The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1875-01-14


otherwise acquired a knowledge of the
rudimentarY studies taught in the public
schools. Statistics thus cheaply obtained
would prove valuable data for future con-
SideratiOn.
THE STATE UNIVERSITY.
The trainers of our Constitution wisely
enacted that provision should be made
by law for the establishment of State
University, at or near the seat of the State
Government, and for connecting with the
same, from time to time, such colleges in
different parts of the State, as the inter
ests of education may require" And our
Constitution furthermore provided that
1.-The proceeds of all lands that have been
or may hereafter be granted by the United
States to this State for the support of
University, shall be and remain perpet-
ual fund, the interest of which
shall be appropriated to the support Of
the State University"
1t is a just source of regret that the
trust thus imposed upon the State by Con-
gress and the trainers OF our State Gov
eminent, has not been more generously
and faithfully executed. The original en-
! dOwment was munifcent and sufficient for
the noble objects sought to be accomplish
ed. While the State has been growing
great in population and material wealth,
the rightful property of the University
has been laviShly and imprudently dis
posed Of its appropriate revenues de-
| pleted, and our children measureably de-
MED their inherited right to the blessings
of free education in the highest depart
ments Of knowledge.
Fortunately for the best interests of our
people, no moral obligation of the State is
impaired by any imprudence in the ex-
ecution of the original trust. The duty
| imposed upon us is clearly independent
of fortuitOus circumstances, and the obi
cation Of the compact wisely permanent.
| Notwithstanding the adverse circum-
stances to which have referred, the Uni
verSity is rapidly becoming benefcent
power, and the center of enlightening in
t1uenceS. Its organization is comparative
| ly perfect in plan, the administration of
its affairs efficient and economical, and
| its growth in popular favor steadily IN
creasing. An additional building for the
accommodation Of pupils is now required,
| plans of which will be submitted to you
by the faculty and a committee of the
Board of Regents in charge. 1t is be-
lieved that the completion the present
year of the additional structure proposed
is vital necessity, and would so positive
| ly enlarge the usefulness of the Univer-
sity as to enable it hereafter to command
in still higher degree the confidence and
patronage of the friends of liberal educa-
ton, thus charging that patronage and
proportiOnately diminishing the partial
| dependence of the institution upon legis-
lative benevolence.
In connection with this subject again
beSpeak your earnest consideration of the
problem whether our existing system of
public instruction cannot be so harmon
lied and sImplified as to render public la
Dor and expenditure in this department
of progress more economical and efficient.
We have at present schools of every grade
common to the several States. But they
are neither so supplied and distributed as
to meet the wants of all sections of the
State, nor do they possess that complet-
ness of organization, mutual dependence
of relationship and unity of purpose so
essential to the efficiency of a State sys-
tenn Of education. Manifestly, our schools
should be organized into a system of sue.
cessive grades, wherein a certificate OF
completion of the course in the school OF
one grade should be passport of admis
sion to the next higher, and in all schools
supported by the public money of Wis
cOnsin, courses of instruction should have
reference, in the whole or in part, tC
courses of instruction in public schools
of succeeding grade within our own State
INTERMEDIATE SCHOOLS.
Apparently the greatest need of our
state at this time in the higher department
of education is a better supply of schools
Of intermediate grade between the lowest
and the highest, similar to the plan OF
some of the eastern states; so that not
only in the larger cities, but also in every
county, if not in every town, there shall
be a series of free schools leading Oul
youth through successive gradatiOns from
the primary school up to the university
For fuller discussion of this important
subject, as also Of the need of legislative
measures looking to a greater uniformly
of textbooks, [ refer you to the able re-
port of the State Superintendent.
1t has been suggested by prominent
friends OF education that the erection of a
central normal school in connection with
the university would strongly tend to
harmonic all interests, and to give a
measurable unity and efficiency to our
educational plan. The reasonableness of
this suggestion is obvious. AS it's name
implies, the university is intended to
supplement all classes of instruction
taught in the state by public authority,
and the adoption of this suggestion, while
it would not necessarily impose any adj
ditiOnal burden upon the people, would
at least insure additional efficiency and
unity to this special department of in
| StructiOn.
IMPROVEMENT OF NATIONAL WATER
COURSES.
Iregret my inability to congratulate you
upon more liberal improvement of our
national water courses during the past
season. While | have no official knOwl-
edge of precise results, it is matter of
notoriety that the appropriations made
| by Congress for this purpose the past
year, were insignificant in proportion to
the magnitude Of the interests committed
to its charge and dependent upon its
| bounty. The improvement of our lake
ports has been continued to a moderate
extent, but not on scale commensurate
with the importance of our commerce, or
the revenue derived from our people by
| the federal government. Work on the
| Fox and Wisconsin rivers was not act
lively resumed until July, and the better
| portion Of the season was needlesslY lost
to the prosecution OF that enterprise. [
am unoficially Informed that detached
sections of the Wisconsin river, for
considerable portion of the distance from
Portage City to Prairie du Chien, are
deemed complete for nayigable purposes
that dredging out the connecting canal
between the Fox and Wisconsin rivers is
| being prosecuted under contract, and that
the efficient continuance of the work the
ensuing season requires a further and
mere liberal action by the present Con-
gress.