Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-06-24
Echoes of Rockefeller Speech
Reverberate Among Educators

Educational circles are reverberat
ing with comment, favorable and un
favorable, on a statement made by
John D. Rockefeller, jr.. at the com
mencement of his alma mater, Brown
University. Discussion centers about
this sentence from the Rockefeller
speech:
To-day the majority Of the students
go to college for a good time, for so
cial considerations, or to fit themselves
to earn money. The idea of service
to the community is no longer the
chief consideration. 1t would seem
therefore, that under these changes
conditions the student might properly
be expected to pay for the benefit he
receives"
Characterizing Mr.. Rockefeller's re
marks as "a thoughtful presentation
of one of the greatest administrative
problems confronting our endowed col
leges and universities" the Providence
Journal sees this problem as mot fol-
one college, but for ALL" and adds: AZ.
there were cooperative action for one
generation in following Mr.. Rookie
feller's advice. education in our pri
vately supported colleges and uni
versities would be on vastly soundel
nnanclal 1ootlng.
Because the college financial situa
ton is what it is, the Pittsburgh Sur
directs a glance of sympathy toward
the college president, saying that he
has to be "a combination of master
salesman, wizard of finance, COM
handing administrator. lofty scholar
and unfailing optimist, in other words,
a Henry Ford, Alexander Hamilton
Ebert Gary, Emerson and DIR. Coue
all rolled into one." In other words
as things are now, observes the New
Haven Register, the universities are
faced with IAN increasing cost of pro.
duction, with no corresponding in
crease Of the selling price of the COM
modify" because the "cost Of opera.
ton of colleges and universities has
risen materially, owing to the lower
ing of the purchasing power of the
dollar. Meanwhile, the price Of tut
ton. has not been raised in proper
ton"
OF the students who could easily at
ford to pay the increased cost of tut
ton, the Springfield Republican says:
"They cause the expense Of running
colleges to mount to the dizzy figures
that shock Mr.. Rockefeller. They de-
mand palatial dormitories. They
raise the standard Of living for every
student matriculated. They introduce
every last luxury and substitute a
modern country club atmosphere for
the old campus idealism.
Contending that latter all, It Is the
right kind Of students and the right
kind of teachers, rather than elab-
crate physical equipment. which make
la. % 6n a ~ q
City Post believes that IF such a col
lege can be created by means or Mr..
Rockefeller's suggestion, then the
quicker it is adopted the better"
The Toledo Blade, Atlanta Consti-
tuition and South Bend Tribune find
much merit in the Rockefeller conten-
ton, the last named favoring elimina-
ton of 'twell dressed drones." and the
Constitution emphasizing student loan
systems as likely to renew the dispo-
great funds"
Telegraph criticizes the financier's
stand, and cites the number of re-
cent endowments and gifts" to show
that '-Mr. Rockefeller's opinion is that
of an individual rather than Of any
considerable number Of those able to
give generously"
While conceding that "the rising
cost of advanced education persists in
raising the distressing question
whether 1t Is worth to society what
society pays for it." the Wall Street
Journal sees no objection to the stu
dents who go to college Ito fit them
selves to earn money" Remarking
on this point in Mr.. Rockefeller's ad-
dress, the Journal says: Without
stopping to inquire whether this high
disdain for earning money was inner
tied along with the means of indulg-
ing 1t. one might ask whether the col
leges can ever safely ignore the prep
aration Of the student for sslf,suppoxt,