Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1885-01-24

substantial and gratifying prosperity has
marked its history during the past two
years. The new chemical building has
been erected and equipped, The BOsrd
mas wisely ordered me dlscontinuance OF
the lowest preparatory course and taken
action looking to the early discontinue
ance-c1 the entra prepaEskOry- depart
ment, so that the strength of the Facul-
ty may be devoted wholly TO the work
Of higher education.
The University had 81 students en-
rolled during the last fiscal year. and is
steadily growing In usefulness and pOpu-
larity. The State should cherish and en-
courage 1t in every possible way. The
Regents urge the erection Of a Natural
History binding. The collection of that
department, undoubtedly one of the
largest and most valuable in the country,
long ago overlooked the boundaries of
the rooms assigned IT.
IHE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE.-The re-
ports of the Board Of Regents and of
GERS Of the State Agricultural Colleee
detail the growth and general condition
Of that institution. Its buildings are
substantial and cOmmOdiOus, its grounds
attractive, and its natural attendance has
increased It. per cent, 395 students now
being enrolled. The new wing of the
main college building is completed
and occupied. The endowment fund
now aggregates $475, 305 Is, all Of which,
except IS, lllS Is invested at rates of in
terest varying from six to ten per cent.
The College is steadily and rapidly grow
ing IN popular esteem, and its course Of
study is well adapted to the objects for
which the institution was founded. Its
needs are fully set forth In the reports Of
its Regents and officers.
STATE NORMAL SCHOOL.-The school
teachers constitute the largest body of
public functiOnaries in Kansas, and this
institution, the States training-schOOl
for teachers, is a most important factor
in our educational system. The reports
of It's Board of Regents and officers affirm
that its usefulness is constantly increasing
and that its attendance numbering 554
during the last fiscal year, would have
been even larger if room for the accom-
mOdauon OF Lnose applying Tor admis-
sion could have been provided. Detailed
estimates of eJh6 requirements Of the
school for the ensuing two years are
given in the reports, and commended TO
your attention.
The Board of Regents reports the sale,
in bulk. of a large tract of land in Mitchell
county, at the rate of $3.50 per acre. The
report of the State Auditor shows that
the average assessed value of lands IN
Mitchell county is 1922 per acre, and
this is probably not to exceed thirty or
forty per cent. of their true value. This
sale Of Normal School lands has provoked
considerable criticism in the public
press, and it may be well for the Leglsla-
ture to make inquiries concerning It,
Nothing appears to have been known,
by the public, Of the contemplated sale,
until after it was cOnsummated, and this
fact has aroused suspicious which may
be unjust But it should be the settled
policy of the State that no sale Of similar
character be allowed until after due pub
lie notice, by advertisement. Publicity
is a sovereign preventive of wrong doing
in public affairs, and an ounce of 1t Is
worth more than a ton of discussion and
investigation after the wrong has been
committed. Not an acre of land IN
which the State has an interest should
be permitted to be sold without due
public notice by advertisement.
THE PERMANENT SCHOOL FUND.
For many. years. past certain sfraudu7
lent bonds. purporting to have been
issued by the counties Of Rice, Norton
and Comanche, and aggregatlng $l4,5OG,
have been counted as part Of the Perma-
nent School Fund. The Constitution
provides that this fund Shall not be
dimfnished,U and that the interest de-
rived therefrom shall be invariably Gp-
propriated to thesuppOrt Of the Common
Schools. AS the fraudulent bonds above
referred to produce no interest their
purchase through the agency Of the State
lr5ualY dtmlnIsn6d the PermanSn
School Fund, and the State should make
good to the Fund the amount of these
bonds. The State Treasurer should also
be instructed to cancel these bonds, and
the Auditor directed to make the proper
records and credits upon the books of
his Office.
THE STATE SCHOOL LANDS.
No interest of Kansas has been 50
Tecklessly and imprOvidently managed
rs the State School lands. On her adj
mission into the IInihn. Kansas received
Tor the support OF SCHOOLS, FULLY three
million acres of public lands. Properly
held and guarded, the proceeds arising
from the sale Of these lands would have
created permanent school fund suffi-
Cient in amount to meet almost the en-
tire expense OF our common schools.
But a more absurd system than that
provided by our laws for the control and
final disposal Of school lands it would be
difficult to devise. Under its malign in
duences the Permanent School Fund has
been deprived Of probably one-half the
total amount that should have been, and
under a proper system, would have been
realized from the lands already sold.
49, livery 0OFC--tOA "a l4t0 SS4L6 uALl418
the past eight years has directed the at
tentiOn of the Legislature tOthis reck-
less and imprOvident system; and their
suggestions and recommendation touch
ing this subject have been supplemented
by the elaborate reports Of several State
Auditors. Treasures. and SuDerinteud-
enJs OF FuDuc Instruction. But nothing
has been done to correct the defects and
abuses Of the system, nor to protect the
magnificent school domain Of the State
from despOliatiOn.
The faults Of the present system may
be briefly summed up: First, It puts the
control Of the sale Of school lands into
the hands Of those who want to buy;