Constantine republican. [volume] (Constantine, Mich.) 1836-1838, 1838-03-07

~ toI'u' ''iSc UP anu MAINTAIN cOHege Ot
an eeva'ed character. The indispensable
yenry expenditure Of such an institution is
necessarily great. IF VIC 90 south and west
| Of The states already enumerated, we shall
lad chartered institutions under the impos-
;ng app 'lation of universities and colleges,
almost without number. But we shall look
in vain for an institution of emncnce and
nigh literary reputation. All these states
ara broken into fragments, each one Of
which has its university or college and the
| great contest seems TO be for mere life, TO
live is all they do, and il is all they can ex.
pect 10 do. Ia the course of some remarks
before the "Western Literary Institute"
| President McGuifey made this striking and
explicit, declaration
"Al that can be said Of the universities
and colleges of the south and west Is, that
they are well endowed academies. though
some of them arc not even that" How
narrow-minded and miserable the policy that
has resulted in such state Of things A
state of things exceedingly to be deplored,
because directly at war with high attain
ments in literature. science ard the arts
AS il is. a few only have the means put
with n their reach Of laying the Foundation
Of thorough education. Was there but
a single institution in each Of the different
states in which all the funds, energies, pat.
ronage AMI talents Of its >tite were centered,
what an Elevated national literature, instead
Of the present stinted growth! "There
must be IN the Union as many colleges ut
Last as S a;es. Nor would we complain OF
this arrangement as inexpedien., provided,
hat starvation is nst the consequence of
patronage so minuely divided. We are
not without apprehension, however, that
feeble aud stinted growth of our national
literature will be the consequence Of the
very scan'y supply of means ossost of our
pubic >e'ninaries. The competi,ion of col.
legrs may advance the interests of literature
# it is com, petition for excellence rather
than for numbers if each aims to su'pass
the others, not in an imposing display, but
in the substantial value Of its educa,icn.-
When the rivalry becomes mere scramble
for numbers, a dexterOus arrangement of
measures in beating up for recruits, the
standard of attainment will sink lower till
the colleges are brought to n level with com.
mon academies. Does il become the pat.
rons and guardians Of sound learning 10
WELD to this depressing and dcteriorating in.
fluencc? Oar country has ample reSour.
ces for furnishing TO great numbers the
means Of thorough education. a: tho
snme time. peculiar temptations are present.
cd TO our YOUTH 10 induce them 10 rest sat.
lslied with partial and superficial course
If study. We have abundant supplies Of
This lombardy- popular growth, slender,
T. al ond bligh,ed. We should like TO see
more Of the stately elm. striking deep its
roots. lifting its HEAD slowly to the skies,
spreading wide its grateful shade, and
growi g more and more venerable with
years. f
The seventh section of The Pennsylvania
Revised Constitution Of 1900, contains this
proviso "the arts and sciences shall BE- pro.
moied in one or more scminaries of learn.
jig. By this vague epthet, Summaries in.
GLIDING every thing above schools, soon in.
tested The people aud the legislature with
ike vagueness academies are multiplied
faster than c"unlies, college after college,
regardless of place or use, two in one coun.
| w seven miles distant. This madness
cached lis climax in 1919, in raising an
academy to second university, in part
Of the state where the need was NOT felt, or
! discussed, or dollar subscribed. Many
seem to regard a charter, like granting a
patent to The inventor of a machipe forget.
| ting that the state must suffer cost and in.
fanny. While no college in the
state has had the means of safe existence
while failures were frequent and when all
students of regular college grade could
he accommodated in two; still the sixth,
and at length the tenth, and at the last SEES.
son. the twelfth, and thirteenth, and four.
ieenih college were gravely chariered.-
had application been made TO neighbor.
ing state, each of these three must have Sc.
cured from patrons one hundred and thirty
Thousand dollars before charter could be
asked "
In reply to the following letter, issued
with view of obtaining light from the ex.
pcrience OF others, number OF highly i'm.
porrant communications have been received
from distinguished genlo",en and scholars,
resident IN different parts of the country
To give them all entire would swell this re-
port beyond due limits alltha can be done
is 10 present the mo material parts aud
rcasonings contained in them.