Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-05-31
zanraster ftltellQenrer.
WEDNESDAY EVENING, NAY 81, 1882
What TO DO With IL.

W0at 10 DO WIN He
1t is acknowledged by we'll informed
people of all parties that the state agri-
cultural college has from its commence
ment to the present day been an ex-
pensive failure that it has cost the state
hundreds of thousands of dollars, and
has yielded the people no corresponding
benefits. Year after year the state is
called upon for $4,000 or $4,000 ap-
propriation to keep the college on its
feet, and ordinarily there are less than a
dozen pupils under the instruction of il
score or more professors. The United
States made a muniGcent donation Of
lands to the state with the express stip.
ulation that the proceeds should be ap.
piled to educational purposes. Elegant
and substantial buildings were erected
on comparatively barren tract of land
in Centre county, entirely unadapted to
agricultural purposes. but in one Of the
most healthful and picturesque sections
Of the commonwealth. As neither the
buildings nor the land are used for any
practical purpose as the college is an
acknowledged failure, and as long rs it
is kept in existence will be drain upon
the state treasury as the state has failed
to fulfil its part of the contract with the
United States, the question arises, what
are We going to do about il
To our mind practicable thing to be
done with it would be to convey to the
United States, free of all cost, the col
lege and all its appurtenances, on condi-
tion that the United States establish
thereon an Indian training school, simi-
lar to that established at Carlisle. The
almost phenomenal success which has
attended this school is in most striking
contrast with the bald failure of the
agricultural college. The training
school has demonstrated, beyond cavil,
the fact that though hundred years of
cruel and relentless war have failed to
conquer the spirit of freedom inherent
in the breasts of the aborigines, they arc
as susceptible of civilization under
kindly influences as any other race OF
men. Even if this were not SO. the
United States is bound by its solemn
treaty obligations with the several tribe:
of this much wronged race to furnish
school facilities to all Indian children
whose parents apply for the same. Thi
obligation has been as slIamefully neg
lected by the United States, as has beer
the obligation of Pennsylvania to main
tain an agricultural college. 10 make
amends for these Deglects let Pennsylva
mia abandon all claims to the college
or formally convey it to the United
States, and let the United States use il
as an Indian training school. No bette
situation could be found in the country
The buildings are spacious and comfort
able ; the water is pure, the mountain
air is healthful and the mountain
scenery is exactly suited TO the Indian
The habits of the surrounding popula
tiOn are peaceful and moral and fire.
from the social vices which affec
communities near the great cities; an,
the location is SO far removed from th
frontier that there would he no possibil
ity of the Indian pupils being infecte,
with the savage usages Of their uncivil
lied relatives and friends in the ia
west. There should he dozen-if nc
hundreds-of such schools as that a
Carlisle, scattered among the severa
states. Why should not the now wors,
than useless agricultural college in Cen
tire county be utilized as one of them ?