The End of the Rainbow

In President Butler's Charter Day address at the University of California he quoted a young Englishman as saying that "politics unfortunately abounds in shams that must be treated reverentially by every politician who would succeed." But President Sproul, who spoke later in the day to the alumni, showed no such reverential attitude toward a particular sham menacing the higher educational standards of the State of California. This young president had the courage to describe the proposal to distribute the State's higher educational funds among at least nine institutions besides the university as "the intemperate oratory of demogogues."

These institutions are at present junior colleges supported by local taxation and several normal colleges supported by the State. But the communities in which they are located wish to raise their title to regional universities and provide at least four-year courses. Dr. Flexner, who does not allow us a single university of pure type in the United States, would be horrified if he could know what is proposed, and President Butler, who permits us only seven universities besides his own (and probably including the University of California), supports President Sproul's appeal for concentration upon an institution of highest ideals as "sound, eloquent and moving." Democracy can do best for itself-not by multiplying mediocrities but by developing intellectual superiorities. There should be such spread of preparatory opportunities as will make certain that the youth who have high abilities will be discovered and put in the way of taking advantage of the highest training that the State can give. Emerson went so far as to make this a supreme function of the State when he said that "to make the wise man, the State exists."

President Butler also quoted himself as saying, in the same setting twenty-four years ago, that a democracy must provide itself with a foil of its own--an effective aristocracy of intellect and service. California, with its State university (enjoying also large private endowments), its Stanford University and its institutions of superb technical and scientific equipment, is best served and is best able to serve the nation by maintaining these at topmost intellectual efficiency rather than by dissipating its funds in evoking sham universities out of junior colleges. California cannot hold her place in the educational van if she ceases to concentrate in the higher ranges while recruiting from every part of her democratic life. New York Times.