Evening star., 1955-01-21
EIkins Pledges New Look at u. Of Md.

The University Of Maryland,
which yesterday inaugurated DR..
Wilson Homer Elkins as its
fourth president. was promised
an intellectual new look" to-
day that will command respect,
attract recognition and justify
pride"
Amidst q dignified academic
panoply and a procession Of
robed educators. DR.. Elkins OUT
lined a manifesto of liberal edu-
cation for Maryland. in which
he declared the university must
take the lead in expanding in
tellectual horizons" by fostering
scholarships and research.
And Gov. McKeldin, who wit
messed the ceremony, said he
would support this program with
dollars.
Pointing to the phenomenal"
growth of the university's pl1ysi-
cal plant under former president
DR.. H. c. Byrd, the new presi-
dent warned that the university
must "be ever mindful Of the
fact that money does not guar
antee q great seat Of learning"
Must Pay to Achieve.
But he told an audience Of
more than 1000 State political
leaders. officials of other uni
versities. faculty members and
guests that "the cold and hard
fact is that we are going to have
to pay for what we get in edu-
cation"
In his talk, Gov. McKeldin
pledged to DR.. Elkins "all proper
support within available State
resources" He said provisions
have been made in the current
budget for a new university
library and "all necessary funds
to effect accredttation."
The university has failed to
receive full accreditation from
the Middle State Association of
Colleges and Secondary Schools.
The controversy over the ac-
creditation trouble, which broke
during the election campaign last
November, soon after DR.. Elkins
had arrived on the campus. is
being dealt a quick death blow
under the new administration,
DR.. Elkins indicated. His program
for the university apparently is
tailored to overcome the objec-
tions Of the accreditation off,
cials.
$2.3 Million Library.
The Governor told reporters
the new budget will include
about $2.3 million for a new
library at College Park, one of
the items the accreditation group
found lacking at the university.
Other funds for an expanded
and better-paid faculty and
staff, particularly at the Medical
School in Baltimore, will be in
cluded. he said.
Gov. McKeldin said his budget
request for the university, which
now goes to the General Assem-
bly,. was settled after confer
ences with DR.. Elkins on his
needs.
DR.. Elkins apparently found
his needs to be considerable.
This administration may
have to be reminded that oil is
not gushing from the Chesapeake
Bay and that Maryland is richer
in human resources than natural
elements" the 45-year-old Texan
said. DR.. Elkins was president
of Texas Western College at El
Paso until last September /,
when he took over as head Of
Maryland's $40 million campuses
at College Park, Baltimore and
on the Eastern Shore.
Many Colleges Represented.
The presidents Of 10 nearby
colleges and universities heard
his talk. along with academic
delegations from 240 other insti-
tutions. Representatives Of
Harvard. william and Mary and
st. Johns College, the three
Oldest IN the country led the
colorful procession. Among the
college presidents was A. A.
Smith. who succeeded DR.. Elkins
as head Of Texas Western.
DR.. Elkins' wife and their two
children, Carole Ann, l3 and
Margaret Elise, 8. sat in the
front row at the university
arrnory during the Inauguration.
For the first time. the uni
versity marshal. economies pro-
lessor Allan Gruchy. carried .