The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-03-05
President of Board of
Regents Reports On
Investigation.
MAY HAVE TO CLOSE
Reductions in University APP
preparations Impairing
Usefulness, is Plea.

present economy program" in the
state capitol, Theodore Kronshage, Jr.,
president of the Board of University
Regents, has decided to give the facts
in series of articles to be published
in this newspaper. The first article
appears today. 1t will be followed by
other articles in quick order.
Mr.. Kronshage declares that the peo-
pie have a right to know why the re-
gents are having so much trouble in
getting a new university president,
why athletics cannot thrive under
present conditions, why students come
home with tales of overcrowding, bad
schedules and scant contact with pro-
fessors.
With facts and figures, he will show
how a peculiar system of state book
keeping makes the university appear
to cost twice as much as it does
that of every university dollar spent,
only So cents comes from the state.
Mr. Kronshage has the facts, not
only because of his situation as head
of the University Board of Regents,
but because of his years of service on
other state boards. For some years he
was member of the State Board of
Education and before that was mem
Der of the Board of Normal School Re-
gents. Governor Blaine appointed him
to the Board of University Regents in
1921, and last July he was elected pres
ident of the board.)
The University of Wisconsin.
By THEODORE KRONSHAGE, JR.
president of the Board of Regents)
The University of Wisconsin has
been slipping. 1t is still slipping, and
want the people of the state to
know it.
Our leading educators know it. The
leading educators of the eountry know
it. "What is the matter with Wiscon-
sin? You used to have great Uni
versity This question and state
ment in various forms met me where
ever | went in our quest for new
president.
l want the public to have the facts.
I know that, among the laity, the be-
lief is still general that our Univer-
sity is what it was 15 years ago,
great, if not the greatest, state insti-
tuition of its kind.
On the other hand, know that GER
tain taxpayers, who are ever protest.
ing the cost of government, look upon
the University as an ogre of waste,
fattening on the life blood of indus
try.
l propose to tell you the truth
about the University and it's finances.
In q series of six short articles | shall
endeavor to show:
/. That the University is trying to
teach 5000 students in buildings that
were built for 1000.
No New Buildings.
2. That the Legislature has made
no new appropriations for buildings
for teaching purposes at Madison
since 1913, while adjoining states,
since 1919, have made appropriations
to their state universities ranging
from three to six and one-half million
dollars for buildings and land, ex-
elusive of hospital buildings and hos
pital sites.
8. That right now 124 full-time
teachers are needed to bring the
teaching staff up to the par of 1911.
d. That Of every dollar spent by the
University, only SO cents comes from
the state; that about Is cents of the
90 cents is spent for direct service to
the people, and only 38 cents for the
operation and maintenance of the Uni
versity proper.
5. That although the biennial esti-
mate submitted to the Legislature at
this session was pared to the limit by
the Regents, further large reductions
are officially urged.
6. That the proposed reductions
mean one of two things either the
closing of departments, or a stringent
limitation of attendance.
z. That during the past IA years the
wealth Of the people III the State of
Wisconsin has doubled or trebled. To
cite one instance, individual bank de-
posts increased from S258,955,519 in
1910 to $731, $50 in December, 1928.
8. That during the year 1924, the
people of this state spent upwards of
S188,000,0o0 on Injuries and amuse-
nents. Eight times as much was
spent for rouge and lipstick and other
articles of personal adornment as the
State, in its opulence, spent en- its
University.
Have Great University.
During a quarter Of century, Wis
cousin raised itself from compare
lively poor state to a rich one, assum-
ed a national leadership in agricul-
ture, and it's University gained inter
national renown as the University of
Public Service.
Wisconsin did such marvellous things
within so short a period that news
papers and national magazines sent
CORRESPONDENTS here to study our
achievements and to draw lessons for
other states. These writer's broadcast
this advice-"For progress-strength
en- your State Universities" And 9TH
>er states did.
While these great neighboring in
stitutions flourish, shall our University
crumble and decay? President Birge,
who is drawing to a close 80 years Of
distinguished service to the state,
spoke in part as follows at recent
legislative banquet:
"The weakening of an institution by
inadequate buildings Is q relatively
slow process, especially If there Is a
sufficient operating income. But the
measures before the Legislature re-
duce the annual income Of the Univer-
sity far below that Of the present year
Threatens Closing.
eff this measure passes, there Is
only one way to meet ito close
schools or departments for which the