At Your Door Three Fifteen Hundred Sum-
Evenings a Week, 75c mer Session Student
Vol,. III. ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, THURSDAY, JULY 18, 1912. No. 10.
COMMISSION FORM
IS AN EXPERIMENT
Professor Reeves Sees Need of a
Specially Trained Admin.
istrator.
POINTS OUT MUNICIPAL PROBLEM
"The commission form of govern-
ment," said Prof. J. S. Reeves yester-
day in his lecture on "The Commission
Form of Government," "is an experi-
ment devised in the United States to
assist the dwellers in the city to a
realization of a more democratic form
of municipal government, and, at the
ministration. . This is our problem:
to form a city government which will
be at once democratic and efficient.
"The German city is highly efficient,
but it is not democratic. The old
New England town meeting was dem-
ocratic but it was suited only to the
very simple state of things in which
it had its early development. When
it attempted to do more, the town
meeting retained its democracy but
lost its efficiency."
Profess Reeves gave also a short
resume of the evolution of municipal
government in this country, especial-
ly in regard to the influence of the
political ideas current at the time
when the first great cities in this
country began to develope. The re-
sult, he stated, is that we have an
enormously complicated scheme of
city government marked by numerous
officials, lack of responsibility, lack
of efficiency in administration, and
domination by interested parties of
the city political machinery.
"The aim of the commission form
of government," said Prof. Reeves, "is
to simplify what is thus complicated.
Certain things are essential, to the
success of this new departure in city
governments. There must be a non-
partisan primary for the selection of
candidates for city office. The elec-
tion must be upon a general ticket of
all the commissioners, and they must
be elected for the same term of office,
and not by ward or other subdivisions
of the city's territory. There must be
a small body of commissioners, not
more than nine at the outside. Act-
ing together, they serve as common
council; acting individually, each is
the head of an executive department."
"The commission form of govern-
ment is not the last word in munici-
pal administration," Prof. Reeves ad-
ded. "It marks a transition stage and
just what the next step will be no one
can tell. The tendency seems to be
towards a centralization of power in
the hands of a specially traine ad-
ministrator who shall bear the same
relation to the city's commission that
the general manager does to his board
of directors in a business corpora-
tion."
Professor Reeves showed a number
of graphic illustrations of schemes for
city commission government, and sev-
eral slides which brought out the
changes which the Australian ballot
has undergone in this country since
its adoption some twenty years ago.
APPOINT FOREIGN ADVISORS.
Big Chinese Convention Will be Held
Here in August.
In accordance with a plan agreed
upon some time ago, the following
members of the university faculty
have been appointed to act as ad-
visors for foreign students: Profes-
sors J. A. C. Hildner, C. P. Wagner,
E. A. Boucke, and J. A. Bursley.
Professors J. R. Effinger, T. E.
Rankin, and J. R. Nelson, have also
been appointed as a committee. on
arrangements for a convention of
Chinese students in American schools,
which is to be held in Ann Arbor in
August.
CHILDREN NEEDLESSLY BLIND
SAYS PROFESSOR PARKER,
Traces Eye Diseases From Birth to
Haturity-Discusses Question
Sociologically.
"When we stop to consider the as-
tounding fact that more than 25 per
cent of all blind children are need-
lessly so," said Prof. Parker, in his
lecture on the "Hygiene of the Eye,"
last Tuesday evening, "we begin to
realize the mammoth proportions of
the problem before us. Indeed, it
would be safe to say that, if proper
preventive measures were taken at
the time of birth, the cases of blind-
ness in children could be reduced to
a fractional percentage of what they
are today; in other words, the pres-
ent list, could be made practically
zero."
Prof. Parker discussed his subject
from a sociological, rather than an
individual point of view, tracing, in
chronological order, the most com-
mon diseases as they appear in in-
fancy, childhood and maturity. In
speaking of the relation of the con-
dition of a pupil's eyes to the stand-
ard of his regular school work, Prof.
Parker pointed out that recent ex-
periments have shown that practical-
ly every child unable to do standard
work has had some eye, ear, nose or
throat trouble. This fact is being
widely recognized, and in all of the
best school systems regular and sys-
tematic examinations of all school
children, are being insisted upon.
NEWS BUREAU IS A SUCCESS.
Editor J. R. Brumm to Enlarge Work
Next Year.
Extensive use has been made of the
news matter which University News
Editor Brumm has sent out during the
past year, and indications point to the
continuance of the news bureau on
a larger scale next year. Of the coun-
try newspapers, about half of those
sent the weekly letters employ them
to a great extent in their news col-
umns. In some editions there is as
much news from the university as
there is in the "local" columns, the
country journalists' piece de resist-
ance. Even the space devoted to the
Lydia Pinkham fraternity, is rivalled
by the university items.
Most of the specially prepared 'fea-
ture" articles sent to the Detroit
Free Press, the Boston Transcript, the
New York Evening Post, have been
used to advantage in those papers.
And although it cannot be ascertained
to what extent the American Press,
and the Central Press of Cleveland,
have spread the matter furnished
them, they are known to have a large
clientele,
Articles are now in preparation for
the Outlook and the Ladies' Home
Journal which will icorporate the
bureau's features.
The news bureau for the outside
press is pretty sure to be continued
next year, and it is planned to con-
centrate the efforts of the bureau on
a larger number of metropolitan pa-
pers, at the same time continuing the
weekly letters to the country state
correspondents. This will entail more
working hours for the bureau, which
has been carried on this year hy Pro-
fessor Brumm and -one stenographer,
Helen McGee, '13, each working about
two days a week.
Lack of material has handicapped
the efficiency, all the past year, of the
University Bulletins which have been
gotten out by the News Editor. Fac-
ulty and students have evinced plenty
of interest in the finished bulletins,
but there has been no effort to get no-
tices to the editor in time for the ap-
propriate issue of the bulletin, and he
has been at the pains of scraping up
his own material. This feature of the
news bureau may be discontinued, or
at best it may be given but 'a short
try-out, subject to discontinuance if
it does not meet with more success.
MICHIGAN MAY HAVE
A SPLENDID CREW
Captain I. Sealby of "Republic" Sees
Fine Opportunity for
Oarsmen .
STRAIGHT COURSE NOT NEEDED.
That Michigan can have a crew-
and a splendid crew at that- is the
opinion of Captain Inman Sealby, one
of the heroes of the ill-fated "Repub-
lic," and a member of last year's sen-
ior law class.
In discussnig the chances of a good
Michigan crew on the big lake above
the new power dam up the Huron,
Captain Sealby said: "The question is
not how long a straight course will be
available, but how long a stretch of
water there will be. If you have two,
three or four miles of water, you can
have a crew. Few courses are
straight except some of those up the
Hudson. Oxford and Cambridge row
on a crooked course up the Thames;
and there is a dog's leg on the New
Thames where Yale and Harvard
race."
Captain Sealby attached little im-
portance to the objection that there
would be no current. "There is no
current on the Thames," he said.
"Wisconsin and Washington univer-
sities have inland lakes for their
crews, and Swiss lakes have the finest
crews in the world, but they never
thought of current."
This spring the opinion was ad-
vanced in The Michigan Daily that
the lake would grow full of weeds.
In commenting upon this the captain
said that, although he was not an
authority on inland water ways, he
was nevertheless rather skeptical of
this statement. If weeds do grow,
they will be cut down, for there will
be a great many cottages built upon
the shore shore, and consequently,
considerable boating. If the water is
backed up a sufficient distance, there
seems to be no reasonable doubt that
Michigan may have a crew."
Although Michigan has no trained
men at present, she has plenty of
good material, and, in Captain Sealby's
opinion, it is easier to teach a new
dog old tricks- than an old dog new
tricks.
UNIVERSITY SENATE PASSES
RESOLUTIONS OF SORROW.
The Senate of the University of
Michigan has passed a resolution of
sorrow for the death of its former
member, Paul Caspar Freer, M.D.,
Ph.D., who died at Baguio, Philippine
Islands, April 17, 1912. Mr. Freer
studied at Rush Medical College, Chi-
cago, and at the University of Munich,
Bavaria. He held many important po-
sitions in American schools, was
prominent in scientific societies and
journalistic work, and, at the time of
his death, was dean of the College of
Medicine and Surgery in the Philip-
pines, and otherwise actively engaged
in public service there.
A similar expression was made on
account of the death of Otis Coe John-
son, A.M., Ph.C., who died at his
home in Ann Arbor, June 6, 1912.
Professor Johnson was a graduate of
Oberlin and of Michigan. He spent
his life in chemical work at Michigan,
held several important professor-
ships, and was emeritus professor at
the time of his death. He and the
late Dr. A. B. Prescott were the
authors of Prescott and Johnson's
"Qualitative Analysis," which has been
a standard book on that subject for
more than twenty years.
Seven Students are Expelled.
At a meeting of the faculty of the
literary department, on Tuesday night,
seven students were expelled from the
university because their work had not
been satisfactory during the last se-
mester of the past school year.
ANN ARBOR TO HAVE
DETENTION HOSPITAL.
At o Legislature Authorizes t-fir.
mary for Contagious
Diseases.
Barring an unlooked for defeat at
the polls, Ann Arbor is at last to have
a detention hospital. Both the city
and University authorities have been
favorable to the establishment of such
an institution for some time, but legal
difficulties have prevented its accomp-
lishment.
Several years ago the Board of Re-
gents offered to equip a hospital and
provide the medical attendance, if
the city would put up a $25,000 build-
ing. The terms of the city charter
made it impossible to issue bonds for
such a purpose, but the legislature
has, by special enactment, authorized
cities of the class of Ann Arbor to
construct and maintain detention hos-
pitals. A special election will be held
at the same time as the primaries,
Aug. 15, on the proposition to bond
the city for $25,000 for the erection
of the necessary building.
A two-thirds majority will be re-
quired to carry the question, but the
great need of the hospital here is
expected to result in an overwhelming
victory for the project. If an epi-
demic were to break out in Ann Ar-
bor, the city, with all its hospitals,,
would be practically helpless. The
university hospitals are crowded to
their capacity during the entire year,
and they have at present, no ade-
quate facilities for caring for contag-
ious diseases in any large numbers.
SECOND LETTER COMES FROM
DISTANT SHIRAS EXPEDITION.
- White Fish Point, July, 14.
"Editor The Wolverine:
"We have been here just one week,
and, while it is a wild and beautiful
spot, it is not a place well-suited to
many birds and mammals. We have
seen only thirty species of birds so
far, but of course, there are many
more, as we have worked only a
small territory as yet. But six
species of mammals have been seen,
although tracks of deer are not rare,
and I have seen several beaver hous-
es where they are now living. I have
also found the little Lake Superior
chipmunk, which settles one of the
questions we came here to study. We
now have records of this species all
along the south shore of Lake Su-
perior. We expect also to solve the
query as to the species of hare in this
portion of the Upper Peninsula, which
has always been in doubt.
"Where we are, many cranberries
and blueberries are picked and sent
to market, and the tame strawberries
have just ripened. We have also the
finest of whitefish and lake trout; and
the air and water are delicious. I
wish I could send all of your readers
a cool breeze and some of this water,
of which there is enough to furnish all
the people of the earth.
"We have also found here the wood-
chuck, or ground-hog; and were rath-
er surprised to find it so far in the
woods. It is very rare, however, as
is also the raccoon, of which I have a
skin. We have also four species of
snakes and three of frogs. Both land
and water turtles are scarce here.
Norman A. Wood,
"Director in Charge."
Old Tackle Lands Fine Position.
"Bill" Edmunds, who was tackle on
Michigan's 1910 football team, has
been appointed director of the phys-
ical training gymnasium, and medical
director, at the University of West
Virginia. The appointment was made
last Saturday, upon the recommenda-
tion of Coach Yost; and Edmunds will
take up his duties at the beginning of
the college year.
Edmunds will be in Ann Arbor soon
to complete his physical training
course under Dr. George May.
ACTIVE ENGINEERS
ISSUECHALLENGE
Will Beat Any Department in Base.
ball Game Saturday
Morning,
MARRIED MEN NOT DEBARRED.
A little coterie of -engineering stu-
dents have made known their willing-
ness to play a game of baseball next
Saturday morning with any team from
any other department. There are to
be no eligibility rules, and no formal
try-outs for the team; neither will
there be any formal practice to in-
crease the efficiency of young "to
he's" in a manner that might make
the "once was" feel that he is a "has
been." All that is necessary, is that
those who wish to play should come
down to Ferry Field and show that
desire.
The object of this game is simply
to break the monotony of the summer
session, by giving the contestants an
opportunity to drop their cares and
to enjoy a frolic in this time of many
tasks and few diversions. It is hop-
ed, also, that the spectators will find
the game worth-while.
If more than enough men for one
team show up for preliminary prac-
tice, more teams will be organized;
and, if possible, a series of games
will be played. The personnel of the
engineering team is as follows: Wil-
liams, Morse, Trum, Touly, Wood,
Williamson, Morris, Blake, Mills, and
Shaeffer.
The shower baths in the old field
house are open for the use of the
players.
Ye Frolicsome Engineers! S I
Engineers are, were, and we pre-
suppose always will be, a happy lot.
Having only three compartments of
their mental pantries in use at a
time, the other three compartments,
can be utilized for such wonder de-
vices as three-foot ships,-with to-
mato can turrets,-and small red
flags! Ships with olive bottle fun-
nels, fire crackers and fuse! to sail
across a wondrous harbor by hidden
strings.
This may seem fiction; but it is
fact. The ship was built. The firm
Kuhn, Brown, Otto and Hunter did it.
The ship was christened. "Art"
Grove himself introduced "Jinx" Oa-
to, who did it. The ship was serenad-
ed. Holmboe, Mills and Drury, with
the camp bungler-beg pardon!-
bugler, did it. So it was done.
And in religious aftermath, all the
afore-mentioned participants in the
said ceremony, retired to Mackinaw
to have their heads shaved,-all save
one Earl Gray, who, being of an ar-
tistic temperament, preferred artis-
tic rows.
All of which goes to prove our in-
troduction, i. e., that the engineers are
a frolicsome' lot, not over exhaustive
in the use of their mental pantries!
BRILLIANT CHINESE STUDENT
HONORED BY GOVERNMENT.
C. T. Wang, formerly a student at
Michigan, graduate and post-graduate
at Yale, and Y. M. C. A. secretary for
all China, has lately been appointed
acting minister of industry and com-
merce for the Chinese Republic. It
was only eighteen months ago that Mr.
Wang left this country, after a re-
markabletcareer as a leader of Chin-
ese associations in this country, as
editor of a Chinese newspaper here,
and as an honor student. He was one
of thirteen to graduate with honors
from Yale.
Since his return to China, Wang has
been entrusted with many diplomatic
missions for the new Republic; and
has, at the same time, been prominent
in Y. M. C. A. work.