The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1884-10-30
THE moEPTIoN.


to live.
The best governments are those that
educate the masses. The happiness
Of any community depends upon its
intelligence. These maxims are Of
such weight and stress az 10 move
men % as:tion. Educational assOeia-
lions are formed to promote the means
for advancing the intelligence Of the
people.
Some years ego your speaker was q
member Of q very important con-
mittee. It became his duty along
with other State Superintendents Of
schools Of ether states to pay a visit to
Washington City, and have a personal
interview with the President Of the
United States concerning the DISPOSE
ton Of the public lands Of our govern
ment. Gen. Grant was President at
the time, and full well do remember
wien 1 made the visit 10 his private
chamber In company with my col
leagues, that [ looked him straight IN
the face and said: Mr.. President,
there is a desire all over this country
springing up spontaneously, that the
public domain should be devoted to
the creation Of intelligence In this
country.
That too much Of our wealth was
passing into the hands Of railroad and
other InonOpOlies and that we would
endanger our own institutions II we
did not provide literally for the edu-
cation Of the people and TO this end,
Mr.. President, have we come 10 solicit
your honor TO recommend 10 the Con-
gress Of the United States, that our
public lands I'm liberal quantities
should be devoted appropriately 10
the education Of the people. re-
member the look and the cOunte-
nance and the expression Of the Presi-
dent as ne grasped as warmly by the
band and made the following most
. significant reply:
"Gentleman ofthe Committee, am
happy 10 greet you. The safety and
pefpetuity Of our own Government
rests upon the free and liberal educa-
ton Of the masses. ] will cheerfully
recommend to Congress the matters
that have been expressed by the CON-
mittee.n
These recommendation were made
and the Congress acted upon the
recommendations, and to-day thOus-
ands and thousands Of acres Of lands
are yieidiug up their annual income
to the free and liberal education Of the
masses. Much depends upon the lib
eral education Of the people, and I'M
hesitatingly do affirm that much de-
ponds on the intelligence Of each COM
munity in which we chance 10 live.
The Inception ola grand,educatiOnRi
enterprise, such as we are opening to
the public tonight, takes its rise In
the strong desire 10 promote the best
interests Of our safety and perpetuity.
Representative men spring Up in all
parts Of the country who take the lead
in such enterprises.
Rev. G.. p. Peale, moved In an early
day to the State Of Ohio aud was
reared under the shadow OF the then
limited influence Of the great Normal
University Of Lebanon. That Insti-
tuition fought long and we'll for It's ex-
istence and to-day Il has gained an In
fluence unparalleled in the history Of
the rise Of educational institutions.
Growing up under this Normal in
fluenee he became enamOred Of its
principles to such an extent that
wherever he has been for the past Is
years he has been an important
factor in the growth and develop
ment Of Normal schools. Your
speaker became personally acquainted
with Ed. Peale about Is years ago,
aud soon afterward found him located
I'm the beautiful city Of Terre Haute,
Ind, and in close sympathy with
the State Normal school OF that State.
Every 90 or 80 days, for six long years
/ was required 10 visit that Institution
as a member Of its board Of trustees,
and ! never failed to see my friend.
There in that beautiful city, with our
mutual friend VIM. B. Wharton, now
gone to his heavenly reward. have we
sat for hours and hours celebrating
long and well upon what we might
and upon what we mast do for the
benefit OfOuT race. In removing from
Terre Haute. TO Danville, Ind, Ed.
Peale become intimately associated
VIII III AAAAaE IEAANlEAAA AN4AAlMA EEAlNNl
aud I'm a short time there was placed
upon my desk an invitation 20 move
my family TO that place and enter
upon the work OF giving instruction
IN that growing institution. / cheer
fully accepted the invitation and we
were thus thrown together I'm such
intimate relationships that we could
carry out practically what we had so
long discussed theoretically in Terre
Hauie. Time, however, made its "a
pid changes and we were thrown
more widely apart than ever before.
A few more years rolled on and very
unexpectedly one September morning
1 received a telegram from the same |
friend asking me 10 attend a State /
Sunday School Convention In OttR- |
wa, Kansas. This invitation was ac- /
cepted, and early in the month OF Dc |
tOber last year / went 70 that city 10 4
attend that convention. / had peculiar /
ideas Of Kansas and its people. / sup /
posed had but few friends IN the /
State, but when / entered the church /
where the convention was assembled,
10 my utter establishment saw scores
OF faces that had met years before
and the Joy Of our meeting again can
only be expressed by saying that we
shook each others hands warmly and
firmly and tears Of Joy rolled down
our cheeks, indicative Of our inward
feelings. Il seemed to me that had
suddenly dropped IN upon more
friends In this country than I had
LEFT back home. Our Joy was CON-
plete. met the Sallna friends and for
the first time did grasp warmly the
hand Of that true and noble friend
Howard @. Rash.
The subject OF building an educa-
tlonal Institution in the heart Of Kan.
sas was mentioned. After some con.
sideration was asked the question IS
pointedly IS friend Rash knows how
70 put question, would You under
take an enterprise Of that nature In
Salina?n
The interview lasted till the wee
sma' hours ofthe morning and q SOL
emn resolution was then and there
made that with Gods help we
would undertake the enterprise,
IL Il met the hearty cooperation OF
the citizens Of Salina. When we
committed ourselves then and there 70
this grand work we call that the in
ception Of our Institution.
But there is a second inception to
this Institution, tO-wit: The begin
ming Of the educational work. Full
veil did We know that fho Noru,o1