business
management and the educational
conduct of an institution continually
overlap. In numberless matters of
great Importance best results require
CO. operation of trustees and faculty
or of both with alumni.
Under present conditions in this
country each institution is law unto
itself. Interesting and valuable ex-
periments are easily tried here. and
there but with no certainty Of per-
manence or imitation.
1.-THE way out to a better under
standing and better method necess-
arily lies ultimately with the individ-
ual college but much will depend on
organized and concerted action. The
possibility OF this now rests in such
national societies as the American
Association of University Professors
on the one hand, representing the
college teachers. and the Association
of American Colleges. the Association
of State Colleges. etc, on the other,
representing administrative offices
and to some extent trustees. Through
the cooperation of these bodies it
should. for the first time II, our edu-
| cational history. be possible to deal
with a national problem in a national
way, establishing standards which
may count on progressive acceptance
by the colleges.