The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-07-14

posal of the remainder, unsold, would aug
m ent the sum to large endowment. The
college is a separate institution.
Ohio had sold 629, 800 acres for $342, 450S0
The proceeds had been invested at per cent.
per annum, but no plan of organization had
been determined upon
Wisconsin had devoted her 240, ,006 acres
to an agricultural department of the State
University. 1t had not been disposed of, but
promised to realize a respectable endowment
The people of the county wherein the insti-
tuition is located had given $40, 600 in further
ance of the enterprise An experimental
farm was part of the investment.
Pennsylvania had received for her
100000 acres $439, 1850. The State
had given $15O,000 in addition, yet
the united sum was thought INSULT
cient to maintain the college, which is a sepa-
rate institution.
Iowa located 240, 600 acres of scrip within
her own limits, and the plans of sale and
lease have both been followed, the latter
being preferred. The lands selected are
valued at $3.50, 900. The college is located
upon farm of six hundred and forty acres,
with buildings valued at $l11,000.
Maryland from the sale of 100000 acres
realized but S1O5, 900. This was assigned to
an agricultural college already in existence,
yielding an income of $4,000. The Secretary
of State, after expressing doubt of its suffi-
cheney to support separate institution, adds:
but the best agriculturists and educators
are dissatisfied. The prophecy is that the State
will sink 800, 600 aud that the college will
go under. 1t cannot thrive as purely agri-
cultural school,.
California's quota under this grant is
$50, 900 acres. 1t was proposed Herewith to
found at Oakland ''the college of agriculture,
mining, and mechanic arts, part of the State
University to be located at this place.
Missouri received grant of 100000 acres,
but many of the selections being double
minimum land on the line of the South
Pacific Railroad, it was reduced in quantity
to 280, 600 acres. A year previous these Sc
lections were estimated at the value of $780,
600, but according to the estimate of the
State register, this estimate had risen 25 per
cent. by June 10, 1869, on account of the
general rise in value of lands along the line
of the abroad.
New York received under the grant scrip
representing 900, 900 acres. The entire pro-
ceeds of this munifcent gift were appropri-
ated to Cornell University, at Ithaca, upon
several conditions, among which the most
important we're that Ezra Cornell should give
to the institution $5OO,OOO and that one
student from each of the one hundred and
twenty eight assembly districts should be
educated free of expense for tuition, such
students being designated by competitive
examination on plan laid down in the act.
required, but also two hundred acres of land,
the Jewell collection of geology and paleon-
tology, which had cost him $4,000, and
| $25, 900 in subsequent donations. Besides
all this, MIR. Cornell had invested $300,0 600
in purchasing the scrip and in locating the
lands of the university. He had previously
erected in Ithaca, at cost of nearly 800, 900,
a free public library, with large halls and lee
ture rooms, affording extensive supplement
tary accommodations to the institution.
The failure of many of the States to realize
a competent endowment from the bounty of
Congress may be attributed to hasty and in
considerate disposal. Those States which
still hold their lands either on lease or await
ing the rise of the market, bid fair to receive
adequate means for the support of their agri-
cultural colleges. The benefits even of the
most unpromising of these enterprises, how
ever, amply justify the expenditure.
In 1860 the entire number of educational
establishments in the United States was
113, ,OO6, with 14S, 742 teachers and 5, All, $50
pupils; the annual income was 1913, 900, 1872
Of these aggregates 445 were collegiate insti-
tutions with "a, 500 students. The academies
and other schools not designated as public
schools numbered $685., with 455 $50 pupils.
The number of public schools was 106, ,915,
with 4 ,917, 1852 pupils. The aggregate num-
ber of public libraries was 27, 730, embracing
| 13, 3s6, ,379 volumes. The extension and per-
fection of our educational system have kept
in advance of even our wonderful increase in
population und physical resources. 1t is not
directed by any overpowering interest to the
promotion of selfish ends. 1t is controlled
and directed by the people themselves. In
telligence is at high premium in every free
State, and is ample security for the faithful
execution of this popular power.
Rigid disciplinarians bewail the lack of
symmetry with which these popular efforts
are conducted, but true wisdom teaches us to
delay the formation of a complete system of
American education until our experience
shall have developed the true elements and
necessities of the work.
Inasmuch as no general enumeration has
been made since the census of 1860, it is i'm
possible to procure aggregates representing
the present status of educational enterprise
in this country. few items, selected from
the school reports of the public-land States,
will serve to illustrate at once the wonderful
advance in the educational work of the
nation, and the influence of the public land
system in its promotion.
The commissioner of common schools for
the State of Ohio in his report of the school
year ending August 81, 1868, shows that there
were 1,019, 1872 youths between the ages of
five and twenty-one years entitled to the
benefits of the common school system, being
an increase of % 942, or two and a half per
cent. upon the previous report. The total
value of school-houses and grounds in the
same year was $40, $50, ,097, being an increase
of 81, 257,654 over the value in 1867. The
whole number of schools in 1868 was IL, 1888,
an increase of a; pupils enrolled, 731, 772,
an increase of 27,005 average daily attend
ance, Ill, ,721, increase 1926 teachers,