The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-02-01

President Smart OF Purdue university.
who has been engaged in educational
work in Indiana since 1865, was asked the
other day BY SENIINEL reporter to eL-
press his views on tile educational growth
and changes in Indiana during the past
twenty-five years. He replied substsn-
tislly as follows:
The common schools OF Indiana took
decided upward movement under the i'm
pule given 10 them By the new school law
of 1865. Prior to that time it could not
truthiulv be said that Indiana had a
schoo system. What there was, was dis
joiuted. irregular and unsatisfactory. Even
the city of Indianapolis was not able TO
maintain its schools continuously at so
late a date as 1860 In many of the other
cities aud toSns OF the state the tax for
school purposes was repeatedly voted
down. The system inaugursted by the law
of 1865 has been regarded as a model Inc
ideal state system. which was adopted oy
the national association, was prepared Dy
me rs chairman OF the committee. and was
patterned alter the Indiana system.
The growth of our schools in country,
town and city has put Indiana into the
front rank. TIE high commentator
given the schools of indianapolis by DR..
Rice in the Forum is sample OF what
might be shown concerning other cities IN
the STATE. The fact Is tie schools OF In
diana are superior 10 what the people OF
Indiana think them TO De.
What can you cay OF the progress OF
the higher Institutions
What | have said OF the common
schools OF Iniiana is true OF the colleges.
except that the decided upward movements
did not begin uni alter date. The growth
in the last fifteen wears has been marvel.
Our state university, our normal school,
ami Some OF our denominatiOna colleges
are well and isvorabiy known all over the
country. They are not only a credit to
their managers, but they reflect great
honor upon the state"
Nv hat do you say OF Purdue?
"Well. Purdue IS ali right. l shall let
her speak for herself"
do YOU think the state has made
progress in other directions?"
"Ce, tainly 1t has. Progress never goes
on one wheel. II seen ut al it is general-
ly seen simultaneously at different points
OF the compass For example, better edu-
cation compe.s better agriculture; i'm
provement in agriculture makes advance
melt in education possible. This state is
making wonderful progress IN many ways.
Look at the inn provrment In agriculture,
for instance. In some counties of this
state the farmers are producing 81 per
cent. more than they did twenty years
ago. Look at the Improvement in the
means of transportation. Look at the en-
largement in our business enterprises. One
fret rate index OF the advancement OF
civilization is the general appearances and
character OF it's newspapers. / gathered
copies of nearly all of the newspapers to-
gether in 1876 for the Centennial exposi-
ton. Newspapers are today "outof sight"
as the bows cav, compared TO what they
were then. You can prove what say by
comparing The SENTINEL with what II was
fifteen years ago"
What do you think of the future OF
Indiana"
"Well, I think Indiana is q great state
1t has fine situation, il is the great gate
way between the East and the West. it
has unrivaIed facilities for manufacturing
purposes, and as a distributing center il is
unexcelled. It's sol, is strong and will
produce R great variety of crops. Its stone
and kaolin ouarries and its coal mines will
produce all that we need for q thousand
years and its natural gas Is helping
nightly. 1t has great pubic institutions
aud they are all paid for It's debt. COM
pared 10 its producing power. is insieni6-
cant. The fact that We can borrow money
at less than per cent il pretty good evil
deuce of our condition. Taken altogether
think Indiana can be made one of tho
best states in the union"
What DO you think are some OF the
difficulties IN the wRv?"
have travelled over the state great
deal and have discovered two things. The
first is that Indiana is great state and
the second is that the people don't know
IL. | NAV be mistaken about II. but there
seems to me TO be a lack of state pride. II
we believed in Indiana as Chicago people
be ieve in Oh csgo, end there 10 no reason
why We should not, we could double our
population in ten years You may be
surprised when l tell you that Indiana
can easily suppost 20.000000 of people.
We must believe in ourselves. believe ia
our state, believe in our future aud ga
ahead.