University of Oregon - Oregana Yearbook (Eugene, OR)

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Gbe Suture of the Hniversitg The keynote of the policy of the University administration will be to make the State University the center of the intellectual life of the state, to make it the leader in whatever tends toward higher education and culture, to put Oregon where it be- longs, at the head of the infuences that are to give new shape to the civilization of the twentieth century. It will be a further endeavor of the administration to make the University the center of all those scientific educational influences that are nec- essary to the upbuilding of the material interests of Oregon. To accomplish these purposes, the policy will be to unify'all of the educational influencesof the state. It is intended especially to organize and unify the whole state public school system, common schools, grammar schools, high schools and State University. The Vigor of the educational influences of the state, whether public or private, depends upon the development of the public school system. On this point the utterance of Andrew D. White, now minister to Germany and then president of Cornell university, is of the greatest value. .We are told by President jordan that in an address to the alumni of Cornell university he appealed to them to stand by our state universities, for in them is the educational hope of the South and West. Such unification has been brought about in California by the state university, and itimust be done by the State University in Oregon. By this is not meant any unworthy competition with other influences or institutions tending to build up the state, and it has been the general experience of the West that the strengthening of the state university leads inevitably to the strengthening of all other educational institutions in the state. '- It is intended that the different departmenis shall put out from time to time pamphlets upon work in the high schools which relates to their departments, in which will be suggested to teachers methods of work, reference books, outlines of study, how to make apparatus, collections, etc., etc. It is hoped that a course of study for high schools and academies may be put out by the state superintendent of public instruction and the president of the State University which shall become 17

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: .71 , X Zx. 4?? X PRESIDENT FRANK STRONG

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practically uniform throughout the state, and shall make provision for students wishing to enter the State University. The administration hopes to develop the University symmetrically, and thus provide adequately for those practical lines of work that bear directly upon the life of the people and upon the material development of the state. In this way the school of mines is being enlarged, and the work in mining, municipal, civil and electrical engineering reorganized and developed. In this way it is intended through the proper departments to cover the state with surveys showing the location of the valuable woods, and their extent, the use for which they are most valuable, the 10- ation and extent of the building stone, fire clays, ochers, coal and metals beside gold and silver; in short, to become the center for free advice and information in regard to all the resources of the state with which the State University can scien- tifically deal. It is intended also to make the University a training school for those who are to develop these resources. ,The graduate school will be developed as fast as conditions warrant, and es- pecial provision will be made for teachers who wish to supplement work already done by specializing along lines of their choice, or who want assistance toward a more professional training. It is intended to make the graduate school worthy of the patronage of those who have graduated from any of the collegiate institutions of the state, with all of which the University expects to come into the most cor- dial relations. The administration desires, as far as its means will allow, to enable the young men of Oregon to meet the demands that have arisen through the acquisition of the Philippine islands and the opening of Asia to American influences. Courses in Spanish will be offered, as well as courses on elementary jurisprudence and those touching directly on colonial administration and civil service. In connection with this it is hoped to enlarge greatly the departments of history, economics and soci- ology. The development of departments that have a special bearing upon general culture will not be neglected, but will be made the foundation of all the rest. The library, if possible, will be greatly enlarged, because of its utter inade- quacy, and it is hoped in a comparatively short time to increase the number of volumes to twenty-five thousand. - It is intended to make such careful use of the University funds that the legis- lature shall not hesitate to grant liberally to the University needs, and to increase the influence and importance of the University to such an extent that men of Ore- gon who have means shall not be afraid to invest it where it will do the most good, in the education of our young men and women. For he who gives to the Univer- sity of Oregon now will be able, as never again, to stamp his name and influence for- 18