The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1885-06-11
THE University

The following Is Governor Martins
speech at the Alumni banquet of the
State University:
1t probably did not occur to your COM
mite, when it selected the sentiment Just
announced, that the 'chlld" has just come
of age. But this is the fact. On the
10th of February, 1868, the Legislature
passed an act TO establish a State Uni
versitY, to be located at Lawrence, pro-
vided the city gave site of forty acres
If land and $4,000. In November fol.
lowing, the governor issued prOclama-
ton announcing that these conditions
had been complied with. But it was not
until the first of March, 1864, that IN ,.ct
was passed organizing tie State Univers-
ity. Hence, as have said, this child of
the state" has just cOmeeOf age.
In the long, exciting and momentous
contest waged by two civilizations for
the fair territory of Kansas, four consti-
tutions were framed-three by the
champions OF free soil one by the advO-
Gates of slavery. II the students of the
University will examine that admirable
compendium of Kansas history, wild
er's Annals" they can read these old Or
ganic laws, on each of which, for q brief
season,
Humanity with all its fears,
With all the hopes of future years."
was hanging. And think reading of
just one article Of each-that on educa-
tion-will largely explain why the one
civilization triumphed over the other,
first in Kansas and then throughout the
Union. In each of three con-
situations which represent the as
piratlon, ideas and purposes of the tree
aNG - a.,
make the most ample provisions for
public education. The old Topeka con-
stItution, framed in 1855, declared that
the legislature shall secure q thorough
and efficient system of common schools,
and establish q university. The Lesven
worth constitution, framed In 1858,
makes Ii the duty OF the state TO estab-
lish system of free school, in which
every child of the state shall receive a
good common school education" and
also educational institution of higher
grade, including q university. And the
Wyandotte constitution, framed in 1859,
makes 1t the duty Of the Legislature TO
establish "a uniform system of common
schools, and schools of higher grade,
embracing normal, preparatory, collie
giare and university departments" and,
IN another section, requires the establish
motion Of literature and art and science. I"
II is noticeable, too, that these three
constitutions indicate q growing senti-
ment In favor of public educution, that
of 1888 embodying far more definite and
mandatory requirements than the one
framed IN 1855, and that of 1853 being
even more specific, exsctiag and peremp-
tory than the constitution of 1853. The
educational article of Topeka constitu-
ton includes four sections, and occupies
only fifteen lines in the ANNALS: % the
same article in the Leavenworth consti.
tuition embraces nine sections. occupying
thlrty-three lines; and in the Wynndotte
constitution the educational articles in
cludes nine sections. occupying forty
seven lines.
On the other hand, the article on edu-
cation In the Lecompton constitution
the only organic law framed l1v the ad-
vocates OF slsyery--is ambiguous in Ian
guage and feeble In direction. Il isper-
mission rather than mandatory, It's Eve
sections occupy but seventeen lines. and
require only that SCHOOLS and the means
1 Of education" shall be '4encoura0ed nv
the state" and that the legislature shall
establish "one common school in each
! t0vnship"-that Is one for every % 24C
acres of land. This would give the
county of Douglas fourteen schools. u
now has nearly one hundred, Ne re-
quirement for schools of q higher grade
nor for university is embodied in thu
article.
1t is not strange that the contest be