The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-12-18
AN ENLIGHrENED VIEW.

DIR. McLouth, president of the Brook
ings agricultural college, in answering
the criticism of the Parker New Era anc
other newspapers which advocate shut,
ting up the educational institutions for
the sake OF economy, points ont in an
article to the Huronite of the 18th inst.
many good reasons why such an action
would be false economy. He admits the
necessity OF rigid economy and keeping
within income, cutting down salaries
and undertaking no new buildings or ex-
tensive improvements. The present age
Is not responsible for the number OF
public institutions We find on our hands
NOR can we now correct the mistake. He
then goes Oh to say:
1t is not true, however, that these
schools are "luxuries;" for education
whether high or low, is never a luxury
Next to food and raiment it is the most
pressing necessity" for our sons and
daughters. Ia the sharp competition of
the present time the ~illiterate must sue,
cumb. Darwin's merciless law Of the
survival of the ~tittesL" holds here with
the most memorable certainty. My un-
educated son must go down in the strug-
gle for existence before your educated
SOL.
Further, these state schools are truly
state schools, and not "town Schools"
supplying for their localities the place of
high schools, as the New Era writer
claims. Vermillion, Madison and Brook
ings, at any rate, maintain as efficient
and as ~expensives high and graded
schools as any towns of their size In the
state. Under the present state law,
which is rigidly enforced, residents of
these towns cannot gain admission to
any of the state schools until they have
finished their home high school courses,
except it be to pursue such technical
studies as the high do not and cannot
offer. La this particular the towns
where the state schools are located are
Disseminated against by the law.
In the Agricultural college during the
past year the attending students were
from twenty-five different countIes of
the state, while many credited to Brook
ings are residents there simply because
they or their parents have become such
on account of the advantages ordered by
the college. |
Furthermore, the Agricultural college,
by the very terms of it's charter, must
and does teach many practical branches
which neither the high schools nor the
UNCONVENTIONAL colleges will aver be ex-
pected to teach.
Still! further, all the instruction in
this state school is paid for by funds
furnished from the United States treas
ury, ard not a cent Is drawn from the
state treasury for this purpose. II the
schools were closed, or turned over to
the town for maintenance, the money
now paid to the state for this purpose,
and which is all expended in the state,
would simply be retained in the United
States treasury. This government an
nuity, which is paid TO each Of the states
alike, can only be used TO pay salaries of
Instructors, and to provide appar-
atus, books and other material for in
struction.
Ii there were no limitations imposed
by congress upon the expenditures of
the national funds, the agricultural COL
lege, could, indeed, get along, ION a
pinch" for a time, without state aid. As
1t is, the state is only required to pro-
vide buildings aud their needed repairs,
fuel and certain other small incidental
necessities. N
Let there be rigid economy every
where, but do not let retrenchment be-
gin and end with cutting off the news
papers and books for IL children to
re I1, nor the schools where there they
are 10 be educated.
yapk4nr praSa Ia. Todd and Graoarv