, 1925-02-01
Education in Wyoming

The legislature returned from its visit to the University at
Laramie early Friday. What impression was made OH the mem
bers by an inspection of the university plant is unknown,
but many of the statesmen were astounded by the latest addi-
ton to the group of buildings, the half million dollar gymnas-
ium, which still requires from 100000 to $15O,000 to complete.
Yale, Harvard, Princeton nor any of the other of the larger
universities of the country have any such gymnasium. The COM
parison of Wyoming university with these other universities,
on any point except gymnasium, is out of the question. They
all number students by the thousands, whereas Wyoming has
a bare eight hundred. The concensus of opinion seems to be
that the Wyoming university authorities had their sights ee-
waited to the perpendicular. They have built a gymnasium one
hundred years in advance of the needs of the institution, and
it represents an expenditure upon which it is impossible to
conceive a return in any manner whatever. The building will
last for some years, but the upkeep will exceed the original
cost and many generations will pass, before the necessity of
such a building will be apparent. 1t seems like rotten business
judgment and woeful lack of economy in an institution that
now gets seventeen and onehalf cents out of every tax dollar
paid by the hardpressed Wyoming taxpayers, and still de
mands a great share of the tax money. The university lobby
will pay a return call upon the legislature when the appro-
priation measures are under consideration. Their needs at that
time will be for a million dollars, but being strong for econ
omy and retrenchment, they will compromise on a half mil
lion dollars. The total disbursements by the university to the
close of the fiscal year dune so LAST were 81, 079,431 81. 1t has
been frequently stated that the whole student body could be
sent to any university in the land, all expenses paid, with
two vacations home each school year, and the state would have
n neat sum remaining to its credit.
There is no disposition on the part OF the legislature or
people to cripple the university or retard its growth, but there
is no denying the opinion that prevails everywhere, that tho
university authorities should come down to earth and conduct
a school that fits the conditions and circumstances OF the times
and one justified by q state of 100000 population. The fact Is
that not only the university but all schools in Wyoming, have
gone away beyond justification in matters of expenditure of
money. If Wyoming schools are ever ruined, 1t will be on ac-
count of oil royalty. And when oil royalty decreases, which is
inevitable, in that day Wyoming schools will not know how to
act in their poverty, and If present standards are to be main
tanned, taxpayers Will have to prepare to carry the load. And
when that sad day comes there will be a whole lot less football
and basketball, and costly gymnasiums, and side lines, and con
siderably more effort to secure a working knowledge of the
famous three rs. All of which may be for the real benefit of
school children, then struggling for an education, instead of
simply hunting what is called a good time