, 1869-03-25
The 1npusrR1AL UNIVERSITY.

Int 1Iu5!ceS OF lhe lndQs!rlhl Untver-
tisJ, At their last meeting, made some
changes which will doubtless reader the
Institution molc useful and better cArry
out the original purpose Of Congress. L.
is too late now to question the wisdom
which proposed the distribution Of ten
millions Of aercs Of the public lands. to
be sold 10 capitalists and specu9 .sors at
an aycrsge Of sixty cents an acre, that
there might be established thirtY-seyen
schools or colleges to educate men and
Eoncn In the sciences relating to me-
chAnics md agriculture and military tao.
tics. There were rumber OF States
which had 20 other WAY OF obtaining
share IN the general p!unde. Of the
public lands. AID hence This bill. II
many Of such S!a'cs, however. there hiss
been no separA'e college established the
fund has been applied 10 The te.ching OF
such branches in colleges already exist
ing. The c1eatton OF this fund has nc
cessitattd In this State large approprta-
tions ter buildings, e1ounds, furniture,
ard other expenditures inci,,ent to
University of the magnitude which this
tI Z lhs ASk uuEQ.
Our readers have been KEEP, fully ad.
Tiscd ct The affairs OF this Iodussrial
University through The letters OF our CIR.
rcspoIdtnt Rural" That gea.lemAn
has btcn ore Of the Trustees, and ia thor
cueh1y c-uyersant with all tha. h.s been
doIe in establishing and pe1ieclng the
Irinetsi'y. lie has, however, inlulged
in sene criticisms which We have no.
hten able to endorse. There have beea
amcng the people -ewo oplniors In
relation to the Eoitcy OF the school, tie
ore rec:Ssented by .hc Regent and ma.
--TIity Of the Trustees incining to pre-
serve as nearly as possible the cur
riculum commcn in all colleges,
with The new sciences added as
srecialsies, ard carried to q higher stan
dsrd than is common in colleges. Our
correspondent and others have been ~
strongly inclined 10 Auo.her opinion,
ard that was to confire the course G!
study to the sciences specially provided
and nRmtd in the act OF CougreaI. The
d.fertuce between these two sets o
opinioE3 WAS wide SID radical. The a.,
in certain branches Ct knowledge hith
crto impesfectly taught. To til, E!sS-rs So -.
structien in them me:Fr :Frsaneodse. - - :,
tie s'ereosyped 1s.E 1s.rs ~ ~ ~ .ossd - T.
cry college might be compliance
with the letter OF tie law, but would no.
csl1y ont it's spirit, ard would
never obtain ahe result intended
On The other hsnd, 1t was er-
1oneous to suppose that there could bt
ary very marked progress made in agri.
cultural OF mechanical sciences Wlthou.
thorough general education to build
upon. I: is hardly practicable to mak'
81 eIgiEeer Or master OF snalystca
chemistry ont Of an ignorAmus. Awa
never intended 10 leach boys the knowl
etgc which they may p;ck up whtl,
workirg on farm or in an engine
room. SomelhiSg bsyond this WAS in
terded; |: was prop2scl1o educate hin
in the laws By which mechanical and az
1!enltuzal 1es1ls arc obiaine1.. The oh
ject was 10 multiply The number OF per
sui having Through kaowledIs Of thes
sciences, ard not ncrcly to mike car per
tiers, t,gtreers, boiler-nakcrs and MAJ
ksl-sp1denlrt. Tte law does not contir
students 10 sirdy Of Il csc special sut
jscts; On The contrary, 1t assumes ths
g. thote erj,ylrg the benefits Of this n.
tional grant will be ut the slms time c
Gsetd In o'h.E studies, ncce*sal
TO make them good scholars eeIerau
lis too early yet 10 ASSUME that i
) 1l'gcnt aid The Trustees oi the ladu
; trial Cniverity are mot fulfilling tho wo
assigrcd to them IS we'll as could be {:
rcc'e5. Fer lhe task hefore them III
have lsd no ncdels OF precelen,e. Th'
have been required, s. Il were, 10 If
1teir way" In eho1:, they have fou,
, tklnselvea In the p1cdicament Of havil
: large tum Il money to spend to acc3,
; plish An object which the donors thcr
! sslves did not comprehend. Il Y
/. a,su1d TO suppose that the land gra
was made for the purpose Of INSTRUCT
T; boys how TO plant po:asoe1 CT manage
. lsttc, II twss impossible for many Pc
PIE 10 understand how m nErisuttu
ard mechanical college could ba N.
. useful in ary olhes way, SID atill ms
Low hlrsy.Beren such colleges were
be nlde useful We do not zee, upon
tull view OF ihc case, where there Is q
room Ter complaint against the nanal
ntni of tie Industrial University.