The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-12-31


St. Paul, Minn.-s--Z,- Sweeping
rejection in advance of "any and all
gifts from educational foundations
is opposed by a majority of the Uni
versity of Wisconsin alumni commit
tee that investigated the gift contro-
versy.
Such a policy seems based on
"groundless fear" that academic free.
dom would be hampered, the commit
tee states in its report, made public
here by former Judge Oscar Hallam
chairman.
Appointment of committee to con-
fer with the board of regents Eat a
proper and convenient time," if >the
report is approved by the Alumni as
ISOLATION, is recommended. The com
mittee states that it deems it wise
and desirable that the alumni seek
cooperation with the board of regents
in this important matter"
The report concludes an investiga-
ton of the adoption by the university
board of regents last August 5, of a
resolution that "no gifts, donations or
subsidies shall in the future be ac-
cepted by or on behalf Of the Uni
versity of Wisconsin from any incor-
porated educational endowments or
organizations of like character"
Members of the alumni committee,
appointed by George I. Haight, Chi
cago, president of the University of
Wisconsin Alumni association, who
concurred in the majority report, are
State Senator Harry Sauthoff, Madi-
son, Wis; John M. Dodson, Chicago;
A. R. Janecky, Racine;. Karl Mann,
New York; Harry W. Adams, Beloit,
Wis; and Robert B. Dickie, North
Freedom, Wis. Mrs. Edna E. Chyno-
weth, Madison, would not join in the
report, Richard M. Runke, Merrill,
Wis, and DR.. Spencer D. Beebe,
Sparta, Wis, submitted separate re-
ports, Chairman Hallam announced.
Mr.. Runke's report, previously made
public, supported the regents action.
eve are opposed to a sweeping re-
lection in advance of any and all gifts
from educational foundations" the
committee reported. at seems to us
such policy is based on groundless
fear and is contrary to the legisla-
tive and administrative policy under
which the university has prospered
so we'll since its foundation If
danger from such gifts could arise, it
might be expected from gifts for pen
sions to instructors such as the uni
versity received from the Carnegie
Foundation for the advancement of
teaching, and yet we have heard no
claims that that benefaction which
was accepted by the legislature had
any such result.
"There may possibly be education
al purposes for which private endow-
ments should not be received. If so
we do not regard medical or scientific
research as such a purpose. There
may be sources from which the uni
versity should not receive a gift,
even for medical or scientific re-
search. We do not regard the Gen.
eral Education board as such a
source" The General Education
board was endowed by John D. Rookie
Teller.
Academic freedom" at the univer-
sity is not threatened the committee
declares. The president and faculty,
the board of regents, the legislature,
the people of the state, and the stu
dent body are tackles" with which
"any man who shall set out with the
sinister intention Of restraining
academic freedom" would have to
reckon with, it contends.
Deny Danger To School.
"To those who say that there is
danger that the giving of gifts not to
the grain of any person, but to the
cause of scientific research, will re-
strain academic freedom in the Uni
versity of Wisconsin, knowing as we
do the spirit of the faculty, the stu
dent body, those who bear official re-
sponsibility and the people OF the
state who do not, we say it can't be
DONE" the committee asserts.
The gifts which prompted the resolu-
ton of the board Of regents was a
donation by the General Education
board of $4,000 for research in
pharmacology. The gift was finally
accepted because commitments had
been made on the strength of it, the
alumni committee reports, but at the
same time the regents "to occasion to
pass the resolution above mentioned
the effect of which is that no further
gifts from this source may hereafter
be received"