Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1872-04-07
The Tennessee Agricultural College.

The Importance of the location of the Agri-
cultural College at Knoxville has not, perhaps,
been fully realized. Let us first consider the
subject in its narrowest and least important as
pect from financial standpoint. A fund OF
four hundred thousand dollars donated to the
Tennessee Agricultural College and located at
Knoxville forever During the current coile-
glate year, there have been enroli ed =? STU
dents. 1t is highly probable that 500 VIII be
present by next September, and there Is ground
to believe that by september, 1873, the number
will reach 400!-that is to say, provided we
have the dO1mitOry accommodations to receive
them. If each student should expend $500 a
year, we have an annual expenditure of $780,
CO., To which add the interest arising from the
fund, and it amounts to Sl44,OO expended in
Knoxville by the Agricultural College and its
students The merchants of Knoxville will
sell the students their clothing, and the farmers
of the surrounding country provide for their
subsistence. As Knoxville is the recipient of
the income arising from this source, and by no
means inconsiderable to city of lO,OOO lnhab-
itants, the question naturally occurs, did Its
citizens individually or collectively, contribute
anything to secure the location OF this truly mag
nlhCent fund of four hundred thousand dollars
\ eS, in individual effort to influence the action
of the Legislature something. ana the CITY
authorities, formally or informally, pledged the
faith of the CITY to subscribe Sl5,OOO. That SUBJ
scription was effectively urged by the agents of
the East Tennessee University before the Legs
lature as one of the reasons why the Agreultu-
raj College should be established at hnoXVlIe,
in preference to other competing places Inc
eIIbscrintion was Afterwards withdrawn. so 1t
appears that Knoxville has not contrlouted one
dollar towards the endowment or the establish
ment of the Agricultural College, nor mas II,
that | am aware of, at any time IN Its past MS
tory, contributed in its corporate capacity any
thing toahe support of the East tennessee Ohl-
versitv that tiIne-honored Institution which has
been Struggling with difficulties for more than
half a century to advance the cause OF educa-
ton. ;d
East Tennessee University, alone and unald1
ed. made the pecuniary sacrifices and assumed
the responsibilities resulting from the loGatloIi
of the College She purchased an agricultural
farm for $4,000, she has made eXtehSlEe ~; r.
pairs and som0 additions to the college pulu-
ngs and has pledged herself TO the oeate W
three students from each cOunty-that Is 10 say
400 students from the State, who are received
free of tuition charges. The large number OF
letters received by the President ana FacuIty,
from different counties, give reason to believe
that at the opening of the next session, we
NAV be overwhelmed with students, unless
we Immediately provide dOrmitory buildings |
for their accomodation-aS the rooms are now
full Perhaps some OF your readers VIII
inouire why do not the Trustees apply por-
ton of the funds or its acCruing interest to the
erection of buildings? Simply because by the |
act of Congress they are expressly forbidden to
apply one dollar of that fund IN the erection or
repair of buildings. The State assumed the
responsibility to provide necessary grounds and
buildings; and she imposed that obligation !
on the East Tennessee University as one OF the
conditions upon which the College was located |
at Knoxville.
East Tennessee University has not at present
available means to erect dormitory accommoda-
tions for the largely increased number Of stu
dents who are expected at the opening session !
in September. She now asks the city OF Knox
Vile not to donate one dollar but to loan the |
< 20, hn
ally applied in the erection Of additional build.
ings on University hill. The mechanics OF
Knoxville will do the labor, and the brick
yards and lumber yards of Knoxville Will fur
nish the materials and the merchants OF Knox
Vile will supply the wants of the incoming
students, to provide for whose necessary accom-
mediation this money is to be expended-not
abroad, but here at our very doors and among
ourselves, to promote our own interests: Con
slider this matter of urgent and pressing import
ance, City Fathers, calmly, deliberately, dis
in all its surroundings, and think
you will not hesitate to make the loan applied
for by the East Tennessee University. If you
should refuse, and if the University should fail
to provide the necessary buildings IN accord
anCe with her contract, then in that event it is
to predict, that other towns, more enterprising
and more aware of the Importance Of the Col
lege fund and the AGO or 500 students for whom
it affords the educational facilities, will be clam
erOuS for the Legislature to divide the funds or
perhaps to remove it from Knoxville IN toto.
If that should result will it be any satisfaction
for you to reflect, we once had in our hands
magnificent donation of 500, 900, which through
a spirit of i'll advised economy, we let slip
through our fingers. If so, your wisdom would
only be equaled by that Of the householder
who refused to make necessary repairs He
saved his five dollars-but ultimately the whole
edifCe tumbled down. R.
For Attractive Goods and Popular Prices,
call on GAINES BRO, & Co.'S.