New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-02-17

here and examine fully, think he must 60
away with this opinion: the university has
not sufficient quarters.
think it should be the object to make tut
ion here absolutely free to all. To do that,
either special appropriation OF not less than
$4,000 in currency must be made annually,
or the Agricultural and Mechanical College
fund should be given to the university.
The interest on that fund is about S2o,0Oo,
which, together with the annuity OF the
university ($S2S0), would be sufficient to
maintain tolerably good faculty, leaving
sum still to be voted, from time to time,
for the necessary increase and preservation
Of the library, apparatus, cabinets, etc.
am firmly of the belief, as / have ever
been. that the State would consult its best
interests to combine the Agricultural and
Mechanical College with this university.
Twenty two States of the Union have SINH
larly disposed of that fund; and II Connectl-
cut decreed it advisable to give her agri-
cultural and mechanical fund to Yale, and
New York hers to Cornell. and Kentucky
| and Georgia all theirs 70 their respective
State universities, may it not be well for
Louisiana to consider if there is not wisdom
in such policy!
[ Liebig the father of agricultural chemis.
try, gives his opinion in favor of combining
| tHC1Ilcdl WIFI lUItllcclual VI
| general nature. He says that the special
scientific students who have first had a
| good collegiate education. excel those whose
| mental discipline and range OF study have
I been less, and that agricultural colleges
| ought always to be connected with institu
| tons devoted to other departments OF IN.
| structiOn."
/ And the able Senator. Hon. Mr.. Morrill,.
| Of Vermont, must have had this idea in his
Il
| gress in 1862, he caused to become law the
| act establishing the agricultural and me.
chanical colleges. '.where the leading oh.
| .ject," to quote from the law. shall be.with.
| out excluding other scientific and classical
| studies, and including military tactics-tO
| teach such branches OF learning as are re.
lated to agriculture and the mechanical arts,
in such manner as the Legislatures of the
States may respectively prescribe, in order
to promote the liberal and practical educa.
ton of the industrial classes in the several
pursuits and professions OF life"
We believe il was the object Of the law
to establish an Institution switch should
touch with one hand the workman's bench.
and with the other the astronomers Observ.
atory. bringing practical and scientific cul;
ture within the reach of the apprenticed
workman for his elevation to the rank of
intelligent skilled labor, and at the same
time offering to all who are ready to re.
ceive it, the best advantages Of the highest
education"
lam in favor Of having tuition here abso.
lutely free to all, because the State needs
this. All her manifold industries and en-. |
terpries. many thousands of persons who
have more than the rudiments of knowl- |
edge, the supply OF persons Of such adj
yanced culture, the private institutions of |
the country are not equal to the public |
need. and hence the State should interfere |
to supplement the work. The same may be |
said, with even greater truth and emphasis, /
Of that prOfounder learning, that higher |
and wider culture, which it is the province /
OF the university to bestow. The loss |
which nearly or quite all the States Of this
Union sustain because SO few of their young
men are qualified to act as leaders in the |
discovery, development and utilization Of
their wonderful natural resources. and in
lighting the people onward and upward to.
ward wOrthier and grander civilization,
is. believe, simply incalcplable.
ITO do this on the grand scale of the
whole body polite, by providing common
schools for all, and high schools and uni.
versities for as many as desire to enter
them. is sound policy for the State
Louisiana should have one university in
fact, and her facilities for higher education
combined would not give her one good uni.
versity or college. Why. then. be guilty of
dividing even the little means we have!
The Agricultural and Mechanical College
should come to the State University, or the
State University should 90 to the Agricul.
may be located. Be sure to combine the two.
The State University needs the funds OF the
Agricultural and Mechanical College to help |
its professors Ofmathematics, phys.
les, chemistry, engineering, natural history. |
English, French and German. and its mill.
tary instructors: and the Agricultural and
Mechanical College needs itself not only |
those professors, but the buildings, mot |
dollar of the Agricultural and Mechanical
College fund can, by law. go into brick and
grounds. libraries, laboratories,
apparatus. cabinets, museums etc, of the
State University.
The State OF Louisiana has accepted the
4 agricultural and Mechanical College grant
If land; she must use this fund soon, by
July l. next, or forfeit it; and by the terms
If the grant. the State, or private indi.
yiduals, must erect the necessary buildings.
low can Louisiana now. in the midst of her
poverty and distress. supply this all essen.
ial want! Why. by combining the agricul.
ural college with the university. and put (
ing the Joint institution in this building.
The Deaf and Dumb Asylum to be accom-.
nodated in a much smaller and less costly
'uilding.
BY that plan. an expenditure Of SO, 900 ! !
night suffice to give proper quarters to the
hree State institutions: but if the Joint Az.
icultural and Mechanical School and the ]
tate University are not given this building
be State must incur an expense OF not less
han 100000 for their accommodation: Z
nd if the two State schools are not made
ne, that expense (abOutj must be incurred ,
Dr. each; or for two college buildings, about
100000. And in that way the Agricultural
nd Mechanical College can 60 into opera.
on at once: but if buildings are to be
rected. there will be a delay Of two or j
lree years. .,
Now, if the State acts IN this matter, as L
-ould private individual in managing his /
fairs, will it hesitate a moment to combine
ne university and the Agricultural and 9
lechanical College. and to locate the Joint
,hoOl here in this large State building,
lerely gong to the comparatively small
xpense OF $4,000 (say) to give the Deaf
nd Dumb Asylum suitable quarters. F
A due regard for Louisiana in her tinan. !.
al distress, demands the union of the two | A
tate schools; the best educators in the L
nd recommend it; twenty-five States of Z
le Union have given their Agricultural N
nd Mechanical College fund wholly to | P
leir leading literary and scientific school; s.
I'D two years ago the Legislature of Louis.
ma was asked to do likewise, to give all
ar grant to this institution. by several | A
lndred of her chief citizens from every NJ
art of the State. F
While l would locate the Joint school.
here the greatest pecuniary inducements
e offered, all other things being equal, yet 6
do think that under all the existing cir. n
INSTANCES, this asylum building had bet.
r be given up to the university. But | {
ay be wrong. If it is not wrong; if, as q
me say, our being here temporarily.
UGH less permanently, is great wrong
me to the deaf and dumb, let us know it
once. And if nothing better can be done, 81
e can 90 back TO our pine woods home. !