The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-02-03
TWELVE PAGES.
INDIANA LITERATURE.

been made in college laboratories, and that
Indiana college professors were writing no
books. Following this moan, DR.. Lemuel
Moss called attention to the fact, on the
contrary, that the work on systematic
zoology used in the Michigan University
was written by Prof y. S. Jordan, of the
State University, and that whatever might
be its merits viewed critically and his
torically, one of the most popular and
pecuniarily successful series of United States
school histories was written by DR.. Ridpath
himself. 1t is well known, also, to the readers
of the Journal that in DR.. Daniel Kirkwood,
since 1855 professor OF mathematics in the
State University, we have one of the
acutest astronomical minds, whose graceful
and willing pen has. through his popular let
ters to the Journal, done more TO keep the
people of the State apprised of astronomical
phenomena and of the existence of the State
school at Bloomington than perhaps any
other single cause. BY his more erudite la
bors Dr. Kirkwood is also well known abroad
State has never honored itself or him by pro-
viding him with an observatory and telescope.
Indiana has in fact. done some valuable
literary woodwork that has commanded
attention in the Eastern centers of learning
and culture. The writings of DR.. Owen. the
last volume of the State Geological Report
on the paleontolocy of the State, by DR.. John
Collet, and the publication by Prof. ]. M.
Coulter for eight years past of monthly
journal of botany, having large circulation
in the Eastern States and in Europe,
and now the recognized. organ of
Professor Gray and of all eminent
American botanists. are cases in point.
Indiana has only conformed to the natural
law that physical growth and material adj
vantages precede art, science and literature.
In looking over the report of the Statstician
on social matters, we find ample statistics of
schools churches deadbeats and drunkards
but nothing to indicate our progress in art,
literature and science. We suggest that the
e.a,;5t;,---1. e,mEiroy some competent person,
who is educated in both letters and science,
to collect and classify the discoveries, inven-
tions and literary publications of Indiana
people. The higher plane of intelligence,
morality and social life is now taking the
place of dollars and politics. Indiana is the
central point OF the nations population. 1t
has the largest proportional school fund in
the Union; it is in the center of a latitude
which has developed the highest type
of the human race. Its happy location
between the northern lakes and the Allie
gheny foothills, its southern slope
and abundant waters, the combined condi-
tions of its temperature, soil and moisture
have insured the State peculiar commercial
advantages, and for fifty years wealth has
poured into the State from the East and has
been created from our unexcelled natural re-
sources. Our people are gathered from all
parts of the Union. In any ordinary assem-
bly, of the citizens of the larger towns will be
found graduates of Eastern colleges; de-
scendants Of the North Carolina mountain
GERS, whose fathers drove their teams and
stock by way OF Cumberland Gap; tine solid
farming people from New York and Ohio,
and foreigners of every grade of education
and culture conceivable This mixed assem-
bly, are "at home" Their commercial, gov
ernmental, social and moral interests should
have a common basis and intent. They are
comfortably fed housed and clothed. They
l. ol, nd
ture There is now time for thought
and talent to assert themselves, and ample
material on which they may exert them
selves. Their own history and institutions,
the phenomena of nature about them, the
application of the molecular forces in doing
the work of human and brute muscle, have
all received attention from our people, and
are still open fields for research. But If the
old proposition OF the school men is true,
that man is dominant in nature and not par
ticipant, his chief knowledge is himself to
know. This has not been ignored by our
college men. A large part of the college
work has been devoted to metaphysics.
History of philosophy and philosophy of
history mental and moral philosophy, logic
and didactics, have been pounded into our
college men at the expense OF good discipline
in mathematics and applied science, until
students have become interpretive ounces
or have lost interest. The primary
idea embodied in the etymology of
the word is sufficiently apparent and
suggestive. Aristotle, the greatest logican
of them ALL" considered the science of
natural bodies, or physics, to be the first in
the order of studies, and the science OF mind
second. Metaphysics literally means after