Education: Money-Changers at Temple

Temple University is a teeming, shirt-sleeved institution in the heart of Philadelphia. It was founded by Baptist Preacher Russell Herman Conwell, who gave it the estimated $7,000,000 proceeds from his famed “Acres of Diamonds” speech—a simple, inspirational address which he delivered more than 6,000 times before his death in 1925. Today, Temple has more than 12,000 day & night students, mass-educates them at cut rates ($200 plus special fees).

During the 14-year administration of handsome, pince-nezzed President Charles Ezra Beury (pronounced Berry), a former lawyer-banker, Temple has labored mightily to become a dignified grove of learning. In this endeavor, President Beury has had the pushing assistance of Dr. William N. Parkinson, dean of the university’s school of medicine, and the collaboration of a collection of 36 extraordinary trustees. Last week the board of trustees blew up with a loud, unscholarly report.

First warning of trouble came three months ago when the board of trustees suddenly ousted three of their number: Edward G. Budd, famed builder of automobile bodies ‘and streamlined trains; Ernest T. Trigg, a conservative paint manufacturer; and Rev. John Archibald MacCallum, a liberal Presbyterian pastor and oldtime friend of Founder Conwell. Soon ex-Trustee MacCallum began to make charges. For no obvious reason, eminent Surgeon W. Wayne Babcock of the medical school jumped into the fray with countercharges. Their cat-&-dog fight was joined by Dean Parkinson, Realtor-Trustee Albert Monroe Greenfield, perennial storm centre of Philadelphia business, banking and politics. Like other ventures in which Businessman-Politico Greenfield is involved, the Temple din took on the vague outlines of a real-estate war. On one side were Budd, Trigg, MacCallum and Greenfield, on the other, Babcock, Parkinson, other trustees. Unhappily in the middle was President Beury.

Dr. MacCallum charged:

> That the university spent $50,000 a year subsidizing athletes.

> That Dr. Parkinson was Temple’s real boss, had tried to have Dr. Beury ousted and grab his job

Dr. Babcock charged:

> That Greenfield had stirred up trouble in an attempt to “get control” of the university.

> That Greenfield had had a henchman appointed as treasurer of the university.

> That it was Greenfield, Budd, Trigg and MacCallum who had tried to oust President Beury.

Last fortnight Trustee Budd broke his silence, produced more sensational charges:

> That a trustee (later identified by another trustee as Dr. John H. Whiticar) had been elected to the board after his sponsor argued that he had a string of Ocean City restaurants and fishing boats worth $1,000,000 and “we should put him on the board with the hope that he would give the $1,000,000 to the University.”

> That another rich trustee (identified as the late Oilman Henry L. Doherty) was nominated while he lay dying in the Temple University Hospital, his backers urging “that he be elected at that particular meeting for fear he would die before the next meeting.”

> That if the Association of American Colleges “knew the kind of members we have on this board, they would take away our grades.”

Last week a committee of five trustees tried to pull the situation out of the fire. It reported that it had investigated all the charges, found them all untrue, with one exception: Temple, like many another university, does subsidize its athletes. But Temple’s General Alumni Association last week began its own investigation.