, 1865-01-05

come when vast accession must be made
t. the educational forces Of the State. Ten
years have bronsat rs to new era, demand.
Ing new agencies, new measures, and moro
comp. ehensiye, aggressive and liberal educa-
tionAl policy. More money must be appro-
ptiatcd, more men must be employed, more
forces organized and put in operation. The
progress Of events has supcrannnated the
scale Of operations upon which our f;ce school
system was iDurguratcd- What did very well
il 1855, will not do Tor 1865.
Much Ct the machinery If common schools
needs to be simplihed, reoTganlzcd and per-
fected temporary schools Of Instruction FIR
teachers must be organized and conducted. ut
suitable points throughout the State the
changclets laws Of mental growth aud action
where, that they may be able to estimate the
difference between right and wrong methods
If ftvnchjug-thc priceless blessings OF good
teAcbcrS and schools, and the worthleEsness
of bad ones the duly Of obedience to hygi-
enic laws in the management OF schools. must
of youth sound in body as well as in mind
spirit Of taste and beauty must be dlffased
until the chaste and attractive, though SIM
pic Gnd uncostly, designs Of modern improved
school architecture shall be substituted for
the mouotonous deformjty which now pre-
yals in rnoet Of our rural districts; IL words
the people must be led to understand the true
idea and end Of education ftself-phy men
should be educated, and hop they should bc
educated, as set forth with unnnsweruble
power In the last biennial report, to the end
that they mny SEQ the inevitable abyss into
which a republican government must ulti-
lnatcly plunge without intelligence and vir-
tuo co-extensfye with the franchises Of tie
citizen under the constitution.
To realize these grand aims, the resources
Of the Genital educational olllce of the State
must be increased, both IN men and mcans.
"a - Il. -. Ill
confined to his office, Tor lack oi clerical help,
with no travelling fund md no competent as
Fistants. It can only be done In Illinois, as
ii Los been done in Massachusetts and other
Eastern States. and rs it is being donc in
Michigan, Wisconsin and o,hee Western
Institutes anu for the State Department Of
Public Instruction, that the living heralds Of
thtsc great educational principles may 90
forth among the people. Proper legislative
actlonis Of course necessary, but II our school
laws were rs perfect as inspiration itself
to achieve the desired end without the living
agency Of qualified, experienced men. The
salary Of tho State Supcrin tendent should be
Increased to an equality, at least, with that Of
the Principal Of the Normal University, and
he should be allowed. ut least, two Assistants
best educational experience and ability. The
compensation Of the head OF the Normal
School is not 100 large, and should not be
reduced; but no good reason can be given
why The bead Of the whule system should re-
ceiyc only 1hree-ilfths Us much (Which Is uow
the fact) as the presiding officer Of IN irstitu-
ticn which is but unit in that system. a
comparison oi the duties and responsibilities
OF tho two positions would justify NJ such
disparity of compensation. Much is said
about the necessity Of economy In public ex-
penditures. No man shail be before me in
acting upon that principle. advocate liberal
appropriations for educational purposes o.
cautc it is the only true econo'ny in the long
run. No investment will prove more pro6l-
cble en- tlDul settlement.
The Normal University, under Its present
very able administration, is more than fulfill
founders and friends, and should be regarded
with just pride BY every citizen Of the State.
Its halls are literally crowded with students
,r, nj all parts of the Sla,e, 1t Is doing q
great aud goud work. commend It and its
inte, rests to the confidence and favor OF the
Ii gislnturc.
IL disnlfssipg thus briefly this great public
interest, proclaim 1t as my belief that NO
other should receive 1nu1e serious attention
and enlightened action at the hands or this
General Assembly. The character Of our fl-
tulc as Slate and people will depend more
u2o1. the educator than the politician. 1t is
a disgraceiul fact that this grrat State, so
natchlcss in all the elements OF material
wealth aud powcr-so illustrfons in her record
OF Lrrsl>nl and devotion to the Ghlon--so
soon to exercise, by ler. position aud chlrac-
!. ter, q controlling, influence in the councils of
I 1lir pation-tlis great State is among the
! mCst meaycr and Inadequate Of all the free
| of her Stute Department Of Education.
trust that this will I've 80 no longer. We can
| not afford to neglect these interests.
| CONGRESSIONAL GRANT OF LANDS Fol- EDECA-
! T1oSAL PURpOsEs.
I II will be remembered that Congress, by
| act approved July ?, 1862, donated TO tho
! scycInl States, under certain conditions, pub
lie lands, or scrip for the same. in tue proper
| tion Of thirty thousand ucres for each senator
| and representative in Congress, the proceeds
| Of the eale Of which, or the land scrip to be
| ieEucd therefor, Is TO be invested In stocks Of
| the United States, or Of the States. or eotnc
| other safe stocks, and to constitute pernet-
/ .iolab1y appropriated to the endowment. sup
| port, and maintenance Of at least one college
in each State, where the leading object shall
be. without excluding other scietitfdc and
classical studies, and Including military tac-
tics, to teach such branches Of learning rs are
| rented 10 agricultural and mechanic arts, in
such manner as the Legislature may prescribe,
| in order to promote the liberal and practical
education of the industrial classes In the
several pursuits and professions in life !; also
further providing that any State which may
take the bcncfits OF the provisions of the act,
shall provide, within five YEARS Of the date OF
s1lch act, ut least one college, as described In
the act, or the grant to the State to cease;and
requiring the State, by its Legislature, to,cx-
press its acceptance of The provisions Of the
net within two years after thc datc Of its up
p,oval. The latter provision haa been car
Tied out BY the act Of the last Legislature
accepting the donation, but no steps were
taken 10 carry INTO effect the provisions re-
auising the establishment Of q college. and it
is for on to tex. ellrh action rs will secure
10 our Stute The benefit Of This yalu.bie
grant.
This brief synopsts of the general features
dcrstand more fully the position which this
State, by. the action Of the last Legislature,
occupies In reference to the subject.
Pursuant 10 the acceptance, and inter be-
ing duly 1.oiilicd thereof, the Secretary OF tie
Interior l.as placed in my Iands land scrip
thousand acres. There being no public land
within the limits Of this State subjcc: to
private entry, upon which said scrip can be
properly located, it becomes the duty # the
General Assembly to provide by law, for ia
sale and investment Of the proceeds ,Aereol
in stocks, Is contemplated and required by
little more than two years within which time
the State must comply with the provisions o'
the act, md to establish college Or colleges
for the purposes specified, or the grant, as to
this State, Is TO cease.
The shortness Of The time, the Importance
and magnitude Of the enterprise. Its effects
upon the educational interests Of the State
and the variety nf great questions involved
justify me In calling your special attention tC
the subject at this time. ! therefore advfst
tEat commission be appointed, charged witt
the duty Of carrying ont the provisions o
the net Of Congress, under sAch safeguards o
your wisdom may suggest and approve. No
Part Of the fund arising from this grant, car
be appropriated 10 the ERECTION or repair o
e1ifceB Or building, and 1t therefore become:
necessary for the General Assembly to pro
vide for the same within the time limited b1
the act Of Congress. Doubtless there art
many localities within the State, which woult
unde, take to furnish the requisite building
ard structures for such an Institution withou
cost to the State, In consideration Of the loca
benefits they may be supposed to derive iron
the same; and ], therefore, recommend tha
the appointment OF a commission, to locat'
s1id institution, be provided for by aet Of th'
General Assembly, md that the powers ant
duties Of said commission be SO specified AMI
defined as to insure due consideration Of tt
best interests Of ,he cause Of industrial cau
catfon, in its relation to the whole people 0
the State.
At the fair of the stotc Agricultural Socie
= ty, held during the mouth Of September last
this subject was ably discussed, By tn
fnrmers and mechanics present, at d series Q
conventions called for the purpose. Th
views and suggestions, will be submitted Il
you by tie committee appointed at tha
lime, together with the draft Of q bill, eth
bodying the views Of the agricultural ans
mechanical interests represented at said fair
The eminent qualifications Of the gentlemen
composing this committee, for determinin.
what would be TO the best educational inter
ests Of the mechanical and agricultural
clnsses. rs well us the respectable and promi
ncnt standing which They occupy In society
cntitle their recommendations to your mos
| favorable consideration. a committee, ais
representing the ylews OF the mechanics O