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Conservative ,
friends of
ixummKoss. /he
American univer
sities and seekers after truth everywhere
will deplore the attempt to restrain the
freedom of thought and to curb scien
tific investigation , as illustrated by the
request for the resignation of Dr. Ross ,
of the chair of sociology at Stanford
University. Doctor Ross is a man of
recognized ability , in his profession ,
throughout the scientific world. It is
reported that his resignation was de
manded because of his opposition to the
importation of Coolie labor. On several
occasions he committed the grievous
fault of declaring that the Pacific coast
states were menaced by the immigra
tion or Chinese Coolies.
Science is valuable only as it aids us
to ascertain the truth. If those who
, , , are carrying on
Science. . , , . .
the great work of
scientific research and original invest !
gation , must modify their deductions to
conform to certain interests , either poli
tical or pecuniary , the value of their
work is lost and we may as well abolish
the chairs of science in our universities.
For it would be better to do without
scientific instruction if a half truth
must be told for a whole truth.
THE CONSERVATIVE trusts that the re
moval of Doctor Ross will not be a prece
dent for other uni-
Free Speech. . . . , , . .
versities and that
the University of Nebraska will ever
remain free from the demoralizing in
fluence of intolerance and bigotry ; that
it will always respect and hold sacred
the most cherished of all American privil
eges , the freedom of thought and speech.
; Let those in charge make it a place to
teach young men how to think and not
what to think. The safety of our insti
tutions lies in the cultivation of a liberal
and tolerant feeling of respect for the
j . opinions of others. The university , the
place in which young men are trained
j | "how to live , " as Herbert Spencer aptly
puts it , is the place in which this spirit
of toleration should be encouraged
rather than destroyed.
The time is opportune for a word of
warning relative to the suggestion that
has appeared oc-
Nebraska University.
casionaly in the
press of this state and is reiterated in
the Nebraska correspondence of the
Boston Transcript , reproduced elsewhere
in this paper , that there must be a
change in the Chancellorship of the
University of Nebraska as soon as the
rival party secures control of the board
of regents. Nearly every enterprise in
this state operated by the public , be
cause of the intense party feeling of
those in charge , is more poorly managed
than it would be under private owner
ship As an illustration of this the
Blind Institute of this city , the var
ious institutions for the insane and
feeble minded might be cited. Those
in charge of the state university have a
chance to prove that there is at least one
ivn
institution that the public is competent
to manage. Politicians should distin
guish between a political club and a
university. A republican is all right at
the head of a republican organization.
A democrat is not out of place as presi
dent of a democratic club. Bat at the
head of a university there should be a
scholar. The scholarship of Chancellor
Andrews is unquestioned. No matter
what his opinions may be on questions
political , he should be given the loyal
support of the friends of higher educa
tion throughout the state.
As there will be
at the
blind institute in this city , after the in
auguration of governor- elect Deitrich , a
discussion of the scope of the work of
this institution is quite timely. Few
people really know anything about a
school for the blind or have a definite
idea as to what such a school should do.
The prevalent notion is that a blind
institute is a kind of asylum and bears
the same relation to the blind that a
hospital for the insane does to crazy
folks. Comparatively few take the cor
rect view , viz. , that it is simply a school
for the blind and is to the blind children
what the public school is to the children
who see. A few days ago THE CONSER
VATIVE received a letter from a gentle
man , well known in his community ,
which illustrates the general miscon
ception about instruction for the blind.
Our correspondent wished to know the
qualifications for the superintendent of
the blind institute , whether the position
required a "good practical business
man" or an "experienced educator. "
The following letter was written in re
ply :
" The qualifications for a superintend
ent of a school for the blind are similar to
those of a teacher
Superintendent. .
L * L.
or superintendent
in any other school. The blind institute
is , or should be , an educational institu
tion , a place where young men and
women receive instruction. It differs
from the ordinary public school only in
this particular , that it offers instruction
to blind boys and girls instead of seeing
boys and girls. Would you employ , as
superintendent of the Brownville schools
your leading merchant , banker , black
smith , doctor , or any other 'practical
business man , ' or would you try to get
an 'experienced educator1 If you
would employ a representative banker
or blacksmith as superintendent of your
schools you would be consistent in
favoring such a man for the head of the
blind institute. Is not the blind boy
deserving of at least the same considera
tion as the seeing boy ? Is not the
former as much entitled to competent
instruction as the latter ? Is not the
misfortune of blindness a sufficient
handicap for a boy without burdening
him with the additional encumbrance of
a faulty and neglected training ?
"The blind institute is neither a ohari-
table institution nor an 'asylum. ' The
blind boy does not ask for charity. He
is not a petitioner for alms. He asks
only for that which is given every see
ing boy and girl , viz. , an education. It
it true the education may differ in
method.one being adapted to blind boys ,
the other to seeing boys , but the prin
ciple involved is the same.
" The superintendent of the blind in-
institute should be a young man , not
over thirty years of nge , of thorough
scholarship and good administrative
ability. A young man is desirable for
the reason that he is without 'fads' and
would grow into the work , developing
methods of imparting instruction as he
goes along. The most successful mana
gers of schools for the blind are those
who began their work as overseers at a
comparatively early age. The best teach
ers of the blind are the blind themselves ,
as they better understand the nature of
their students and can more easily win
their sympathy. "
Professor Samuel Bacon , now living
at Nebraska City , is one of the eminent
blind of the coun-
Professor Bacon.
try. He is a
scholar of note and widely known as a
teacher of the blind. He founded the
Illinois and Iowa schools for the blind
and later came to Nebraska and secured
the establishment by the legislature
of the institute for the blind at this city.
Under his direction the school was in
fact as well as in name a real educa
tional institution. Unhappily for its
continue ! growth and prosperity , it be
came involved in political strife. Pro
fessor Bacon was relieved and a party
favorite appointed in his place.
From that time to this the school has
been a football for contending political
parties , a convenient place for reward
ing political friends. In selecting the
superintendent and teaching force the
main question with the appointive
power has been not "what has the ap
plicant done" or "what can he do for
the blind , " but " what has he done for
the party ? " Special training or fitness
has become a useless qualification. The
school has become an old gentleman's
home for broken down political wheel-
horses and superannuated pulpiteers.
One of the first acts of Governor-elect
Deitrich should be to investigate the
Nebraska school
Change Demanded.
for the blind and ,
in selecting a new superintendent , rec
ognize competency and fitness , placing
the welfare of the blind above
all other considerations. Governor
Deitrioh could profitably follow the
example of the state authorities of
California. The Pacific coast state has
had the benefit of the direction and
counsel of Hon. John P. Irish , one of
the best authorities upon the education
of the blind in the country.
Joseph Sayers , superintendent of the
Industrial Home for the Adult Blind , at
Oakland California , in a recent letter to
Professor Bacon , speaks in terms of de
served praise of the splendid work of
Colonel Irish and pays a just tribute to
Professor Bacon.
