Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1872-11-14
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF KEN
TECKY UNIVERSITY.

iii the year 1855 JonN b. RowMtS. of Mer-
Ger County. Kentucky, vii h quietly pnisu-
ing his profession rs a farmer, conceived the
plan eff sounding in his native state Univcr-
sity for tie people. Approaching the necessi-.
II OF more liberal provisions III the way OF
education. both general and profession
than were prcsenrdin the 65uth alitf West,
he rsssolssL, though q yoalg man, to devote
himself to'tisU founding and ,ipbnilslmg Of aaai
Institution that should be especially aeceassi-
Bile to the poo. yoang nssn OF the country
His main object was TO reach the masses
| who, for the most part. were virtually debaf-
|red the privilege Of q liberal edt.cation in
consequence Of the heavy expense attending
most of the American colleges.
From the beginning Mr.. Bowinan's plans
were liberal and comprehensive and. though
they were regarded BY many as the chimera
of a young man, he never seemed to doubt
| for moment their ultimate realization His
purpose, in word, was to establish USI-
| vEKsrTY, in its tull aud true SENSE, on Mod
| e,a. Anssrican, ard Christian foundation. In
one of his earliest addresses TO the public he
expressed his views and intcntions rs fo.-
lows: .se
why should veg not be as progressive IN
tile cause Of education rs in our Industrial
and commercial enterprises aud why should
We be dependent upon New England or Old
England for onr best educational facilities
when we are snriclf III ability to have our
own, and when our wants in this respec: arc
so varied aud press,ngs # is atrnez that we
lsilaye scattered allaver the West and South
scores Of ,,nendowed, half starved. siekly.
p,iny institutions called Colleges and Univer-
sites, many indeed oi which have heir
huge piles OF brick, stone. and mortar, max
ing an imposing show; bat how many ot
them, III the way OF Endowments, Scholar
ships, Libraries, Museums. and literary and
scientific ae4- the true apparatus OF an edu-
cation-are prepared To ftlrtIisiit to our young
men such liberal education rs the times
and the peculiar circumstances Of our age
and country denand! And, above all. how
few secure aud enforce that effective disci-
p1inc which at the sau.e time is conserva i've
Of good morals and productive VI good
scholars |: 1t is to be confessed and regretted
that wlfi.e oifr march hrs. been onward and
sspwaisl ii, muasy rspevts We have been lack
ing Iii this, ard hiyc3as yet 10 be- considered
as clnpirics SO much SO that it is a problem
not solved whether Colleges are a curse or q
blessing, While then we lEtve 10 spirit oi
rntagonism TO any other Institution, but are
kind aad catholic in feeling to all. We would
not be deemed arrogant in proposing to build
upon a more modern basis an institution
equal to any III .Ancrica-aif Institntio for
young men instead of boys. with nigh grade
of scholarship, and which. especially in If
Ministerial, Normal, Scientific, and Agricnl
tural Departments, will meet the wants Of
our young giant Vast. For it does seem
that. as the Star OF Empire is moving on
| ward and westward. there is opened up a
special missionary field for the Minister,
Teacher. educated Farmer and Mechanic.
We only propose. i'll our day and generation
| to Law the foundation of such All institutions
with the fall hope and confidence thatsothers
to come will build upon and perfect the SUI
perstrncture."
LII W tHC Sui0s0aS AAS e,'sJ
| ssI have but one desire in all this matter
| I want to see accomplished through this IL
stitution the greatest good TO the greatest
number of our poor fallen race, thus giving
the greatest glory to God. want to build
up peoples Institution, agrsat frse Uni.
versity, eventually open and accessible to
| the poorest boy In the land ,swho may come
and receive an edueat on pract tical and suita-
bic fo~ any business OF profession IN life.
want to cheaper this whole matter of educa
ton, so that, under the broad. expansive IN.
fiuence Of oar republican institutions and
our advancing civilization, it MAY run free
as our great rivers, and bless the coming
millions. Hitherto our Colleges and Univer
sities have been accessible only to the few.
! SO great are the expenses attending them
1--WE want ample grounds, and buildings, ane
libraries, and museums, and endowments
and priza-funds. and professors Of grea
hearts aud heads. men of faith and energy
4 Indeed we want everything .whicA will make
this Institution equal to any aon this cont
nent, Why should we not have all? be
tlieye there are noble men enough all owe
this land who will give rs the e means which
God has given them, if we will only NOV
forward to the work before US like trn
men," as
4 I'm order TO further these liberal views, q
proposed to raise, simply AZ the -tOandat'0'
of the enterprise, an endowment fund o. no
less than half q n.iIlsea. Of dollars; and II
lorder to secure this amount he devised 4 a
nxncial scheme novel lineilsa details and sue
cessful in its operations. as ~ sequel prQtfe
4 This scheme deserves particular mention, 70
u XIV notonly secareslsth fmmsdiate object 7
view. but at the same time identified the pes
i ple in interest and sympathy with the Inst
tuition, and gave i n its infancy patronag
and / Il moral and pecuniary support which
once secured It's success. The notes for me
tney saoscribed wefs made payable Ia cas-
instalments, and when collected the prime
hi was safely Invested. A certiflcste i
stock was issued to EACH subscriber, wit
Il coupons stsacaleds beatiag vxlue equalto on
years tuition, and made transferable. ~
coupons couup were rcdsemable II tuition only,
that the stock, without interest would =
gradually refunded to the subscriber. Ihu'
n wine tl,c capital subscribed was refunded
1.-The form Of tuition, it remained IN the forl
~ ,,ar,,, ! ,,onf enGowm0nt. til