Turner County herald. (Hurley, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1885-02-26
Shall Hurley Become an Eaneationel

Cehtef.
We need certain educational infiu
ence in Hurley, a college or normal
school, even though it begins with
meagre support. The legislature will
do nothing for us, so let us do some
thing for ourselves.
If a college We're of no use but 20 fur
nish facilities for education to students,
it might be best, were it possible, to
abolish some scores of the smaller ones,
and give their property to the larger
to increase their efficiency. But col
lege has other uses, and the public
spirited citizens of our new and grow
ing communities are quick to see this.
although some of our best writers on
education seem strangely to overlook
it. They see that the cities and towns
which grow up about a college are or
dinarily places of more culture. refine
ment and moral purity than others
that superior men are attracted to
them with their families; that persons
of better character are recognized as
leaders of society, and influences OF
every kind have higher tone. A
college, even though it be small, is a
civilizing and enllghtaning power for
the community where it stands and the
surrounding country; and such a
power is needed to counteract the sor-
did and downward tendencies which
are always operating. A people en-
crossed in the pursuit of wealth need
reminders of the intellectual life which
they shall see and feel daily; and what
reminder is there like u college with
its library and.museum and laboratory,
and its men devoted to intellectual
pursuits? The smaller colleges have
local power which can hardly be sup
piled by anything else, and that power
could not be transferred-it would be
lost.
1t is often assumed that the students
of the small colleges would go to the
larger ones if these did not exist. This
is not so ] think. Most of them would
not have been awakened to the value Of
an education, or to the practicability
of acquiring it, If the college had not
| been near Some would, but compara-
lively few. The small colleges draw
to them men who who would otherwise
| have remained farmers, mechanics or
tradesmen, or taken the short cut to
professional life. Most of those who
would have gone to the larger colleges,
do so as it is, attracted to them by the
superior advantages they afford. Fur
| thermore, the students of the smaller
colleges receive an impulse to further
| andlhigher education after their gradu-
alton. Approaching the fact that their
| opportunities have not been the best,
| they set about making up the deficiency.
!. And so u very fair proportion of them
will be found in the post graduate or
professional departments OF our largest
colleges, and not /, few at the universe
ties of Europe.
1 Come down to the facts in the case,
and it Will be seen that the small col
leges are doing much more for educa-
ton in our country than they have
4 credit for. They are the pioneers and
sub-soilers, keeping alive that devotion
to intellectual work which is the salt
of material civilization, and without
which it would soon become a putre.
cent mass; and this in regions where
there is little else to keep such q devo.
tion alive. 1t is more necessary, after
all, to awaken the love Of intellectual
pursuits in the people than to provide
an appreciative few with the amplest
facilities for learning; and in this tht
smaller colleges are certainly doing
their full share. SoRREL TOP.