The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-09-03
UNIVERSITY IDEALS
OUTLINED BY FRANK
New President of Wisconsin Univer-
sity Outlines His Ideals for
Directing 1t.

Madison, Wis. - With keep
ing of the University Of Wisconsin "a
genuine home of learning that will at
tract and hold great scholars" as his
aim, DR.. Glenn Frank, the new presi-
dent, today declared:
Il am here and am eager to get to
work This is really all have to
say"
DR.. Frank gave an outline of his
ideals for the University, however, at
the same time declining ito speculate
on the future policies" He viewed the
University as a cooperative enter
prise "in which the whole state must
shared ca 81
Statement follows: Is
81 am here. and l am eager to get
to work. This is all l really have to
say. And suppose 1 should let it go
at that. | realize, however, that this
is disappointingly colorless state
mept to make upon arriving to as
sumo the presidency Of the University
of Wisconsin. And l do not at all
resent insistent cross-examination by
the press in it's desire for a more
richly detailed interview l was still
an editor only three days ago. So
know the reporters itch for good copy.
Professional lienality to the craft /
am deserving might prompt me to spend
this first day in. Madison in efforts to
devise colorful interviews. But sober
second thought. tells me that the best
copy i can provide for the press of
Wisconsin will depend less on what
say now than on what do later on.
"And, anyway, as far as discus
sion of the problems and policies of
the University of Wisconsin is con-
cerned, / am in exactly the position
was in last May when l accepted
the presidency.
cat that time / declined to speculate
on the future policies of the univer-
sity because it is, in my judgment,
inconsistent with the nature and needs
of free university to assume of
policies can or should be determined
by the private opinions and personal
desires of the president alone.
Must be Democratic.
eff democracy is to be more than
a mere windowdressing for disguised
despotisms of purpose and procedure,
the policies of a free university like
the University of Wisconsin, must, as
suggested last May, come out Of a
sincere and sustained collaboration of
the president, the members of the gov
erning board the scholars Of the sew
eral faculties, the students, alumni
whose minds have been flexible and
informed regarding their alma mater
and, in very real sense; all the
people of the state and those who
represent them.
"This democratic approach to the
administration of a university is no
automatic guaranty OF wise and effec-
tive action. Nor is it always the east
est. way calls for high quality of
craftsmanship on the part of all con-
cerned when honest differences of opin-
ion arise regarding basic policies.
Now and then it slows down the
rate of progress at times when bene-
violent despotism might act with
greater promptness and precision. But
all this is part of the price we pay
democracy. And when the books are
balanced we are likely to find that the
mistakes of democracy are, in the long
run, less costly than the mistakes Of
despotism.
Eat any rate, except through q
broadly conceived democracy% CO. opera
ton; | doubt that we are likely to
achieve more than transient and in
secure progress either in the govern
ment of university or in the gov
eminent of nation.
believing this, as 1 do, I content
myself with the statement of this
purely personal point of view regard
ing the way l think policies should
be determined, deferring the discus
sion of any specific university policy,
existing or proposed, until, in the run
of the days work, am called upon
to share in that common counsel up
on which we must depend to clarity
old policies and to create new policies.