Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1879-06-11
TIE STATE COLLEGE.

This heightened educational institu-
tion has been in bad repute for some
time, and during the long session Of
the late Legislature, a Committee Of the
Philadelphia Pittsburg Long Branch
was appointed to investigate the con
cern. On the 4th inst, the Chairman
of the Committee, MIR. Ackerly, pre-.
sented his report, accompanied by the
following resolution
Re,oirsd, If the Senate concur, that the State
Treasurer be and is hereby instructed to pay no
more money to the said Pennsylvania State Col
ege or to any Of Its officers, agents or representa-
tiyes, until It shall be satisfactorily shown to this
or succeeding Legislatures that said Pcnnsylva-
mia State College has fully complied with the re-
quirements Of the acts Of Congress Of July 2,
1889, and with the several acts Of the Lesisla-
turo In relation thereto, nor until such time as
this or succeeding Legislatures shall be fully sat
isfed that the agricultural and mechanical inter
ests Of the State arc receiving from said college
actual benefits which are commensurate with the
amount Of money expended for Its support md
maintenance.
The report OF the Committee reads
as follows;
"In submitting the evidence the
committee beg leave TO report, az the
result of their investigation into the
affairs of the Pennsylvania State Col
lege, that while the evidence does not
show actual fraud or disclose corrupt
management of the funds received by
said institution, yet your committee are
of the opinion that the testimony does
connectedly indicate that the institu.
ton has been very badly managed /;
that its location IS very undesirable
one; that the building is entirely un.
suited for the purpose for which it was
erected that the agricultural depart
ment, which was intended TO be the
leading object Of the institution, has
never been a success, and that the
State has never received and is not
now receiving benefits at all commen.
surate with the amount of money
which has been appropriated to said
institution by the United States and
this State.
We also find that the Congress Of
the United States granted to this State
100000 acres OF land, which, by bad
management, netted the State only
s439,0 900; that the act of Congress
granting this vast amount Of land. re-
quired that the proceeds thereof should
be used by the State mainly in the in.
terest of agriculture and the mechani.
cal arts that the interest accruing
from from this fund, in addition to
some 100000 appropriated by the
State Legislature, is used and controll-
ed by the trustees of said agricultural
college; that in addition thereto the
trustees aforesaid sold the bond of the
State, bearing six per cent. interest,
dated February 2, 1872, calling for
100000 and falling due fifty years
from date; from which the said trus-
tees derive revenue of $4,000 annu-
ally. Your committee find the evi-
dence discloses the further fact that
the deed for all the freehold belonging
to said Pennsylvania State College, in
cluding the experimental farms, are
held by the aforesaid trustees; not in
trust for the Commonwealth, but for
the aforesaid trustees and their sue
cessors Your committee also find
that the experimental farms owned by
said trustees, which were TO be con.
Quoted solely in the interest of the ag-
ricultural classes of the Commonwealth
have utterly failed TO accomplish the
object intended This is not only the
case of the Western farm, located in
Indiana county, which is not now a
third-class farm nor in as good condi,
tion as when purchased Your com
mlttee also find that at the present
session Of the college but iorty-six stu
dents were in attendance, many ol
whom wero non-residents Of the State
and that there Is now in the employ Of
the college eleven professors, which we
deem out Of all proportion with the
number Of students in attendance. Fl
|. nally, your committee is OF the opinion
that the trustees have signally tailed
to carry out the object for which the
magnificent land grant was given by
the United States and which was fur
ther sought to be accomplished by
most liberal appropriations on the part
Of the State.