Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1875-01-21
TT He HER AID
THE ME- SSACE.
Continued from First Page.

the United States to this state for the
support of a university, shall be, and
remain perpetual fund, : the IN.
terests of which shall be appropriated
Il is lust so ats@ q atf fsgat that 3e
trust thus imposed upon the state by
Congress and the farmers OF our state
government has not been more gen
erously and faithfully executed. The
original endowment was munificent and
sufficient for the noble objects SOU ht to
be accomplished. While the state has
been growing great in population and
material wealth, the rightful property
fthe university has been lavishly and
imprudently disposed of, is appropri.
ate revenues depleted, and our chill
dren measurably denied their Inherit
ed right to the blessing Of free edu-
cation in the highest depar,m snts of
knowledge.
Fortunately for the best interests OF
our people, no moral obligation OF the
state is impaired by any imprudence
in the execution of the original trus'.
The duty imposed upon US is clearly
independent of fortuitous circumstan-
ces and the obligation of the compac'
wisely permanent Notwithstanding
the adverse circms' ances to which
have referred, the university is rapid
ly becoming benifcient power, and
the center of enlightening influences.
It's organization is comparatively per-
feet in plan, the administration of its
affairs efficient and economical and its
growth in popular favor steadily in
creaslng. An additional building for
the accommodation Of pupils is now re-
quired, the plans Of whinh will be sub
mitted to you by the faculty and a
committee Of the board of regents IN
charge. 1t is believed that he com
pletion the present year of the additi
onal structure proposed is vital ne
cessity, and would SO positively en-
large the usefulness of the universlt,
as TO enable it hereafter to command
in a still higher degree the confidence
and patroa age OF the friends OF liberia
education, thus enlarging that patron
are and proportionately diminishing
the partial depend nee of the institu
ton upon legislative benevoenoe.
In correction with this subject again
bcspeak your earnest consideration u
the oblem whether our existing sys-
TEN OF public instruction cannot be 50
harmonized and slmplitie as to rem
der publ C labor aud expendl urt
in this department Of progress
more economical and efficient. We
have at present schools otevery grade
Common 10 he several a;es. But
they ara neither 50 supplied and dis
tributed as TO meet the wants OF al
sections OF the ate, nor do they pos
sess that completen IS of organlza-
ton, mutual dope dence of relation
ship and unity of purpose so essential
To the efficiency OF state system Of
education Manitestly, our sch OILS
should be organized into a system o.
successive grade, wherein certiti-
CAFE If completion OF the course in the
school Of oue grade should be pass
port OF admission to the next higher
and in all schools supported by tht
public money of Wisconsin courses Of
instruction should have reference, il
whole or in part, to courses oflnstruc-
ton in public schools of succeeding
grade within our own state.
INTERMEDIATE SCHOOLS.
Apparently the greatest need of oul
state at this time in the higher depart
ment of education is better suppl,
of schools Of intermediate grade be
tween the lowest and the hightst
similar to the plan Of some of tn
eastern states; so that not only in tn
larger cities, but also in every county
if not in every town, there shall bt
a series of free schools leading oul
youth through successive gradation
from the primary school up to the uni
yersity. For a fuller discussion 0
this important subject, as also of th,
need OF legislative measures lookin.
to a greater uniformity of textbooks
/ refer you to the able report of th,
state superintendent
1t has been suggested by prominent
friends of educatIon that the erection
of central normal school in connec
ton with the university wonld strong
ly tend to harmonize all interests, auc
10 give measurable unity ard eff
cheney to our educational plan. Tn,
reasonableness of this suggestion
is obvious. AS its name implies, tn,
university is intneded to suppimen
all classes OF instruction taught in thC
state by public authority, and Tho
adoption of this sugges ION. while i
would not necessarily impose any nd
ditional burden upon the people
woul at least insure additional eff
cheney and unity TO this special de
partment OF instracti
IMPROVEMENT OF NATIONAL wATEl
COURSES.
| regret my Inability to congratn
late You upon more liberia improve
m mt OF our national water-course,
during the past season. Will,
have no official knowled &c of precls,
results, II is a matter OF notofiety tha
the appropriations male by Congress.
for this p 'rpoSe the past year were
Insignificant in proportion To the mag
nitude OF the interests committed
its charge and dep ndent upon its
bounty. The Improvement of our
lake ports has been ntinued to a
moderate extent, but not on ale
commensurate with the Importance oil
our commerce, or the revenue derived
from our people by the federal gov.
ernment. Work on the Fox and Wis
consin rivers was not actively resumed
until July, and the better portion OF
the season was needlessly lost TO the
prosecution of that enterprise. | am
unofficially informed that detached
sections of the Wisconsin river, for a
considerable portion of the distance
from Portsge City to Prairie du CHEN,
are deemed complete for navigabls
purposes; that dredging out the con
Meeting canal batweea the Fox and