The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-03-03

the department of education. As the church
and ministry had enjoyed monopoly in the
control of the educational interests they
wished to control them still. The people, ac-
customed to see these powers thus vested,
gave the subject no further thought. Hence
the growth of colleges and universities has
been slow. The civil government has held
aloof lest it should infringe the prercgations
of the church, or furnished its aid hitherto
sparingly, lest the cry should be raised of an
effort to unite church and state, union
most odious to the American people. Thus
it has been conceded in the governments OF
Europe for l 800 years, that to provide for
and control the education of the children
and youth of state. belonged to the
government. But because church and
state were united in Europe, education
has been handed over to that depart
ment of the civil government, which was
ecclesiastical. Great men and educators
transplanted from the soil of the old world,
cannot divest themselves all at once of the
bias and habits of thought inwrought in
their mental structure by their European
education. 1t requires years for such to be-
come assimilated to American ideas and
fully comprehend American institutions.
1t is with the greatest difficulty and most
tardy movement that old ideas give place
to new ones. AS the church has for centu-
ries controlled education, many think 1t high
treason to take from her any part OF this
of inquiry, whether, as the church in this
country is desevered from the state, the lat
ter ought not to resume her prerogatlons,
and take the control of secular education,
which underlies all order and prosperity.
WHO SHALL ESTABLISH AND SUPPORT COL
LEGEs AND UNIVERSITIES?
Ist. The states should not leave higher
and professional education TO the religious
organizations, because in all the st ates,
10 hs,r-
versity of its own. Hence there will spring
up as many so-called colleges and universe
ties as there are different denominations.
This is practically illustrated in many of the
western states. Some states have sixteen,
and some as high as thirty-two; but the most
of these are nothing more than Academies
or fourth rate colleges, without endowments,
libraries, apparatus, museums, and other
needful appliances, with few overworked
professors on starving salaries. These col
leges will also be arrayed against each other
in fierce hostility, and thus obstruct each
others advancement. Decades of years must
pass before these institutions could furnish
thorough collegiate and university training
and the youth OF the country would be
compelled to go to Europe, or to other states
which had adopted a wiser policy, tor higher
culture. I'd, To make adequate provision
for university educators is too great burden
for the religious denominations, and one
which long experience has proven to be
more than they can bear. We have nothing
as yet, in America that can be favorably
compared with European universities. The
nearest approximations are Harvard and
Yale. And yet how long has it taken
these to gain even their present efficiency:
All institutions erected by denomina
tional efforts are of slow growth
Harvard was founded in 1853. State
colleges and universities to fill the
ranks of the gospel ministry, and send then
forth on their mission of love, let the
churches hail them as servants of God, anC
welcome them to their ranks as co-laborers
in the great harvest.