National Republican., 1878-05-13
NATIONAL roLyrEcuSro SCHOOL.

Inc SUBJECT OI u NHllOnal lOIyleCnnlC
School or University was deemed of suf-
ticicnt Importance to receive special men
tion and recommendation in the Presidents
annual message to Congress. Such an in
stitution, however had already received
some attention and consideration by gentle
men deeply interested in the educational
interests of the country, and since then the
scheme has been formulated into plan
which promises the establishment of n
university at the National Capital at no
plcte even TO the minutest detail.
A brief outline of the plan (which is
necessarily voluminous, covering upward
OF one hundred and fifty pages OF lcgal-cap)
is as follows:
Director (cr o0iciO) the Secretary of the
Intedor. The manager to be n man of we'll
recognized scientific and mechanical attain
mcnts and chemical knowledge and to be
appointed on nomination of the Secretary
Of the Interior by the President of the
United States, by and with the advice and
consent Of the senate. Ifc to be the i'm
mediate manager of the institution and or-
0ficiO Commissioner of Patents.
II Is here observed that when the Com
missioner Of Patents shall be relieved of
his present judicial function in hearing ap-
pcals he will have ample time to supcrin-
tend both institutions; and that n technical
school wherein the arts are studied, and
their complete and most modern status
closely scrutlnizCd and investigated, should
he under the same head and closely allied
with an institution in which the novelty of
inventions Is determined; while, further
more, the practical results seen in the
dtCnt-Ollicc-the actual cmbOdiments of
educated genius in the great field of inven-
tiOn-wOuld be useful TO the school.
1t is proposed that the institution consist
of the following schools: 1) the School
of Mathematics; (2) the School of En-
gincerinG; l3) the School of Mining En-
ginccring; lll the School of Machinery
(5) the School of Architecture; tGl the
School of Chemistry; ~ the School Of
Forestry - the School of Agriculture.
The plan treats of each of these heads in
turn, entering minutcly into the manifold
subdivisions and prescribing all the details
with great particularly and cxactness. 1t
is sufficient here to say that the instruction
is to be given in the form OF lectures and
reviews, by recitation, by graphic and con-
siIuCtive exercises, by work in tho work
shops and laboratories, and upon excursions
-, I,
ing institutions on the Continent Of Europe
The instruction will be aided by the cOlec-
tions TO be found in the various bureaus and
institutions Of the Unitci states Govern
mcnt; Tor example the cabinet of natural
philosophy, and the minrrllOgICal, HOplOgi-
cal, botanical, geological, and other cOlcc-
tions Of the smithsonian Institute and the
Dep plrtmrni Of Agriculture: also, by u col
lection OF models Tor the Engineer School,
another for the Machinery school, and Il
third for the Architectural school; by Il
chronological collection, a collection of
gcplciiCu instruments, Il collection Of plis-
ter casts, and Il collection for the A.ricu-
/ tural school: by the atcnt-Oiire Library
and the Con ,rrssiOnal Library by a chcmi.
cal, Il physical or electrical, meteorological
and an agricultural and forestry laboratory
by the BJtanicll Gardens, AMI certain
grounds Of the Agricultural Department. OF
OH some Government reservation set apart for
experimental farming; and Furthermore, by
workshops namely, clay-mOdeling and a
plaStcrmodelng shop, Il woodworking and
modelling shop, and the iounlrics and ma.
chinc-shops Of the Government.
1t is proposed TO engage the services o
about lilty professors which are to BE- men
Of the highest attainments relating to thcil
several departments of science and art
some OF which are to be detailed from the
various departments and bureaus Of the
Government The proposed degrees are tC
be based upon the completion Of full
course, and are to be those Of "Unitct
States Mechanical Engineer" "Unitrt
Estates Mining Engncer,' United State,
Architect ""United States Chemist" tic.
aS the case may be-dstinctiUns which, il
we'll and laboriously earned, as they un
douhtcdy will he if the proposed plan Is
'''''''N 'NN ia 10 '''h PiN''llIS'i HllpNlN u
time serve rs passwords to the front rank
among slrIHts and scientists OF the world
\ building is proposed Of the capacity o
the present Patent-OhiCe, ut cost OF from
;2,OOD,OOO to $3OJO 900, to be appropriated
from the patent fund, Of which there is al
ready II surplus IN the Treasury of som,
SlAJO,O0O Tuition fees are to be provide,
lor to an extent that when once under way
the university will prove orll-sustainns
1t is dcs Sncd to be Tor the exclusive use o
citizens OF the United States, and Of u ma.
ntude to subServe the wants Of the entire
nation for educational purposes Of thi,
character
W" have thus briefly presented this qucs
ton that some idea OF it may be iormc,
without wadnS through the plan as lormu
lated in detail. 1t IS cOnlrnlcd, and no
without justification, that such an institu
tion at the National Capital would render
it the focal point Of scientific and polite
. knowlcd g, and a resort for the learned o
all sections Of tho country, rs it would bt
the central point Of science and AIT Is Paris
and Berlin are Of the Old World
PERSONAL.
| Jams " CuEERY of New YOr; Il at th,