Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1875-01-27

The open F,eId I'm East Tennessee

The Op~n yield i'm East Tennessee.
To the Editors Of The Nac York
Evening Post.
i was gratilied to read in recent
number of your paper an editorial on
" The Migration of Industry in
which you dwell with justice upon the
large capacity of East Tennessee for
manufacturing iron cheaply upon its
immense water-pOwer, and upon its
abundant production of food, Tor sale
at low prices. The whole region is
mountainous, with fertile valleys and
numerous rivers, and, by general con-
sent OF natives and Immigrants, its
climate Is pronounced superior. The
public school system of the State is
working well in many of the counties,
and the State College established in
East Tennessee University, at Knox
vile (Which is a central point in every
respect), Is now one of the leading in
situations of learning in the South
west. The college Is at present impart-
ing scientific instruction to students,
as no other college or university in the
wide extent of territory where it is To-
Gated offers to do; and were it provided
with the means of charging its facili-
ties In that respect, it would become
eminently useful in the work of high
er education among a numerous pop
ulation, NATURALLY intelligent, but
greatly deficient in mental training.
The people of East Tennessee are gem
orally, If not poor, at least limited in
their pecuniary ability, and suffered
seriously from the recent war. Lit
tie or no aid can, therefore, be eXpec-
ted from them, pecuniarily, in pro-
viding the buildings which are needed
for the efficient work of scientific in
struction which the East Tennessee
University has undertaken.
/ observe a communication from the
Rev. DIR. McCosh, president of Prince
ton College, in a New York journal of
January 6, setting forth the use and
importance of fellowships in colleges.
No doubt he is not inaccurate in his
conclusion that =" our wealthy men,
anxious to devote their money 10 good
purposes, could do vastly more good by
favoriug such scheme ias he pro.
poses than by adding to our already
far too numerous weak colleges, which,
like drowning men, are dragging
down each other" But / respectfully
summit to the consideration of such
men the opinion that they can do vast
ly more good by contributing to en-
large the capacity for usefulness in or
binary collegiate work of such an in
stitution as East Tennessee University,
which is established upon firm basis,
has sufficient means for the mainten-
ance of competent instructors, offers
extraordinary facilities for giving "a
thorough education at small cost to the
youth of vast region of country, has
already attained Observation-Disclosures
and promises to he specially prosper
Gus, but greatly needs additional build
ings for scientific uses, apparatus, &c,
than they can do by adding to the al.
ready overlooking Golfers of higher
institutions of learning in the North
east, whose numbers are greater than
the necessity of their existence.
And indulge the hope that wealthy
and benevolent men among your read
ers will consider the value of the OPP
portunity which this University pre-
sents to them of providing for the col
legiate education of many young men
in the Southwest, who, unless such Op-
portunity he given them, will not
have that education at all. Our youth,
with very few exceptions, can not at
tend Princeton or Yale, Harvard or
Cornell or any other of the superior
colleges of the East. Their lot for
bids" Yet their higher education
should not be neglected. Rather, it
urgently calls for attention and the
best possible provision, especially in
scientific direction because, as sug-
gested in your editorial, the natural
resources of this region for manufac-
turing and mining, as we'll as for cat
tie and sheep-raising, are exceptional
ly great; and what is particularly
wanted in the Southwest Just now is
that young men be trained for indus
trial pursuits as well as have liberal
learning. That higher education can
now be had at this institution, at all
expense for necessaries, including
board, college fees, fuel, lights, &C., of
only about one hundred and seventy
five dollars year for each student;
and it can be easily seen from this fact
that persons of wealth and liberal dis
positions in laudable directions have
here way open to sustain college
that is on stable foundations and well
appointed, TO enlarge its usefulness
and TO diftuse its benefits among
multitude who sorely need them.
THOMAS w. HUMEs, Pres't Il. T. L.
Knoxville, Tenn, January 8.