Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1865-01-04

whole correspondence relating 20 this sub
jeet IS appended from which Il WI be
seen that the quantity Of good land in the
State, subject 70 entry and APPROPRIATION
under this grant was so small (onlv 40
acres that had 10 discretion but 10 elect
10 receive the aHeunt in land scrip. Ac-
ccrdingly, on the 7th of September the
commissioner forwarded to me three-thous-
and Dine hundred and thirty-ssven certif-
Gates Of scrip for aono quarter section"
each, equal 20 ak hundred and thirty
thousand acres being in full for the claim
Of the 5tste under the law. These eertff-
Gates we're deposited in the State Treasury,
and the fund Is subject to such further legiz-
lrtive action IS you may deem proper.
No more important subject viii claim
your Consideration than the proper
disposition to be made of this grant.
Mingled with the eounsels of earnest and
honest friends Of education, you will, no
doubt find the pressure of local interest,
the claims Of existing institutions for sd-
ditional endowment; and possibly some
not entirely disintereted in their chsrac-
ter. Among these it Is no part of my
duty, and have no inclination to dis
IAAh-AAANAOs 4A6 NOulUlselOubE AODl-
mon Schools has somewhat eIaborately
discussed the subject in his annual report.
Without endorsing his views, L may be
permitted to say that the clear and
forcible manner in which they are pre-
sented may we'll commend them to your
consideration. He is evidently embsr-
sssed by the qestion of local influences;
and in endeaYoring to ooneiliate them,
falls into the error, as think, of so divid-
ing up the income fund as to ineapacitste
either branch for performing what Will be
required of it, or the whole from aehiev-
ing the usefulness that might, by eoncen-
trssed effort, be accomplished. This is no
less to be avoided; in my Judgment, than
tha scheme so earnestly pressed by educa-
tionsl enthusiasts, of building up grand
institution whose profesforships shall
tempt the greatest scientific minds Of the
eountFy-whose contribution to the gran
deur of the State shall compensate for its
utter want of utilty=WhOse education
shall Illustrate and expand the abstruse
theories Of science, attainable by few,
but a sealed book to the mAny-Whose
lectures and publications, however appre-
ciable by the highly educated mind, will
be totally unintelligible to the honest tiller
Of the soil, who desiSes TO learn, in the
simplest and most practicable manner,
how two blades Of grass can be made to
grow where only one was produced be-
fore.
The first thing to be determined is,
what is the object or purpose of this
grant2 A careful examination of the act
of Congress, it seems to me, very clearly
solves this inquiry. The language of the
law is, that the fund Hshsll be inviolablv
appropriated to the endowment support
ond maintenance of at lesst one college
where the leading object shall be, without
excluding other scientific and classical
studies, and including military tactics, to
teach such branches Of learning as are re-
lated to agriculture and the mechanic
arts"
1t is evident that the intention of the
enactment is to institute a new and dis
tinct species Of education one no. hereto
fore favored, or specially encouraged, by
State or national aid. It Is also evident
that the purpose to be accomplished Is,
the application of that institution to the
advancement of the agricultural and
mechanic interests Of the country. The
great principle is recognized that all wealth
comes from the earth, and the
labor and mechanism necessary to
produce it; and that whatever facilitates
and increases the production, adds alike to
individual and national wealth and great
ness. Applying this principle to the law,
it is manifest-
FTrst-Thst this instruction is intended
to be sni generis-of its own kind and
that, although ascientiAc and classical
studies" are not excluded, they are subor-
dinated to "such branches Of learning as
are related to agriculture and the mchAn-
ic arts.f In other words, it is the instrue-
tson of the industrial classes, within them
selves, and in that 1Ohieh pertains to their
oi0n calliugs, in order that they may make
practical and manual application of il, in
cidentally for their own benefit, but actual
" for the increase of national production
and wealth.
SeeoaF-The instruction is to be plain
and practical, not theoretie and artistieal-
" scientific in its character. And this, be-
cause from the very nature Of its purpose,
it is designated to reach the greatest
practicable number, with the rudiments Of
knowledge, instead of eonfning it TO the
few, in the long and tedious process Of 8
collegiate and scientific education. For it
is more important to the industrial inter-
estg, and consequently TO the country,
that one hundred men should receive in
stIuctiOn by plain and simple teaching,
which they can practically apply in their
respective branches of labor, than that one
man should be educated TO the highest
point of scientific attainments
Third-It is manifestly intended that
this instruction so afforded, shall be reflect
ed upon the great industrial Interests it is
designated to promote, and that
its recipients, instead of be-
coming detached from laboring pur-
suits, will return to them, to make practi-
cal application of the learning they have
ACQUIRED, and thus expand and improve
the producing capacity and wealth Of the
country. We must not be lured from the
practical by the theOratic; nor must We be
deceived by the speeious declaration of en-
thusiasts thAt this liberal donation is for
the general education Of the agricultural
and mechanic classes. The avenues of
general education are open to them at the
present time, through large number Of
public and private institutions. 1t is no
part Of the present object to detach men
from the industrial pursuits, and edueats
them for the various learned professions.
We have been doing that for over half q
century; and as result we have over
crowded the walks of the professions, low
cred the standard of professional attain
ments and usefulness, stimulated and in
creased the non-produeing classes, all the
time overlooking and unheeding the edu-
cation of the great body OF producers in
the knowledge pertaining to their pur-
suits in life, alike to their own benefit and
the advantage of the State. The policy il,
therefore, to provide education within, and
pertaining to, the calling of the industrial
classes, instead of compelling men to leave
that calling, either TO receive that ednca-
ton, or, as a consequence thereupon, to
abandon it. It is said we elevate men Hby
educating them from labor to higher cali
ings and professions in life" II SO, we