June 25, 1909] 



SCIENCE 



991 



giving their letter to the press, I give my 

 letter in reply, which states the facts regard- 

 ing the procedure. It reads as follovps: 



June 11, 1909. 

 De. Henry S. Pbitchett, President, 



The Carnegie Foundation for the Advance- 

 ment of Teaching. 



Dear Sir: Your letter of June fourth was re- 

 ceived while we were in the midst of Commence- 

 ment week, and for that reason the answer has 

 been delayed. Immediately upon the receipt of 

 your communication it was presented to a special 

 meeting of the Board of Trustees. 



It is a matter of sincere regret on the part of 

 every one who has read the letter that your 

 organization, with its high aims for the advance- 

 ment of all true efforts in educational work, 

 should have taken this action without any notice 

 to the university and without giving it any op- 

 portunity to be heard upon the real and apparent 

 reason for your action, as shown by your letter. 

 That an institution of learning, with fifteen hun- 

 dred students, should be struck such a blow with- 

 out warning or opportunity to correct any defects 

 in its administration that might be shown, is 

 difiBcult to comprehend, and as expressed by others 

 than myself, almost impossible to believe. Your 

 agent arrived here on Wednesday morning, the 

 second instant, and was shown every courtesy that 

 could be accorded to him. Our deans, who have 

 the immediate charge of the educational work, 

 although in the midst of examinations, gave up 

 their time and showed him every consideration. 

 At the end of the examination he came to my 

 ofiBce and expressed in the most hearty and gentle- 

 manly way his appreciation of the attention that 

 had been shown him by the secretary of tne uni- 

 versity and by the deans. I asked him to make 

 any criticisms that he desired to make to me, and 

 assured him that we should be glad to correct any 

 defects in our system that could be corrected. 

 He made a few remarks regarding some of the 

 work, part of them complimentary and part in 

 friendly criticism, but there was no intimation 

 that it was contemplated, or that the investiga- 

 tion was with a view to terminating the relation 

 between the foundation and this university. Since 

 the action has been taken it has been stated by 

 Dr. Sterrett that the agent spent two hours with 

 him and part of the time with Dr. Gore regarding 

 the matter of their retirement. What they said 

 of course I do not know. Had there been a fair 

 investigation of that question with a view to your 



taking action regarding it, I respectfully submit 

 that the other side of the question should have 

 been heard. To assume that there is but one side 

 to an issue is not only unfair but tends to create 

 the impression that it is desired to hear only 

 one side. 



Since coming here in 1902 I have had but one 

 aim, and that is to gradually make the institu- 

 tion a true university, serving this community in 

 all possible lines of higher education — a commu- 

 nity that has pressing needs for such advantages. 



From my acquaintance with you I can but 

 believe that upon mature reflection you will see 

 the injustice that has been done, and will accord 

 a hearing to the university. 



With very great respect, I am. 

 Sincerely yours, 



Chaeees W. Neeedham 



15. In reference to the financial conditions 

 of the university, the treasurer has handed me 

 a comparative statement of the assets of the 

 university in 1900 and the assets at the close 

 of the fiscal year 1908, which shows that in 

 1900 the gross assets of the university, in- 

 cluding everything, were $905,279.45 and the 

 liabilities were $325,719.61, leaving the net 

 assets $579,559.84. In 1908 the total assets 

 were $1,365,503.22, the liabilities $489,004.24, 

 leaving the net assets $876,498.98. The in- 

 crease in the indebtedness during the last 

 period was occasioned by the completion of 

 the new Medical School building and the Hos- 

 pital in 1901-2, and indebtedness created to 

 meet deficiencies in current expenses. 



Of the foregoing assets the productive in- 

 vestments in 1900 were $223,509.65. In 1908 

 they were $127,740.91. This change in the 

 productive assets was caused by the drain 

 upon the funds occasioned by the increase in 

 the cost of maintaining the university. The 

 contributions toward the current expenses 

 were insufficient to meet the annual deficit, 

 and thus funds, which were properly appli- 

 cable, had to be used to pay the salaries and 

 current expenses or close the doors to progress. 



It must be borne in mind that the univer- 

 sity has always had a deficit. Its productive 

 funds have never been sufficient to meet its 

 expenses. In round figures $125,000 of the 



