Repository: UIHistories Project: Dedication - Transportation Building Dedication Addresses [PAGE 152]

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have men of first class ability devote their time and energy to thia work of teaohing and advancing the interests of engineering schools, we mu3t either raise salaries or we must expect to have our men spend a large part of their time in mere money-making outside; or we must be content to take a low class of instructors, such as can be obtained by low salaries. Now friends if you can help educate this common-

wealth toward a higher view, you will do a great service to the state and the nation. If for instance this Western

Society ofifengineers would say to the trustees of the University of Illinois, representing the people of the state, "We will endow a chair of electrical engineering, to the extent of five thousand dollars per annum, on condition that the state will add five thousand dollars more, so that the trustees can pay a salary of ten thousand dollars for this particular chair, and they shall get the best man they can find for ten thousand dollars. And the minute they can * t find a man worth ten thousand dollars, then kindly return us our money. If you can only find a man worth five thousand But we are willing to

dollars, then let the state pay him.

contribute to get a man of different type, or, what amounts to the same thing, to enable a man of the type you have to give all his time and energy to the one thing which you have in mind, namely, developing the department of electrical engineering.* If in the same way, publio spirited

citizens who are wondering how they can move up the level