The Portland gazette., 1819-03-09
REPORT

! That, in the year 1913. said Institution was
| incorporated, and was endowed by the Leg
islaure with a township, tc be selected from
| any of the INDICATED lands Of The Common.
wealth. on which its buildings were intended
10 be erected. Afterwards the corporation,
on petition, obtained leave 10 establisl, the In
( sttution in any part Of the counties of Kenne-
J beck or Somerset-and the town Of Water
vile was selected. A building has been OBJ
tanned 10 fiat place for temporary accommo-
dation. and instruction has been for few
months, afforded 10 seventeen students. The
Trustees represent. :hat without further aid
from The Legislature, it viii not be in their
power to erect the requisite buildings, much
less TO procure a library, and philosophical
apparatus
Your Committee are. persuaded, that the
views Of those, ,swho have evinced an interest
in this Institution, have been, in common with
the friends Of other academies and seminaries
of learning, the promotion OF piety and lear.
ming and il is a subject of regret, that they
have not been successful in raising, from pri
Unte sources, fund sufficient to erect bull
dings for the accommodation of the students.
As early as the year 1897, the Legislature
adopted system for the endowment of all
subsequent academies, that should apply for
their patronage ; to which they have adhered,
in consequence of experience its proprietv
to wit. that an academy should possess funds.
derived from individual patrons, 10 an amount
sufficient for the erection of its buildings, be-
fore it should be qualified to receive the Gus.
tomary grant of hall township Of public land.
But your Committee remark, that the Lee,
isIature has extended to this Seminary the ex-
traordinary indulgence of endowing it with
twice the usual quantity of land, and of dis
pensing with the salutary condition relative
TO private funds.
Viewing, therefore, this Seminary on the
same ground with others. your Committee
cannot but regret, that the generosity of the
Legislature has not been met by correspon,
ding patronage on the part of he friends of
the Institution. The feet, as stated in the
petition, that private donations bsye not been.
ae vet, sufficient to defTay the expense Of the
buildings, shows the rropriely Of the exact;on,
in future, of tiat condition, before anv en-
dowment hv the Legislature But your Com
mttee have been informed, that the Trustees
of tie Maine Literary and Theological Insti-
tuition. consider themselves as having higher
pretcnsions than other Academies, and have
conceived that they are entitled to cndow
menls. similar to those granted TO the Cole
ges Of Williams and Brunswick,
The grounds on which such calculations are
raised, il is difficult to ascertain. There is
nothing. il the act Incorporation. expressive
Of al intention in the Legislature 10 establish
a College an Institution, which presupp0ses
large establishment; Of Professors and Tu
tors Nor does il appear that private indivd-
uals have, BY their munifcence, evinced thai
they had any such object. On the contrary,
there are many Of our Academies, which have
much greater importance, considered in rela
ton to their means Of education, and The mum
Der Of their pupils, than this institution ap-
proach much nearer 10 the character of Col
iege, and could, with at least as much propri-
ety, urge claims 70 distinguished patronage.
But though it is believed that this Institution
has no peculiar claims TO the rank OF a col
leee vet YOUR committee have thought prop
er to consider, whether the public good at
present requires another, in addition 10 that