Philanthropy in -The History
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. BUREAU OF EDUCATION BULLETIN, 1922, No. 26 PHILANTHROPY IN -THEHISTORY OF AMERICAN HIGHEREDUCATION By JESSE BRUNDAGE SEARS ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF EDUCATION, WANt) STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVEFtSITY WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1922 1 ADDITIONAL COPIES OF THIS PUBLICATION MAT RE PROCURED PROM THE SUPERINTENDENT OP DOCUMENTS GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON, D. C. / AT 15CENTS PER COPY CONTENTS, Introduction ast., chapter I.Development ofa theory of philanthropy The early conception of philanthropy 1 1 Place of educational foundation inTurgot's social theory_ Place of educational foundations in Adam Smith'sfree-tra4 economy_ 3 William 'von Humboles theory 4 Chalnier's Modification of the 'earliertheories Mill's opposition to the theories ofTurgot and Smith 5 Mr. Lowe's return to free-trade principles_ 7 llobhona.e On "the dead hand " in education Other English theories 7 8 Sununary and conclusion Chapter IL The colonial period 8 10 'Influences affecting the beginning ofAmerican higher education._ Finances of the early colleges 1 10 Ann lysis of the gifts to four of the colonialcolleges The function of philanthropy in the colleges 22 Function of the State in higter education 25 Conditional and unconditional gifts. 27 SumMary and conclusions Chapter III.The early national period,..1776-1865 31 The period characterized 33 83 The number of colleges and how started 33 The `theginnings 35 How the work was accomplished Philanthropy in the older colleges 36 37 Philanthropy in the colleges founded later 40 Theological education in this period_. Other lines of professional training 43 Education of women 44 44 Philanthropy and the manual-labor colleges 45 Philanthropy through education societies 47 Summary and conclusions Si Chapter IV.The lot; national pert'sd, 1865 to 1918__ The period characterized 5:1 53 Growth in number of colleges General survey of educational philanthropy in thisperiod_ 55 Status of education among all the object;; of philanthropy 59 Philanthropy in the colleges of this period 87 Philanthropy through religious education epcieties 73 Stimmary and conclusions. 78 Chapter V.Great educational inundations A new philanthropic enterprise__- The stated purposes of these foundations 82 The operations of ,these inundations So Summary 101 CO N TIMM Past Chapter 'U.Summary and conclusions Purpose and plan of the study ,.103 The the rf of endowments_ 103 Early experiences in America_ 101 The early national period 106 " The late national period:. _ 107 Developments bearing upon a theory of endpmen s 109 Imo= 113j ,r /"" INTRODUCTION. This study reprekts an attempt to tracethe *Influents, of philanthropy in the development of higher education inAmerica.Incident to this has been the further question o? what has been evolvedby why of ix theory of educa- tional endowments, or, broader still, of educationalphilanthropy. The im- portance of such a study is obvious when weconsiderthe .part philanthropy has played in the development of the Americaneoliege and university.Its importance is equally clear. too, when we view therecent enormous Increase in educational'philanthropy, and the wide varietyof et:,xcational enterprises to which philanthropy Is giving rise.If we are to avoid the waste that must in- evitably come from bad management of gifts,from wrong dispositions of money over which the future can exerciseno rntrol, we must study our lready extensive experience and developa set of guiding principles or a ndaental theory of educational philanthropy. It was evident from the outset thatany rellsonal4 brief treatment- of a subject occupying so large a place in the history ofAmerican higher education would present certain difficulties. not only inthe seleetion of facts, but also in the interpretation of the comparatively smallamount of first-hand data that could satisfactorily treated in brief space. It has been the writer's purpose carefullyto scrutinize Me materials pre- sented to sex, that they were fully representative ofone or another important type of philanthropy affecting our higher education;to see that no type of effort was without 'representation; to drawonly such conclusions us the facts clearly warranted; and, finally, to present the datain such form as to make them fully available for futureuse in mon, intensive studies, if occasion for such should arise. Min/hese resibects the effort hasbeen successful, thep it is believed to offer, in broad outline, the historyof philanthropy the de- NeWqmient of American higher institutions of learning.As such It is presented, with the hope that it may add somewhat to the generalperspective we now possess fOr the various features of enr, institutions for highertraining, and to the development of a sound theory of *-.:1'ution'al philanthropy,aim well as with a full consciousness th-at there is very muchyet to be done before ire shall have adequate details concerning'anyone of the many phases of flits voblem. At the beginning of our experience In this field -Europe hadformulated no theory of educational endowment or of educationalphilanthropy, but sub- sequently the subject received treatment in the writingsof their social and political philosophers, and also to no less extent bypractical statesmen en- gaged in correcting the evils of past mistakes In practice.These ideas ha4e been traced briefly in an introductory chapter.Following.this, it has been my purpose to describe our own practice from the beginning to. thepresent time,and-to make such generalizations as the facts seemed' towarrant. Two types of data have been studied: First, the fouLdation documents,such as V INTRODU charters, artlelevot incorporation, constitutions, bylaws, deeds oftrust. wills, and conditions controlling gifts on the one hand and, second, theslat of gifts on the other.To fold to the value of bare description. the eomparatife method has been utilized wherever it was possible. The writer is indebted to numerous librarians unit eellestibll booriNfor special courtesies, and especially to Dr./ hail Nlonioe t for having sug- gested Ibis prollem; -but also for,imortant sug ons concerning the nietbod of its treatment. The original study of which this bulletin is a conensation isan file at Teachers College, Columbia University, where it was presented in April. 19114, in outbid fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of doctor ofphilosophy, Szalo.t. STANFORD UNIVERSITY, CAUL, April fO, 1919. 41111,ANTHROPY 'IN THEHISTORY OFF AMERICAN HIGHER EIK-CATION. C apter I. DEVELOPMET OF A THEORY OF PHILANTHROPY. THE EARLY CONCEPTION OFPHILANTHROPY. So long as charity ret loained intimateW associated with the church It Isnot strange !hat the work It Was doing shouldnever have been oalINI in question. The term "charity" meant Christianvirtue; and its economic significance overlook I41.In praising a man's goodntentionsit was not thought important that society should hold him pre.sing them. responsible for having wisdom inez- PLACE OF EnCCATIoNAI. FoUNDATtoNsIN TI2114:0T's SOCIAL THEORY. It Is left, therefore, to the economist to look critically into theproblem so long ignored by superstition,religion, and sentimentalism\It is interesting to note that it was in an age When all social life was being carefullYscruti- nized, that .Turgot published hisunsigned article "Foutalations," in Encyclopedia, in 1757. the It is at this point that a teal halt Iscalled, and -phi- lanthropy becomes u problem 'forthe intellect. All peopift; and ages have regartredactive benevolence as an important virtue, and to such acts thesevertst economist offers no protest. mmisdom evident in the presumption the -bald that nmn Is competent to judge whatIs good for all the future is whatdrew from-Turgot this classic criticism, John Morley says is "the which most masterly discussion we possess ofthe advan- tages and disadvantages of endowments."' The native instinct which underliNman's desire to relieve 1015 brother distress makes no distinction in between present and future good;nor does It discover that good is a relativeterm.Consequently, it is not strange that much evil is done where only good Isintended. But add to this native impulse the best wisdom of our day and yet we can not gay what will be theneed of another generation; .and if we-could,and were large-hearted enough to endow that need, we would not be able to guarantee that our auccessom inwhose -.John Morley : Diderot and the Eucyelopaedidta,p. 101. AMOR 2 PHILANTHROPY IN AMERICAN HIGHER EDUCATION. hands we place the right, would execute with the same enthusiasm with which we have founded. Business, but not enthusiasm, may be handed doNikfi. It is because the history of European endowments was written so plainly in these terms across the faces of the church, the hospital, and, the school, that Turgot was lead to inquire into the general utility of found:Aims, with a view to demonstrating their impropriety.Ile does not, approach the subject in a ptirely abstract way, though he had a well-defined social theory which later received a clear statement in his " Reflexions sur In Formation et la Distribution des Richesses," since for every principle set forth he appeals to history for its justification. Turgot sees so little good accomplished by endowments that he is led to say :" Un fondateur est un homme qui veut kerni.s-er l'effet de ses volonte." His motive may be good, but results prove his lack of wisdom.After citing cases which are convincing, he concludes :" Je ne craindrai point de dire que, si l'on comparait les advantages et les inconvenients de tuutes les fondatious qui existent aujourd'hut en Europe, 11n'y en aurait peut-etre pas une qui soutint l'exaen d' une politique eclaire." 'Granting that at its conception the object is a real utility, there is yet the impossibility of its future execution to be reckoned with, because the enthullasn,of the founder can not be trans- mitted.If even this, however, were overcome, it would still not he long till ,time would sweep away the utility,for society has not always the same needs.