The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-03-20
A HOME OF LEARNING
What the State University
Should Be Made.
ITS EARLY STRUGGLE TO LIVE.
RYef. Taylor Tells of lts Past Di0eul.
Mes snd Great Possibilities WITH
Wise Treatmen6

t100 ana Great R000iDuttaoo WIN
Wise TrsatmsnG
Prof. ). II. Taylor. teacher Of mathe-
matics and astronomy at the state univer-
sity of Washington, was seen in the OBJ
eervatory of that institution by PosT.IN-
1KrLrGEScER reporter few days ago. and
was asked to give his views concerning
the needs of the institution. Prof. Taylor
is always glad to talk about the school he
has helped establish, and entered into the
subject with no little earnestness. He
said:
The members OF the legislature did wise
thing when they passed the Law 70 establish the
state university on the shores OF Lake washing
ton. The most valuable interests OF state are
IT, public schools. The perpstuity OF rspub-
measure upon popular education. tits the I'm.
perativs duty of the ststs 70 furnish the means
Of complete education for ell its youths.
This seems TO BE- an appropriate time to say
few words in reference to our state university
what it has accomplished in the past and what
may be done in the future.
Established in 1861. the university IL the old.
ct institution OF learning on the Pacific coast
north of the Columbia river. 1t had desultory
existence until the year 1877. when Prof. A. ].
Anderson became its president and organized It
- . college. since that time the university has
held rank - . first-ciass college.
The institution has iabored under many DIM
cnlties. In its early days the people OF the ter
Titory were struggling against the natural bar
Yiers to progress which presented themselves
on all sides. Means OF travel were slow and
difficult Settlements were at remote distances
from each other. The lands had TO b cleared
and the trees turned into lumber. The conse-
~ - kH~e had
but little time TO devote to education. The
students Of the university at that time must
needs consist OF the young men and women who
resided in Seattle and fts immediate vicinity.
Since the advent of the railways. however, the
university has extended its usefulness more
widely and now has students from nearly every
county In the state, a. well a. from Oregon aud
other states.
Another great difhculty In the way OF the
management of the affairs Of the university has
been the lack Of preparation OF students seeking
admission. There were no fitting schools in
Washineton-no Exeters and Andovers TO feed
the colleges and universities. The university
was ompelied through these circumstances be-
yond its control to mail tain . preparatory de-
paftment or receive no stuoentA
Many people then lately arrived from the older
Eastern states did not understand these facts
and were prone to cyiticise adversely the uni
veTsity and its management Many newspapers
through local jealousies and without knowledge
OF the real work done In the university, to crit-
else it harshiy and oppose the meager appropri-
ations made by the Legislature for its support
Many times the university was sneered a. and
called the "seattle high schoor' by these
mines 10 the manger, when II was doing much
good college work, fitting many of the young
men and women of Washington for the respon.
sibie pontions In life, a. glance at the records
Of the alumni will show. Happily all these
embarrassing annoy ances have passed away and
the future OF the state university, it 10 to Be
hoped, shall not b hindered BY such petty
notions.
university In tho true sense OF the word. no one
acquainted with it, history and who knows
what Q university ID, will maintain. There are
but lew real universities in the United States.
Most OF the so-called state universities are only
colleges Johns Hopkins was the great leader
In true university work in this country. II was
only . few years ago that Harvard and Yale
changed from colleges to real universities
Among the state schools We have only few de-
serving the name Of university. OF these Mich
iean university II the leader. Cornell and some
Of the universities OF the younger states, 40
those Of Wisconsin, Nebraska ana California,
follow In the wake Of Michigan. The only
Southern states having universities OF any note
are Virginia and Texas
Tho university Of California 10 q hrst-class
institution, conducted ON the university plan.
What Leland Stanford. IT,, and Chicago univer-
stiles will become remains to be seen. Doubt
less they will equal In their potency Johns Hop
kins, Harvard and Yale, for they both have a
solid financial basis and are in the hands Of
good men.
Why not make the university of Washington
the equal Of any OF them?
Why should not the state OF Warrington, the
creates, OF the new states. have an institution
nj soda.
greatnessr
We confidently believe aud hope that IL 10 to
be. In regard to the buildings which
are 10 DO erected on the new site We
shall say nothing. No doubt buildings suit
able 70 the needs of the university will be
erected by the board Of regents In my
Estimation. buildings are OF secondary I'm.
portancs when compared with the other
functions OF q college or university. President
Daniel &. Gilman once said To the trustees OF
the Johns Hopkins university. when the ques-
tien OF how to begin a university was upon
their minds. ''Eniist a great mathematician
and distinguished Greeian; your problem will
DO solved. such men can teach in dwelling
house as well as In a palace"
II Is now proposed to give outline Of what
the state university should become
university proper IL q combinatio OF COL
tsges, aud these colleges. with reference TO their
objects or purposes, may bc divided into two
tlasscs. l. tIoektioNh - lecnuiCai. The
first class is devoted entirely to the scholastic
attachments OF the student. The second class
IL designed to prepare the student Tor some
particular profession or vocation.
Universities, rs a whole, may also be divided
into two classes: /. Institutions devoted to in
struc,lon- = Institutions devoted to original
investe alton.
Cornell has given the best definition of the
fFst class Ia bis statement: Il would found An
institution where any person can And ins,ruc-
ton in any study.
The second class incl ude the great uujversi.
ties OF Europe. among which may he mentioned
oxford. Cambridge. and in this country John.
Hopkins, Harvard. Yale. Cornell and Miehi
gan.
Nearly ali American universities combine both
these classes. And this the state university OF
Washington should do l; is the duty OF the
management OF the university 10 furnish anp,e
means FOR the complete training OF its youth
and ~ the same time, In this progressive aye. To
encourage original investigate In al the Arts
and sciences With these notions In mind. Ia,
say that tho new university should combia,
the following colleges:
~ College OF arts aud sciencsa
t3l College Of literature
81 College OF agriculture.
"a college o. mines.
81 College of commerce.
a., College of civil engineering
a College of electrical ensineerina.
~ College OF architecture.