538 POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



faculty list of 69. Of the 450 students 6 were in the kindergarten 

 course, 35 in the primary department, 141 in the school of music, 

 58 in the college of liberal arts — doubtless very liberal — and 210 

 scattered through other departments of less importance. This fortu- 

 nate university " received its charter from the Legislature of the 

 State of Florida." Of its faculty " the majority have pursued graduate 

 courses in American or European Universities " and are " Christian men 

 and women " ; hence it would be uncharitable to think that good work 

 is not done. In the mathematical courses the work offered includes 

 " osculation, roulettes, Jacobians, gamma functions, various volutions 

 of cubics and quartics, homographic division, reciprocal polars, conic 

 invariants, and covariants." 



The national pure food law has lately mitigated the evils of false 

 pretense in the sale of food and drugs. We are in need of similar 

 protection against those who secure charters for universities with 

 kindergarten departments. The chief function of these universities is 

 to nullify the meaning of college degrees. 



In the second annual report of the Carnegie Foundation the presi- 

 dent, Dr. Pritchett, says (p. 37) : 



Some thoroughgoing financial statement of investments, annual receipts 

 and expenditures should be required by law of all chartered institutions. There 

 is the same reason for a college to exhibit in a business-like way its financial 

 history as for any business concern; and every institution should do this as a 

 matter of good faith. 



Probably the mere possession of a charter from the state might 

 be considered sufficient reason for the annual rendition of such a 

 report to the state superintendent of education. He would naturally 

 publish a comparative summary for the different institutions thus 

 represented. For the larger institutions the treasurer's report is always 

 printed and is subject to inspection by those who may be specially 

 interested in it. The financial statement is summarized by each 

 treasurer according to his own plan. Probably it might be best for 

 a common plan to be used by all institutions in the same state. Of late 

 years there has been so much criticism of " bought patronage " that it 

 would be wise for each institution to publish the total amount remitted 

 from students' fees without mentioning the name of any beneficiary. 

 The impersonality of such a statement removes all reasonable objection 

 to such publication. 



In addition to its financial statement it would perhaps be very 

 desirable that every college should be subject to examination in such 

 matters as the maintenance of its professed standards of admission and 

 graduation. No detailed investigation of this kind would be possible 

 without treading on delicate ground. It has been suggested that this 

 function might be delegated to a state commission; but the intrusion 

 of politics would be a serious danger, probably nullifying the benefits 



