Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-03-28
= LUeRIcANT-NoT A LAXATIVE

very different from informing the
| people as to what the University is
doing and stimulating an interest in
higher education. both of which are
| desirable and form a part of the
duties Of college authorities.
1t would mean much to the entire
State if the University's situation
could be clarified for it is not helpful
to have the Legislature biennially
torn by discussions between those
who have the University's welfare at
heart, but who honestly differ as to
what should be done to properly
maintain it.
Economies to Be Practccd
AS an example of expenditures
that in my opinion are not justifiable.
is the $4,000 per year appropriated in
order that the president may carry
on certain experiments upon several
! thousand rats and mice. Apart from
the fundamental difference of opin :
ion as to the value or propriety of
such work. and l protested against 1t
| from the BEGINNING. 1 believe these
J experiments will not be approved
| generally, at least while the financial
affairs of the University are in their
l
| Also considerable saving can be
made in eliminating certain courses
that are not well attended. and in
| consolidating the work of certain
professors and instructors whose
teaching hours per week are below
what reasonably can be expected of
them.
Budget Estimates
| It should not be overlooked that
| the institution actually has lived
| within the appropriation that the
State made for it two years ago, for
| at the end of the year it had a cur
rent operating surplus of s12,163.12.
| Notwithstanding the statement made
by the President of the Board of
| Trustees in his annual report that
| the utter inadequacy of the States
appropriation forced the University
administration to drastic and stingy
methods" l believe that apart from
the necessary repairs on the build
ings, the University ought to be able
to live very close to the figures given
| in the 1923 Budget report.
Repairs on Buildings
! Extensive repairs on the University
buildings are needed for they must
be put into proper condition. 1t
would seem to be in accord with
sound business judgment immediate
ly to repair those buildings. as they
are alleged to be in deplorable con-
dition. before planning the erection
of new ones. The attitude Of the
| University's president toward these
repairs is shown by a remark made
by him at our last conference. After
urging an appropriation for new
buildings he stated that "the repair
Of buildings is of least Importance"
| With such = view am not in accord.
college" Spirit
| There Is one phase OF this State
University problem that is difficult
| to explain. Those connected with a
; State educational institution. es-
pecially its alumni. seem to lack the
cooperative spirit that accomplishes
so much for privately owned insti-
tutiors. An institution of the latter
type when in debt naturally calls
| support, and seldom does it's appeal
| fail. A college OR university debt of
almost any proportions can be wiped
| out in a very few months. or an en-
dowment easily can be secured if the
right spirit prevails. In a State
owned University (for all practical
purposes the one we are discussing
is State institution it is impossible
to arouse any favorable response
when the suggestion is made that its
alumni join together and pay off the
debt or raise an endowment. In fact
the Committee of Trustees and the
President who interviewed me re-
| fused to entertain any such sugges-
ton, stating as a reason for their
refusal that it is a State institution
and everything, even the debt. must
be paid from the public treasury.
Such lack of college" spirit is dis
hcartening. If the the alumni OF
the University of Maine wished to do
so, they soon could pay off the debt
and in addition thereto could raise a
substantial endowment. This insti J.
| tuition recently received bequest of
$500 and no doubt others will he
forthcoming. all of which will help
to relieve the pressure under which
it is laboring. I believe the Uni
versity of Maine has bright future
in it's alumni. and those in charge of
it's affairs, including this Legislature,
will take the necessary steps to put
the institution on right basis.
| Advertising
| I have viewed with some missiv-
ings the campaign Of advertising re-
Gently launched by the University
authorities in the daily papers. 1t
seems to me that such program
| ulSIlNy anu oClidSlo IL Jill SiiS
prestige of the University. The best
advertisement for this University is
the young men and women it has
sent and is sending out into the
world. The ordinary forms of adver-
Using are out Of place here, and
cannot understand why the Univer-
sity needs full time publicity man.
It's students. it's. alumni and it's rec
ord speak for it more eloquently than
| can any propaganda no matter how
! skilfully conducted. The other col
leges in the State do not feel such a
| need.
Make it State Institution
Strictly speaking the University is
not State institution, but if those
connected with it and this Legislature
will undertake the task of lifting it
out of its present difficulties l should
favor establishing it as a full fledged
| State Institution. In such an event
should be willing for the State to as
sumo the outstanding debt amounting
to $217,50O.OO
New Trustees
If the University is to be taken
| over by the State, the Governor and
Council should be directed to appoint
a new Board Of Trustees and in order
that the services of experienced
members may be retained it would be
wise to provide that four members of
the present Board be reappointed, the
appointment of the four other Trust
ees to be entirely in the discretion of
the appointing power. 1t would be
well to have the State Commissioner
OF Education a member ex- officio and
this would give the University nine
Trustees. n this is to be made a
new institution. owned and controlled