Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-03-28

ana INSTRUCTORS ana 4OV 0tuuouIo dHu
spends $434.00 per student per year.
Colby with a faculty Of 81. tuition Al
$4,000 and sos students. spends
reasonable economy 10 practiced In
all three Of these colleges and there
are mono in the country that give
young men and young women fairer
start in life than Bates. Bowdoin
and Colby. The University Of Maine
with tuition Of $125.00 for Maine
students and $4,000 for those from
other states, spends $495.00 per
student. and has 142 in its faculty
and administration. Based on q pro-
portionate student population the
University Of Maine has ten students
for every teacher while Bates has
fifteen, Bowdoin fourteen and one
half and Colby sixteen. The cost Of
educating q student at OrOno Is 1870
greater than the average cost Of
$34S.O0 at the. three colleges herein
named. When these figures are con-
sidered in connection with the state
ment made by the President Of the
University. that Bates Is 1870 eff1ci-
ent. Bowdoin 5000 and Colby 1929,
while his own institution is but 5000
efficient. it shows that something
must be wrong when the least eff
cient 5000 institution costs 1870 more
per student per year.
State Normal Schools
The State of Maine conducts five
normal schools, in which are enrolled
100000 per year for their operation
and maintenance. This averages
$1,000 per student per year and rep
resents the entire income. as no
tuition Is charged. All bills are paid
out Of this $1S0,000.00 and the five in
situations always are in comfortable
circumstances. There would seem to
be no good reason why the financial
conditions Of the University Of Maine
should not at least approximate those
of our colleges and normal schools, all
Of which are we'll managed and are
a credit to the State.
Endowment Funds - Internal Re-
organization
In estimating the amount to be
paid by the State as an annual ap-
preparation, it is interesting to figure
the States contribution as though 1t
were interest paid to the University
on an endowment fund. This furn-
ishes basis Of comparison with in
situations like Bates. Bowdoin and
Colby. which receive no State aid and
are dependent upon income from
their endowments. An annual APP
preparation of s250.00O.0O would re-
present the interest at S per cent. on
an endowment fund of S5.O00.000. The
endowment funds Of the three col
leges referred to amount to $780,
$4,000 and the total income therefrom
amounts to S2O4,029.OO. Consequently
the University Of Maine with $780,
10000 per year from the State would
receive more than the three other
colleges combined. and what would
equal the interest at per cent. on an
endowment fund Of $4,000. 100000. With
the additional aid it receives from the
Federal Government it should be able
to educate 1850 students where the
other three colleges combined with
out Federal Aid are educating 1912.
These comparisons are interesting. AS
has been stated the University also
receives large sums from the United
States government, a source OF in
come not available for our other in
situations and which should be suf-
ficient to provide the extra equipment
needed for it's technical courses. From
these figures l believe it properly can
be deduced that it is unwise to con-
tinue paying large sums into the
University's treasury until there is n
general reconstruction of it's educa-
tional and financial program. The
entire situation at Orono needs to be
thoroughly revised by those who
earnestly desire to have this institu-
ton placed upon a sure foundation.
10 University Justified?
The figures in the preceding para
graphs do not furnish a strong argu-
ment for lavish support Of State
University. Such support would be
justifiab1e IL the University brought
a college education within the reach
of boys and girls who could not afford
to go to other Maine colleges. In the
case before us however it costs more
to educate our young people at Orono
than it costs at any one of the three
private colleges in the State, and
they receive less in return for the
money spent upon them according to
the University Presidents own fig
ures.
Politics
It Is unfortunate that the atmos-
phere at Orono should be permeated
with politics. This produces an I'M
wholesome effect upon the minds of
the students. and gives them a false
impression not only of their own i'm
portance but of public affairs in gen
eral. Not long ago the University
paper was used as medium for
political advertisements and in it's
columns candidates seeking office
pledged to the University liberal
sums of the taxpayers money. 1t was
apparent that the purpose of this
advertising was to influence the
students and through them the voters
in their families at home to support
those candidates who made the most
alluring promises. This occurred not
withstanding the fact that on jan
uary 20, 1922, the Board of Trustees
passed a vote the purpose of which
was to confine to the Trustees the
University's activities throughout the
Legislative session. The Trustees
sought to avoid the unpleasant ex-
periences of the Legislative session of
1921, when the Alumni Associations Of
the University became very active in
carrying on an unfortunate propa-
ganda. The vote of the Trustees re-
ferred to was as follows:
"On motion duly made and second
ed it was voted that all matters per-
tanning to the presentation of appro-
priation bills to the next Legislature
be handled exclusively by the Trust
ees of the University and that this
section be conveyed to the Alumni
Association and student body in the
proper way"
Out. State Students
AS has been stated, the last annual
report showed an enrolment of 1860
students not including 16S who were
taking special courses. 100, or 10 per
cent Of the regular students come
from outside the State of Maine. The