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Ruthven Scores Faculty Critics of Democratic Government Form

Ruthven Scores Faculty Critics of Democratic Government Form image
Parent Issue
Day
9
Month
November
Year
1940
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Donated by the Ann Arbor News. © The Ann Arbor News.
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Ruthven Scores Faculty Critics
Of Democratic Government Form
CHICAGO -{JP)- President A. G. must make representative governRuthven
of the University of Mich- ment work better than it does at
· t d t d th t f lt present," he said. "A most effec-
Igan asser e 0 ay a acu Y tive way of accomplishing this
members of state universities who would be to strengthen the schools,
countenance indiscriminate criti- and protect them from every incism
of the democratic form of fluence which would interfere
with the attainment of their rnagovernment
should quit their pro- jor objective-the training of good
fession. citizens."
"Freedom of independent think-11"'""----------~ing,
expression, and assembly in
our schools is not license for students
and faculty to work against
the very form of government
which allows such rights to exist,"
he said.
Dr. Ruthven's remarks were
made in a prepared speech at the
national association of state universities
convention.
Should Create Respect
Faculty • members, he said,
should recognize an obligation to
the state to create in the minds
of their students "a :~:espect for the
good things in our method of
government."
"They should, of course, point
out weaknesses, but criticism
should invariably be sympathetic
and constructive, rather than
cynical and demoralizing, to the
end that democracy may gradually
grow stronger and enjoy increased
esteem,'' he said.
"Any faculty member who cannot
conscientiously subscribe to
such a policy should recognize his
unfitness as a teacher, and should
seek some other means of livelihood."
Dr. Ruthven averred that administrative
officers and professors
of colleges and universities
should "rid themselves of the notion
that romanticism, sentimentalism,
and indiscriminate tolerance
are essential constituents of democracy."
He termed them "only
evidences of indecision and fuzzymindedness."
See Attack Developing
The Michigan educator also asserted
that "a well-developed attack
upon higher education is in
the making" and that for a number
of years "the danger of federal
control has been increasingly
imminent."
"If the United States is to continue
to exist as a democracy, it