Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1893-02-25
NORMAL SCHOOL LOCATION

Under the provisions of the bill in
PRODUCED by Representative Anderson,
of this county, which has now become
n law. a state normal school is to be
established in Whatcom county, and
this, as all other educational interests,
should receive the best thought and
attention of our people. The progress
of civilization, as well as in great
measure the material prosperity of a
people are fairly indicated by the in
terest manifested in, and the success
attained by, their facilities for practical
education. In this view of the matter
no more important question can be
presented to community than the
one of so establishing and maintaining
its schools as that they shall answer in
the highest degree the purposes for
which they are created.
The law referred to does not make
definite location of the state institution
but provides that its site shall be Sc
lected by the governor and two COM
missioners whom he shall call to his
aid in the matter. After the passage
of the law creating the institution, its
permanent location is the first and
most material step in its existence. 1t
is the most material because the pros
perity and success of the school will in
large measure be dependent upon its
location, and because a mistake at that
point can never be corrected. 1t is at
that point, too, where mistakes are
most frequently made in the location
of public institutions of all kinds. The
mind of man seems to be so constituted
that self-interest is the controlling
motive of the masses, and it is not
prediction, but simple recognition of
fact to assert that when the time comes
for the location of this important in
stitution of learning claims will be
presented and urged from all parts of
the county, on grounds which have
nothing to do with the real merits of
the case, or which have any regard
whatever to the future well-being of
the institution itself. This is the COM
mon history of the location of all pub
lie Improvements which are attended
with the employment of men and the
expenditure of money. In this state
some notable examples might be
referred to in order to illustrate the eX-
tremes to which the common mind is
apt to run in the qualification of preju-
dice or the hope of gain. The example
which will come more directly home to
our people as being one of extremes is
the location of the court house in
Whatcom county. At time when
greater rivalry existed between the
cities of the Bay, than hippily exists at
the present time, a prejudiced and
short-sighted people influenced a de-
crepit and weak board of county COM
missioners to erect a building which is
credit to the county and which, in
addition to furnishing a convenience
for the transaction of business, ought to
have been an ornament to the city in
which it is located, but the location is
such that all pleasure and benefit of
the existence of a magnificent building
and beautiful grounds are lost, even to
the people Of the county seat, while it
Is positive inconvenience amounting
to a great burden to all the people OF
the Bay and of the county, to be re.
quired to transact the county business
at place far removed from any bust
ness center. By this inconsiderate and
ill-advised location of a public institu
ton a personal within was gratified fol
a day and that was all. The larger ant
more important consequence was, anC
is, that an institution with which al
most the entire people have bushes
dunng the course of the year is so stu
ated that not a temporary but per
manent inconvenience and great vast
of time is permanently imposed upol
the whole people; all benefits arisinI
from the visible effects of an imposing
structure and beautiful surrounding
are lost forever, and personal anamosi
ties and heart-burnings have been en-
kindled or intensified which STAN
greatly In the way Of that harmoniou
action and that pull altogether
which IL 20 mnch needed to promot
the proper growth of the Bay cities ant
TO establish and insure the degree Of de
velopment and prosperity to which W
are 50 justly entitled by reason Of tn
supremacy Of our situation.
The same evil results may easily b
produced, and unless carefully guarde'
against will b produced in the matte
q the location Of the normal school
Nothing ought to be thought Of in thi
connection which does not have a a