The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1879-02-06

branches of polite learning from the
curriculum, but specifies that such
studies are TO be permitted, notwith-
standing the fact that the idea of an
agricultural college, fitted to educate
men for the wise and scientific
utilization of the great natural
advantages of Californis, has al
ways been most prominent. The
California institution has depart
ments of agriculture, (theoretical) let
tiers, mechanic arts, law and medicine.
Four hundred students are In atten-
dance and the number grows annually.
The control of the institution is in the
hands of twenty-five regents, sixteen
appointed by the Governor for sixteen
years, the other six being the Lieuten-
ant Governor and heads of depart
ments. The laws affecting the insti-
tuition have been devised for the pHI-
pose of keeping the institution out of
the clutches of political parties and
party-leaders. 1t may be proper to
observe that many individuals have
conveyed land for specific educational
purposes to the college on condition
that it shall never be allened. The
college, which is slowly expanded in
the purview of its operations and will
become the great university OF the
Pacific coast, is in suburb of San
Francisco. The modern policy of
educators is to make students part and
parcel of the general community, and
therefore the most prosperous institu-
tions are in the midst of the greatest
centers of population. The monkish
dormitory system is by no means pro-
motive of good morals. Within Chi
nese walls codes of morals and of pop
ular opinion obtain unknown to the
exterior world and 'college vices" are
peculiarly dangerous save in institu-
tions that constitute parts OF great
cities. Students should be parts of
families and never gathered, if it may
be avoided, in great dormitories or fed
like domestic animals at stewards
halls. President Barnard, of C1lum-
bia college, has written pamphlet on
this subject which should be studied
by Texas law makers with Howitt's
Student Life in Germany and Bris-
ted's book on the English
universities. Thomas jefferson,
when planning the creation of the
University of Virginia, asserted general
principles which guided California in
locating the seat of learning fer that
commonwealth, and it will surely
please penurious law-givers to know
that they need only construct lecture
and polytechnic halls and repositories
for books and chemical laboratories
and residences for the worlds greatest
thinkers and philosophers to be gather
ed within twenty years, even here, by
the rich inalienable university de-
main. The final success of the univer-
sity of Texas and the wisdom and
greatness of the children of the com
and their knowledge of one
anothef gained in boyhood at the un,-
Yersity iof Texas depend upon the re-
tentionf by the State of the fee in
lands assigned to the State university.
There are no portable proceeds of land |
that will not take wings unto them
selves, and there is no depository for
gold that thieves will not break
through. The value of land grows
with the growth of the empire, and |
its annual proceeds will be greatest |
when population IS densest. To sell |
and school lands is the foul
est wrong ever done by cupidity to
the greatness and glory of Texas, and |
they who do this thing are worse ene-
mics of the State than the land thieves
in the penitentiary.