The Goose-step: A Study of American EducationSinclair, Upton
History
The Goose-step: A Study of American Education
Sinclair, Upton
Education -- United States; Universities and colleges -- United States
In Reed College was a president, Foster, who had progressive ideas. He
hired a liberal young professor who had just been fired from the
University of Washington, Joseph K. Hart, now one of the editors of “The
Survey”; and for three years the interlocking trustees fought to get rid
of Professor Hart, and of Foster, who stood by Hart. Under such
circumstances the regular procedure is to starve out the college; but
they could not very well do it in this case, because they owned all the
real estate surrounding the college, and the college was the main source
of the real estate’s value. Nevertheless, the editor of the Portland
“Oregonian,” the old Tory newspaper which manages the thinking of the
people of Oregon, laid down the law that Reed College should get no
publicity so long as Hart and Foster stayed.
The interlocking trustee who runs Reed College is Mr. James B. Kerr, who
studied law in the office of an ancient reactionary, Senator Spooner,
and is general counsel for Mr. Morgan’s Northern Pacific Railroad
Company. Mr. Kerr evolved from his legal mind a scheme to have a larger
board of regents, taking in the former trustees, and making them a
minority; so President Foster retired, and Professor Hart, who was away
doing war work, was authorized to stay away![K] A professor of history
from the University of Washington was asked to become the new president,
and when he was installed, Mr. Mills, in his role as general overseer of
education, attended the ceremonies and made the principal address, in
which he laid down the law to the new incumbent: “The business men of
Oregon wish the youth of the state to become this and not that, we wish
them to be ‘shaped’ in this way and not that way.” Educators who were
present described to me the insolence, not merely of the grand duke’s
words, but of his manner. The board of regents of Reed College now
consists of Mr. Kerr; Mr. Ladd, chairman of the Ladd and Tilton Bank; an
elderly department store proprietor; a reactionary judge; and a retired
clergyman.
-----
Footnote K:
One professor vigorously denies that this was the purpose of the
enlarging of the board; but no one can deny that this was the effect.
When I submit this comment to this gentleman, he tells me that it is
“misleading.” At the same time he gives me an opportunity to test his
accuracy. He says: “It is my recollection that Mr. Hart was not
encouraged by the council to expect the increased salary, which he
demanded as a condition of his return.” I submitted this proposition
to Professor Hart, who replied:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account