Smyrna times., 1871-06-28
Fifth Annual Report Of the State Nor
NAL University.


In May 1870, the Board of Trustees issued
circular setting forth the inefficient and dis
,strOus condition OF IaLLc Education in the
State OF Delaware, end recommending az in
mediate remedies the establishment Of State
Normal School, the office of State Saperiaten-
dent, and Teachers Institute in each county
for two weeks annually
They proposed State Normal and Poly
technic University, with sufficient accommo-
datiOns and appointments for the education
State, and to supply educated, scientific and |
skilled labor for our comprehensive sphere Of
manufactures and industries.
They SAID for this purpose we desire to
raise between $50,O00 and 500, 600; ;" and this
they proposed to virtually give to the State OF
Delaware in trust for the benefit of the rising
and future generations. The contract was
clearly public and phllanthropic enterprise.
The names Of these gentlemen without titles,
Bright, j. A. Brown, n r. Benson, Lewis p
Bush, Nathaniel Bayne, j. Z. Clymer, j. d.
Curtis, Henry du Pont, Victor du Pont, j. =.
DoughtOn, Thos Y de Normandie, Jno. K
Dolbow, George c. Gordon, Allan Gawthorp
Thomas Garrett, John Green, Willard Hall,
John G. darkness, G. Harlan, Sylvester Has
sell, Howard NJ. Jenkins, j. H. Jackson, Z. F.
James, 4. s. Jones, George e. Lobdell,
Charles B. Lore, Jesse Lane, James Lewis,
Robert Lee, John Merricl, John II. Muhl-
hansen, Lafayette Marks, Joshua Maris, w.
II. H. Marsh, Jeremiah Mahoney, Jno. p
McLear, Henry s. McComb, H. H. j. Naff,
j. l.. Ocheltree, John Peoples, John G. Pat
terson, Charles d. Shaw. Evan c. Stotsen-
burg, Bauduy Simmons Charles Stewart,
Charles Warner, Thomas D. Webb, Thomas
! Walter.
| Now can any person think, say or prove that
| those gentlemen lack the ability or, that there
is any doubt as to the sincerely, purity and in
tegrity of their intention and expressed desire
to do public work; or that they are lacking
in their respect and devotion to the people of
| Delaware.
And yet while the work was harmoniously
and hopefully going on, the sums of money
pledged amounting to over forty thousand dol
lars, these gentlemen are completely frustrated
and disabled from doing public work of edu-
cation by the repeal Of their charter, without
any mentioned reason or cause.
We sadly ask tCheM will the few men who re-
pealed this charter be able and willing to do as
much for the children and poSterity of this be-
loved commonwealth as were the above nam
ed gentlemen under its provisions?
We have strong convictions Of fidelity to eacf
other and to the people in this important anC
!, public enterprise ; but who could possibly ex
pect a body of men to attempt to pass over thu
: risky and unpleasant barrier of lawsuit to es
tablish the validity of their charter for The
purpose of forcing thoir philanthropy upon
) people whose representatives are unwilling
that they should receive it?
The circular which was signed by forty-two O
the trustees and subscribers named above, as
| committee on subscriptions, closed with To
} following FIVE paragraphs here given to shoV
the spirit of the effort.
' The attention of the people of other State
| has for years been directed to the condition o
r Public Education in our State. BY them 1t /
: regarded as feeble, struggling and need
< cause. The eyes OF all the great and nota
t Bile friends of Popular Education in the Unite
! States, are upon Delaware.
WHO is willing to forget that " A goo
) name is rather to be chosen than great riches?
d Who can refuse to contribute out OF tn
h abundance with which Providence has blesse
a him, some part to the welfare Of humanity
y Out of generous and unmerited loan from
= kind and indulgent Heavenly Father, who wi
wrong his own soul by refusing assistance to
e languishing and necessltOus cause?
It "Su6scriJe For thus youwill be grateful
e known throughout the nation to all readin
It people as friend and patron of Public an
e Free Education in the State of Delaware,
4. her hour Of lamentable need For thus yo
d will rear your grand and eternal monument
.e wisdom, virtue, hsI piness and prosperity re
g thus you will bless, and be blessed by, tn
1t millions OF children who ia the present and fu
a ture generations will enjoy your permaner
IS and ever increasing benefaction, while y0u ma
As be hearing the voice of personied Deity say
lie ing, "IldSmuch as you hare done 1t into one
l. tie least of these, y0w haze dome It INTO me-
t. "But very many of these children will live
J. become men and women who will the better r.
III aze that for their greater commercial pr0sperlt
Iy for their higher moral and intellectual life, an
v for the more general and powerful extension {
le the Kingdom of Truth which they enjoy, the
is are indebted in part to the philanthropy an
magnanimity of yourself-whom they wi
ID know to have been an honored citizen OF tn
st Commonwealth.
k "Be one of the Company, that in the grat'
I'd full remembrance aud affectionate regard {
it your countrymen, YOU may be rewarded hun
I'd dred fold in this World, and that in the Worl
I'll to come, you may wear, to represent the goo
ut work even then still going on in the damon
it. State-a Diamond among the peals aGOrnin
ce the crown of your philanthropies.
er In conclusion gratefully congratulate th
ng earnest students, the coniding patrons, tn
to faithful friends, the laborious teachers and tt
l honOred trustees of the State Normal Unive
r. sity, of the past and present. upon the measul