THE AMERICAN SCENE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22628, 20 July 1935, Page 5

THE AMERICAN SCENE

LIFE IN THE UNIVERSITIES By Db C. M. Focken. I.—THE UNIVERSITIES TO-DAY The educational problems bf America and England are fundamentally similar, but there exists an extraordinary difference in detail between them. The number of institutions of learning ranked ai universities in the United States far exceeds that of the British Commonwealth of nations. The deduction that these American institutions vary widely in standing is well founded. There has certainly been some general improvement, but it still seems to be possible in some States for any individual or •corporate body possessed of the necessary funds to. found a university which need not conform to any standard whatsoever. The fact that a good many of the less substantial sectarian institutions are thus founded possibly led Professor Meiklejohn, of the University of Wisconsin, to observe: “ The money that is poured into institutions of learning in this country is almost scandalous.” A New Zealander who had listened to the lyric burden of millions of dollars and gazed on the vast structures at Berkeley, Ann Arbor, or Chicago might be tempted to agree. But, after some consideration and reflection, he would realise—unless, perchance, .he were a Cabinet Minister—that' the relatively meagre outlay on university education in his own country was decidedly more scandalous. The willingness of the alumni to contribute generously to their university would also appear strange, though admirable, to a New Zealander. It is a common practice in America for the graduating class of a given year to combine later in making a substantial gift—usually one which adds to the amenities of the student ‘life and promotes corporate spirit—to, their Alma Mater. Nor is this thoughtfulness limited to the privately endowed universities; State universities, and small institutions have been enriched in a like manner.

• About the greatest American universities there is much that a foreigner must admire —spacious grounds, handsome and substantial buildings, modern business methods, liberal ideals, generous Endowments, excellent libraries, unfettered and unrestricted research, varied and important social studies and valuable contributions to public life. A consideration of the opinions expressed by various eminent educational authorities would result in the following approximate order for the 12 foremost universities where the basis of judgment has been educational excellence:—Harvard, Columbia. Chicago,- Yale, California, Cornell, Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, lowa, Princeton, Johns Hopkins. The fact that several State universities are included in the list is indicative of the high academic standard now reached by such institutions in enlightened States. It is decidedly unfortunate that none of the best southern universities is yet able to reach the educational standard set by the dominant universities of the East, Middle West, and- Pacific coast.

INFLUENCES OF THE DEPRESSION. Professor Meiklejohn’s observation that money has been wasted on institutions of learning in America was-made long before- the depression, and is not likely to be repeated to-day when practically all universities. State and private, • have suffered reductions in income. We in New Zealand need no reminder of the way in which a State-university suffers a diminution in income,' combined with an increase of students, diiriijg depression periods. Concerning the' position of those universities whose income is not directly controlled by Governments, President Angel], .of Yale, recently said: “Current eocial and political trends, accentuated, if not provoked, by economic depression, contain a menace for the great endowed institutions. Counting among their number the most venerable

of our universities they have owed their power to assemble great bodies of scholars, to create great libraries, laboratories arid museums very largely to the gifts of generous benefactors,' often in the form of legacies. If the present tendency to excessive taxation of personal income persists, or increases, as it may, and. if this be coupled with further assault by inheritance taxes upon testamentary estates, the two largest sources of income for these institutions will almost inevitably dry up or, in any case, be gravely impaired,”' This argument, repeated in various forms by other college presidents, does not appear to me to be very well founded. In the first place, even in an enlightened country like the United States, only a small percentage of the wealthy have supported university education, and, secondly, the consensus of opinion is that large incomes tliere could with advantage be more heavily taxed. Unless the rate of recovery to normal prosperous conditions is soon accelerated some attempt will have to be made in the States to balance the budget by pay- - ing for unemployment relief, partially at least, by new taxation. My belief is that the very wealthy will have to shoulder a heavy portion of this burden. In fact, a jest attributed to President Kosevelt might well be a prophecy. When a leading social worker told the President that he was seeking a very rich man to build a certain hospital for which there was great need, he received the enigmatic reply: “You had better not waste any time.” President Roosevelt has made more use of the keenest intellects in the universities than any of his predecessors in the White House. He has called on administrators and membersapf the professoriate of the best universities for expert advice arid for men to accept positions as directors of various boards carrying out the New Deal policy. Despite the extraordinary difficulties with ’ which such economic and social advisers are -faced to-day, it may confidently be claimed that the Universities have not been found wanting. Many changes in personnel have been made —very rarely on the grounds of incompetence—but usually on account of lack of sympathy . with some new-fangled phase in the vastly complex and ever-changing recovery programme. During the first two years so much experimenting was done and the scheme was in spell a state of flux that a large team of experts was needed to initiate the investigations. Later those in charge of experiments which were considered sterile or insufficiently successful were soon dropped from ~ the team or changed for men with new and different ideas.