Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1868-06-24

Con, ,ssessre,n Week.

IL the people OF Iowa need inioS0Atlon
upon any State institusios, they certainly
need IL upon the Usivsrsity.
Ignorance and biestry have bsstlsd 70
soms 6sstng purpose against this. the
proudsst jewel in the setting sf our States
tiara; and even nov, when the object Of
their assaults 10 upon . foundation - firm
that II falls only with the commonwealth
that fosters il, and whose brain and heart
il forms, the low -browsd firm aforesaid, un-
der the guse Of tour church and "old
fogy," give it an occasional kick.
II may not be amiss to give the public,
through your widely read sheet, . short
history Of the organization. rise, progress
and present status Of the University.
The foundation Of its capital was in .
grant Of 4s ,oso acres Of land BY the Gene
raj Government to the Territory Of lowe
for University endowment. This sedsv-
msnt Vas subsequently, increased By The
donation Of the saline lands." which
were given TO the State BY the General
Government, and BY the State in turn cen
fsrrsd upen ths University.
These lands have oil bssn sold but sbsut
. 900 acres, and from such sales ths work
isg capital Of e20S 900 hes been realized.
This capital 10 readily loaned upon good
arst mertgsgss u 10 per cent. and with
shs rssts Of certain Univsrsity properly.
y yislds % income Of about e95, 900 per IN.
mum, which is increased BY about 1850
from mstrisulatisn fess,-shs aggrsgats Of
the above sums representing the entire in.
come OF the institution.
The lands still held are very valuable
and will increase the money capital nsasly
e50,000 when disposed Of at present valua.
tisn.
The University has had % unsxamplsd
grewth. Time wss whom its revenue was
90 small that the gsod professors were we'll
pleased TO est their salaries il baesn, beans
aad wheat, 10 which esnneditiss the far
mss debtors were in the habit Of diseharg-
Ing the interest On the Univsrsity loaas.
A brace Of chickens paid ever, under sueA
circumstances wss made the scsasion Of .
Faculsy feast, while . goose o. turkey
about Thanks givisg time. seemed the
juicy result Of direct intssposition sl
Providence.
These professors, sxcsllant men and ripe
scholars were they. were looked upon -
the Intellectual bsgears Of the frontier
community, and il was thoaght The mil-
night oil and classic lore were psbslum
qusnt. suf. for the psdsntic digestion.
Thsn the course Of study. va nearly
- crude ~ the financial part was insuf-
feisnt.
The Havk-Eysd youth insisted upon
carrying that Independence, fer which our
forefathsrs died, into the ssquirsasnt ei
an education, and % would not be
bound 10 any sys,sm BY any rule. AZ it
was desirable that there should be .
nucleus. the irregular COURSE" which
was scarcely recognizable ~ being part
and parcel Of collegiate training, was
adopted. lnnumsrabls side shows,
and large pigeon-hols business was
done. until with the fsht Of fgssius, and
sn improvement Of the finance, frst one
and then smother, incongruity Was lep
ped of. Organizsrs were put - the
heads Of the departments, and slowly
order came forth from chaos and
the better days Of the University dawn
cd. The Preparatory dspartm ent va the
last relic Of the old days and it WAS nssss.
atty after the creation Of the College
classes, for the reason that the ordinary
sehosis and academies, BY courtesy, 10
the state we're nos adapted 70 fitting stu.
dcnu Ior College. So the University was
compelled 10 confine its raw material
to its own doors, and then in this depart
ment, prepare it.
There is not IN institution in tho land
Of similar growth and resource that
can show better results. II trust il put in
numbers, it has 500 students. Its scisntif
ic department, created and managed By
Peof. Hinrichs, the eminent author and i'm
vestigator in the neld Of physical science,
Whose discoveries have made the Universe
ty Of Iowa known to the scientific world Of
oil Europe, boasts. . labratory, which. is
the csmpletenesskof oil its appointments,
scArcs:knows superior on this continent.
The IitcraryI and normal departments, in
charge Of gentlemen Of signal ability and
experience, have sent out graduates that
ere no discrsdis. to any alma mater.
COMMENCEMENT WEEK,
10 the great University anniversary Of the
year. Students, weary with years ofstudy
are then launched upon the world with .
parchment and degree. From every sec-
ten o! the Estate come alumai and The
friends oof students. aud our ssaid town
stops buying, selling, and collecting its
ssnts, to put on fresh attire, and do hsnors
at the shrine Of intellect.
There ars, this year. three University Tor
College, and fourteen Nesmal graduates.
The sxsrcisss consist Of . reunion, which
was had in the chapel last evening, grassd
BY the presence Of Gov. Merrill and ethss
eminent gentlemen from various parts sf
the State. Tonight, Tuesday, the Univsrsi-
" address, BY Prof. Haven. D. D., Of Chi.
cage; tomorrow, the exercises Of The grad
uating classes, the Baecalaurssts address,
BY President Leonard, and the cenfefsing
Of degrees and diplomas.
Next year will witness csrsmsnies still
moro interesting than these. -, in the de-
vslopment of the material new il he class.
-, The nunbsr Of graduates viii b qUsa-
Fuplsd.
Since the absence sf Prssidsnt Spsaess,
in Europe, tAs dutiss Of Dsas e ths Faspl-
y have bsss vssy ably dissharesd By that
ripe ssholas and aost sxcelleat mAn, Pet.
Leonard. Pref. james Black, sf Washisg-
ton, Pa, was rendered this position By TIE
Trustees Il their Mssch meeting, and be
has formally accepted Il.