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wherever they may come from and whatever the nature of their previous training.

Mr. PLATT. It seems to me perhaps that ought not to be decided here, but should be decided in the place where the boy comes from. However it is, it should be certified that this man is capable of doing research work.

Mr. SPRINGER. Like the Cecil Rhodes proposition.

There are three in each State who determine who shall be the winner of the scholarship.

Mr. PLATT. I think that is the greatest scheme of taking allaround boys for university work that has even been devised.

Mr. CLAXTON. I would like to say a word more in regard to the principle of States rights. I believe in this principle most thoroughly. I think it applies here. There are, however, two sides to the principle. The States have a right, first, not to be interfered with in anything pertaining to their own autonomy and their individual welfare. On the other hand, they have a right to demand of the Federal Government, which they created for that purpose, such services as they can not render themselves or which they can not render to themselves so effiectively or without much greater cost than it can be given by the Federal Government.

Mr. BAKER. We do not need to worry about the patrons of this institution. You do not need to worry about the poor boy. He will always get there; you can depend on that. The country is alive with people who are looking for this very thing-men with resource and men of capacity and self-denial-and I say let us have them. I say that only in reference to how you are going to get men and how the poor man is going to get there. The poor man is the whole push now. He will get here; don't worry about him.

Mr. SPRINGER. You take the records of your graduate schools in the United States now and you will find that the men who are doing the graduate work are the fellows from the poor families.

Mr. PLATT. But they are all supported by some fund.

Mr. SPRINGER. You get the thing established and you will have the

means.

Mr. CLAXTON. Of course, you do not expect that the students of the national university would be boys and girls who must be looked after as are college boys and girls. They would be men and women of mature years and character and be able to look out for themselves. With a little direction and help they will find employment in the Government, either in Washington or elsewhere. The Federal Government offers many opportunities in its Forest Service, Geological Survey, its Coast Survey, the field service of the Department of Agriculture, and many other departments. Many students now take advantage of these opportunities to do from three to six months' work in a year. It is quite probable that some means for part time work may be developed after the method of the engineering work of the University of Cincinnati, but probably with fewer alterations and longer periods of work.

The CHAIRMAN. We will have to adjourn now until 10 o'clock next Tuesday morning.

28865 No. 8-14- -2

HEARINGS

BEFORE THE

COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

SIXTY-THIRD CONGRESS

SECOND SESSION

ON

H. R. 11749

A BILL TO CREATE A NATIONAL UNIVERSITY AT THE SEAT OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

No. 9

STATEMENT OF

DR. HARVEY W. WILEY

MARCH 17, 1914

WASHINGTON

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

1914

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NATIONAL UNIVERSITY.

COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION,

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Tuesday, March 17, 1914.

The committee this day met, Hon. Dudley M. Hughes (chairman) presiding.

The CHAIRMAN. We have with us Dr. Wiley. We will be very glad to hear from you, Doctor.

STATEMENT OF DR. HARVEY W. WILEY.

Dr. WILEY. Mr. Chairman, I have been asked to come before the committee to give my views in regard to the desirability of the establishment of the university of the United States. I imagine that there are as many different views in regard to what the university should be as there are people who are in favor of its establishment, and I have not come for the purpose of exploiting any particular form or kind of a university but rather to speak a word in regard to the desirability of crowning our system of education with a national school. It seems to be philosophical, scientific, and usual that every system of education should begin with the child and end with the man. Unfortunately many systems of education end before we reach the man. I am fully aware of the fact that what we call the higher institutions of learning are not in any sense schools for the people. It is not possible nor, perhaps, is it desirable that every citizen should complete the gamut of educational notes up to the highest point. But it seems to me it is advisable that this country should afford an opportunity to complete its own work.

Without spending any time, then, upon what my views are of the scope of national education let us accept what we have as an established fact. Whether we believe that it should be left wholly to the States or communities is hardly pertinent to the question, because we are engaged in promoting education as a nation. Then the question arises as to how far we should go in this work. If it is a laudable work then there should be no limit as to the point we should reach, but if it an undesirable work the sooner that is understood and the proposition withdrawn the better.

We have had grants for educational purposes to certain classes of our people. I have never been a believer in what is called class legislation, because I was brought up with the idea that every American citizen was equal before the law and, therefore, that no particular class should be expected to demand favors which were not equally granted to all. Now, I am not saying this because I object to agri

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