New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1856-12-26
4 GREAr EDUCATIONAL ENTERPRISE.

We hayebeOre circular addressed by the flSnt |
Rev. Leonidas Polk, Bishop of the Protestant Fps
copa Diocese Of louisiana to the Bishops of Tennes-
see Georgia. Alabama Arkansas, Texas, Mississippi,
Florida South Carolina and North Carolina urging
attention to the pressing necessity of more extended
and effective means of Southern education in academl-
cal and theological learning, and suggesting dioce-
san combination for the purpose Of undertaking an
educational enterprise on scale of unusual magnl-
tude.
It is hardly necessary to set forth the evils and
Inconvenience resulting to the South from lack of
home institutions of learning and from forced re-
lance in consequence upon institutions abroad for the
education of her youth They are and have long been
felt and ydeplored by Southern men who value the
true interests of the South, but who have hitherto
looked in vain for any remedy. If they will lend
their earnest cooperation and exertions church and
lay without distinction of sect Or creed the object
can be accomplished and the remedy toundin the plan
under consideration.
The Bishop states that institutions, founded by
State patronage Or by religious denominations, exist
within the pale Of the several Southern doceses but
that whatever their degree of excellence they DO not
meet the wants of the people and as those doceses
are too feeble separately to establish institutions that
would offer the advantages andoccupy the command
ing position required, it is obvious that the end in
view can be attained by undertaking collectively
what cannot be accomplished singy. He alludes to
the importance of raising up native ministry and
proposes therefor that an Institution upon large
scale be founded the united strength of the doceses
comprising academical, collegiate and theological
departments He says:
single Of professor would ser seye us AL and the means
would swell amount 10 CROUCH
to enasie US to make ssh liberal provision for the chairs
would make them objects Of attraction and place al our
mand the highest talent.
The Bishop has included in the contemplated move
ment no diocese north of North Carolina, Tennessee
nor Arkansas for the reason that Virginia. kentucky
and Missouri have institutions of their own of the
kind proposed, which they have established and are
pledged to support. He supposed that they could
hardly interest themselves in an enterprise for which
they have no occasion, but should they now or here
after be disposed to unite in the PLAN their coopera
ton would be cheerully accepted and they would be
welcome to share in its benefits.
He further says, in regard to an important feature
| of the proposed establishment:
cardinal principle in the whole movement would of
p founded BY Church for The especial benefit Of her
children the advancement Of learning generally and for the
woud be freely open to ali who might desire to avail Of their
tie Church '''0 " -"
In reply to this, the Bishops appealed to issue an
'Address to the Members and Friends of the Episco
pal Church in the Southern ard Southwestern States
fully admitting and illustrating the existence of a
great educational necessity in their several diocescs
They therefore propose to unite their strength and
found University, with all the Notwithstanding
theology-"upon plan so extensive as to comprise
the whole course usually embraced in the most ap
proved institutions of that grade whether at home or
abroad
| For the consummation of an enterprise of such
overshadowing magnitude and importance, the do
cesar committee put forward the following plan OF
operation
st That the University should in all its nrts be under the
sole and perpetual direction Of the Protestant Episcopal Church.
securing unity in its administration indispensable to its
"a That the Board Of Trustees should be composed of The
hoP s Of the ra s G e 10, o d one IN
g e d Tie ssca a " @1 St e
% ? Tha ts SUI" soo5o sa he The least amount with
Win Ill., TSa 'Eere Be- appointed in each do
whost duty shall % th?sc suns pn6
lie securities paying annually to the Trenu Of the Cor
G 5 That hsSs sloSd Tfssssr 4 'Sy Corporation VIII,
and eNpend direction Of the Board Of Trustees
OH That the amount s"hsened by Any diocese and secrre'
the liss $i e " Asses%,ion " -
What Bishop shall bring subject speedily hctOr
his diocese and Convention, and shall also operation
agencies he think best for pronoting the in accord
with the general principles here laid down.
St. That the Senior Bishop by conservation Of the Ssocu
ton shall alwuyshe Chancellor Of the University.
spot Chattanooga. Tenn. where various railroad
traversn diocese thus rendering from
every direction, easy and speedy.
The immense influence which such an institution
would have in moulding the characters of Southern
youth, is IA consideration involving not only domesti
interests but political policy. Unless the South re
signs herself to forever rely upon foreign academic
and universities for the education Of her young
decided and energetic measures must be taken to pre-
vide the facilities for instruction at home and that
. too, upon a thorough and extended SCALE which wi
place the competition of institutions abroad out {
the question. The plan proposed seems feasible, an
+ if successfully carried out it will go far toward
s accomplishing the beneficial results which ever
. Southern man should ardently desire, 1t ccrtainl
cannot fail if all those interested in its success wi
Il give it united and Jealous support and in view
o its paramount importance, and the great advantag
IL and benefits the Southern people would derive frol
its success we feel confident it will not lack sue
!