Education: Fall of Bohemianism

Last week the American Committee of the Cité Universitaire in Paris acknowledged a gift of $25,000 from rich Bernard Mannes Baruch of Manhattan. Mr. Baruch’s money will provide for a room in which, if he so desires, will be placed a tablet with his name engraved thereon. Should he further desire, Banker Baruch could have ten rooms in the University, each inscribed with his name, as each $2,500 is entitled to a tablet. Mr. Baruch, however, did not ask for this, and the Committee, passing over the point, reported that it had $325,000 in cash and needed about $100,000 more.

The Cité Universitaire, on the outskirts of Paris, signals the decline and fall of Bohemianism among Paris students. For years students had lived, cribbed, confined, in unhealthy rooms in the Latin Quarter.

The French Government and the city of Paris became aware of the situation and donated to the University of Paris a tract of land opposite the Pare Montsouris, close to the Porte d’Orleans. Sites in this tract were free and 15 foreign countries quickly accepted invitations to build dormitories to lodge their Paris students. There is, however, no U. S. dormitory; nor will there be until the important committee to which Banker Baruch made his donation gets enough money.

Recently the Cité Universitaire received $2,000,000 from John Davison Rockefeller Jr. with which will be built a large central building (TIME, Aug. 6).