Butte semi-weekly miner., 1889-01-16
wants Of the people in this regard.
EDUcATfoN.

N OF SUCH measure, necessary TO me6t III
r wants OF the people in this regard.
= EDUCATION.
u All men are born into this work callinl
i for three great wants to-wit: culture
Il knowledge and something to ex
= plain to them all they see around them
: and also their own nature, condition aut
: destiny. In civilized times and in o Chris
: tian lands the means OF finding an answer
s to these wants were to be supplied 20 vn'
Z young by parental care, public provision
: or by Christian benevolence. All three o
I. these modes OF instruction are employed
4 and relied upon IN every civil government
z throughout North America. Public provl
!, sion by the government for the education
!, and culture OF it's children adorns the pages
= of the history of each of the states Pub
& lie provision for univers al education is
q now cardinal principle in the govern.
{ ments OF this country. In the early years
!. OF Montanas assuming to take upon her.
= self same form OF government, the people
: laid the foundation fer system OF public
,, schools which has grown with the years o.
,, this population, and has improved and
: strengthened as experience and more light
! have been unfolding. The history Of edu-
cation In Montana is the History OF peo-
: Pile showing pluck and lberality far SUR
: passing any in the United States in the
i progress and holding up Of public schools.
The school fund at the command OF TINS
association Of people, called the govern
ment OF Montana, is the taxes collectoi
every year from the people, and this fund
pays over twenty dollars toward educating
each child. am glad TO learn that the
people are reaching out anxiously for the
most approved methods OF school work,
fr,x. krxf<
teachers. They have more regard with
reference to the chance AMI certainty OF
Thorough and skilful instructors than the
lquestion OF cost. Our people are imbued
with the spirit and sentiment that the
strength and eafety OF the country is the
virtue and intelligence OF the youth.
They are the flower Of the ccuntry-the
rising hope OF the church and OF society.
Preserve them interrupted through the
channels OF training to the years OF put
i ting on manhood, then they come forward
with enlightened minds and good morals
to take their places on the stage Of life.
The foundations oil social order and happi.
ness will be secure, and NO weapon raised
against the safety OF the commonwealth
can excite alarm. All wise and benevolent
men, whether statesmen, philanthropists
or ministers OF religion, have always felt a
deep and peculiar interest in the y youth of
the country, and in all their attempts to
produce reformation and advance human
happiness the young, have engaged their
| first and chief regard. This spirit Of
tender thoughtfulness and care is in full
accord with the teachings that come to us
indorsed by the greatest OF all law-givers.
Hardly any one trait OF the Bible is more
prminent than it's benevolent concern for
the youthful generations OF men. On them
it's instructions drop as the rain and Gistil
| as the dew; around their path it pours the
purest light and sweetest promises, and by
every motive OF kindness and entreaty OF
invitation and warning, aims to form them |
for duty and happiness. for holiness and |
for God. It devolyes upon you, the repre- |
sentatives of this wide-awake and liberal |
people, to respond with no hesitating or
temporizing spirit to the clamorlng voice OF
the people for higher recognition Of this |
great and sacred department OF our gov
ernment. The reports OF our able Superin- |
tendent oil Public Instruction for the years
1887 and 1888 will be laid before you.
These r. ports aud the wise suggestions and
recommendations therein contained /
heartily commend to your careful perHsal
and action.
The chief factors in the enlightenment
and awakening OF the people to the calls
and friendly offerings of this system OF pub
lie schools is the thorough acquaintance
ship and familiar mingling and discussion
with them OF the subject by the trusted
head officer placed in charge OF the depart
nient. His frequent presence in councii1l
with the people, trustees, teachers and
county superintendents quicken into active
force the spirit OF emulation and progress,
and accomplishes uniformity in every
part OF the Territory in conducting the
schools.
Tlo r,a<,,,lo ~ fta Tarr; t<xrxy a 10 90 - IN a n
vance Of the provisions Of the present law
on the subject of education. Every we'll
srranged government has its department
Of education, as well as it's department of
justice, agriculture, M chanics, etc. Educa-
tion is as absolutely a department OF the
government OF Montana as is the finance
the judicial or any other; and certainly
there is no department having warner
place in the hearts OF the public. The
compensation provided by law for carrying
on and sustaining this department is gar-
ingly disproportionate to every other one
in the government. This would seem to
imply that the educational department
has far less degree OF favor with the peo-
pie than the other divisions and depart
ments Of the government. do not believe
such to be the estimate in which this sub
iect is held. The meager sums provided by
law to pay the superintendent OF public in
struction may possibly have been sufficient
under the state OF things years ago, but
now in the advanced progress OF settle
ments all over the Territory and increase
OF school children, a far greater, broader and
higher demand comes to that Office. The
interest Of the people paying such large
amounts OF money for he culture and ad-
vancement OF the children needs to have a
thoroughly competent man at the head OF
Az 4 H. IL Il okoI
his eatire time to the overlooking and ap-
plyihg these benefits to the children in
every neignborhood throughout the Terri
tory. There should be an Office provided
for his headquarters his records, ETC., at
the capital and clerk. recommend that
you hasten, before you shall adjourn, to
attend to these wants OF the people in this
regard, and thus vitalize and give new mo-
tion to this great cause OF the people.
The higher education OF the youth OF the
country has always been considered OF the
utmost Importance TO the welfare OF the
state, and it is source OF regret that no
steps have been taken by the territory to
provide college or university for that
purpose. Considering the size aud extent
OF tnis country. It is manifestly certain that
we need two such institutions in the Terri
tory, and it will not. in my opinion, be I'M
advisable to at once enact such legislation
as will lead to the establishment OF an
agricultural and mechanical college at
some suitable place in the Territory.
AN AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL coll
LEGE.
At Fort Ellis, within the limits OF the
Territory, situated on the line OF the
Northern Pacific railroad, and IN the beau
tiful and productive Gallatin valley, the
United Statet government has an aban-
doned miiGary reservation, embracing
about &c, 900 acres OF land. The buildings
on those grounds are OF rather temporary
character, but with some slight alterations
and expense can be made ample and COM
modious enough for the accommodation OF
a full corps Of professors and several hum
dred students. / recommend that you at
once memorialize Congress to donate tine
and buildings to the Territory
for the purpose OF establishing an agricul-
tural and mechanical college. The dona-
tion would be something tangible, and Of
infinitely more value to the Territory than |
the many thousands of acres OF school
lands promised, and yet withheld from rs.
- EEI