The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-02-03
THE STATE AND HIGHER INSTITU-
TIONS OF LEARNING.

There can be no doubt that if the
question of establishing and maintaining
a State university were submitted to a
vote of the people Of Indiana as an origi-
nal question it would be rejected by a
very large majority. Nor would this re-
suit indicate that the people are insensi-
BILE of the Importance of popular educa-
ton or that they undervalue higher edu-
cation. 1t would simply be an express
sion of the prevailing conviction that
the duty of the State in educational
matters ends with the liberal mainte-
nance of a free public school system,
and that. SO far as higher education is
concerned, the wants Of society are
fully met by the numerous endowed or
s~ectarian institutions to be found in this
as in almost every other State. That
this would be the decision Of the people
if the proposition Of establishing a State
university were presented to them now
as an original question there can be no
doubt. 1t is only because the university
ia established and because the State is
committed by tradition and custom to
it's support that the people give a quasi
approval to the policy.
The idea of State universities seems to
have originated in an age Of compare
tive poverty. when the facilities for
higher education were limited and when
there were no indications that private
liberality or sectarian activity would
ever supply the want. 1t is a significant
fact that no New England State has a
State university. New England is the
birthplace OF free schools. In 1647 the
Legislature of Massachusetts, enacted a
law with the following preamble:
1t being one chief project of that old
deluder, Satan. to keep men from the
knowledge of the Scriptures, as in former
times by keeping them in an unknown
tongue, SO in these latter times by persuad-
ing from the use of tongues tnat SO at
least, the true sense and meaning of the
original might be clouded and corrupted
with false CLOSES of deceivers; to the end
graves of our forefathers, in church and
commonwealth, the Lord assisting our en-
deavors.
It was. therefore, ordered that every
township containing fifty families or
householders should forthwith set UP a
school in which children might be taught
to read and write. Even before this law
was passed several towns in Massachu-
sets nae begun to appropriate money for
free schools, and this was the beginning
of the free school system which has be-
come. a distinctively American institu-
ton. AS the New England States have
always been foremost in the support of
free schools, the fact that none of them
has ever established a State university
seems to indicate that there. at least, it
is not considered a part OF the duty of
the Sta. to maintain an institution of
higher learning.
A great impetus was given to popular
education in the organization of the new
States after the revolutionary war. The
celebrated ordinance of 1857, which pro-
vided a form of government for the
territory of the United States northwest
of the river Ohio contained a provision
that Religion, morality and knowledge
being necessary to good government and
the happiness of mankind. schools and
the raeans of education shall forever be
encouraged" This evidently referred to
free schools. and when this vast terri
tory came to be surveyed and laid off in
townships. one square mile Of lane In
every township. generally the sixteenth
section. nearly in the center of the