The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1962-11-09
Somewhat Academic
By EDMUND FREEMAN, Missoula
THE HIGHER COST
OF EDUCATION

| think | remember that several
years ago some president of a great
privately-supported university sug-
gested, and was Immediately rebuffed
by the presidents of publicly-sup-
ported universities, that in general
1T be left to the great private institu-
tions to educate the top-level stu
dents. If it hasn't been suggested al
ready l am sure it will be soon-or
If not suggested, then just done with
out suggestion. And it won't seem like
ridiculous suggestion.
Because, first-rate education comes
at first-rate prices and top-level stu
dents will always seem especially
worthy of the best education we can
afford. In general, think, the large
publicly-supported universities will
have to keep their gates open, though
maybe not so wide open as at present,
to the great majority of high school
graduates. This is going to be so ex-
pensive that great many influential
economy-minded citizens will always
be inclined to keep the costs down
as much as possible, for ''taxes are
really terrible now. And always at
the same time many parents with
money will want their sons and
daughters to have the very best in
the way of education. This will lead
them to support the private univer-
stiles by means of high tuition and
generous endowment gifts. This has
already happened. Colossal endow-
ments and sky-rocketing tuition rates
fill the educational news pages of the
major papers.
There is nothing wrong about this
SO far, but the rest of us must keep
our eyes open. Already the big pri-
yate universities are paying better
salaries and probably buying more
and better equipment than the public
There is a wise generos-
ty in their program too. They give
many generous scholarships to highly
Intelligent high school graduates
rom all over the nation who could
lot attend such fine universities if
hey were not assisted financially.
Altogether, from state like Mon
ana many top students, from fami-
les that deserve it but could not af-
ord it, and from families than can
,asily afford it, go out of state to
ttend institutions of distinction.
these families do not need to be
in order to be a little
ess enthusiastic about building pub
c institutions of distinction in our
WIN state. Some states have done it:
uilt state universities that compare ]
avorably with the best of the pri- I
ate universities.
A first-rate public university is
kelly to be especially costly because {
must not only provide top-level {
for the many top-level 9
5udents who will still need to attend 6
ublic institutions but it must keep
he doors open for the many very /
gnificant and fully worthy students /
no are only ordinary in their in e
ellectual capacities and sometimes e
ven less ordinarily well prepared t
9th financially and Intellectually to p
eep in stride with their fellows.
The pinch will be handled in differ f
1T ways. Some fully-deserving stu
snts simply won't come even if the
ition is kept low, especially girls
families who have spent them n
Ives educating the sons. Some very f
telligent girls will come but soon
AIRY and help their student hus- a
.nds. Some institutions will build 1
rong offerings in some areas of
udy and give very mediocre support o.
a number of very heavily-attended v
urses that have no well organized dl
professional groups in society to ca
sh their cause. Housewives come la
eaper than Ph.D's. The federal
vernment is pouring tremendous re
,ney into science programs in a M
eat many universities, but not in LIS
way that releases state money for In
tier teaching in languages, native
d foreign. There are no sinister
rsons in all this-only real prob de
a; and the answer isn't entirely to is
found in terms of money, not ne
arly so. But money counts. ad
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