Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1895-12-26
THE UNIVERSITY.


both in their organization and effect
rs is commonly granted our other in
situations. This is partly due to the
comparative infancy of the country,
but more largely and permanently to
the composite character Of our civili-
Eation, fact which will probably rem
der it impossible for our educational
systems to stand. at any point in their
career, on a perfectly just plane or
comparison with those of other lands.
While, however, the competition IS
waged between our country and others
with such a degree of strength and
equality in other departments of life,
we must expect that the effects OF our
educational systems as well Will De
estimated by the results Of the systems
Of other countries. We may therefore
consider it our good fortune when we
fall into the hands of so fair and COM
prehensive a foreign critic as the au-
thor of Bryce'S American Common
wealth. who Gevotes chapter OF his
extensive work to the methods OF
higher institutions of learning in
America. Mr.. Bryce not only gives
due recognition to the influence upon
the community of the large and older
centerS of education. but allows ample
credit for the work of the younger in
situations, which has not previously
been given sufficient account in the
summing up of general educational re-
suits. From the summary of the chap
ter on universities are taken the fol-
lowing remarks: In some of the
smaller Western colleges one finds to-
day men of great ability and great at
tainments; one finds students who are
receiving an education quite as thor
ough, though not always as wide, as
the best Eastern universities can
give" "They get hold of a
multitude of poor men who might
never resort to distant place for ed
ucation." "They give the
chance Of rising in some intellectual
walk of life to many a strong and
earnest nature who might otherwise
have remained an artisan or store
keeper and perhaps failed in those
avOcations."
In speaking further on the general
educational aspect of the country he
says: 'But if may venture to state
the impression which American uni
versities have made upon me I will
say that while of all the institutions Of
the country they are those of which
Americans speak most modestly, and,
indeed, deprecatingly, they are those
which seem to be at this moment
making the swiftesr progress and to
have the brightest promise for the
future"
Six years before the admission Of the
DakOtas as states to the Union the
f1I% ~, &c of %1,~
M 1Pi11ftSyss ser an institution of learning
should both supply a demand
much Wge a center of inspiration. Ac-
zard ahsy, some enterprising citizens
- = aerritory pushed the matter and
to 25-{as introduced in the territorial
!. i. ~ by Hon. George 81. Walsh
as anne a law Feb. q, 1863. In
ks certalteen months following a sub
o,, .s.al brick building was erected for
The use of the university and it was
first opened for the reception of STU
dents Sept. s, 1889. By the division Of
the Territory of Dakota and the admis-
sion Of North Dakota as state in
1890 the university became the state
university Of the state. From the be-
ginning the hope and aim was to es-
tablish just such an institution as Mr..
Bryce describes-one in which should
be found as teachers "men of ability
and fine attachments" and which
should provide ian education quite as
thorough as the best Eastern UNIVERSE
ties can give" to "young. people Of
strong ard earnest natures who might
never be able to resort to places of ed
ucation outside their own state. The
university feels that it has already
given number of young persons Of
this description a chance to rise and
take the places in the high citizenship
OF this country to which their native
abilities entitle them, and that, in the
institutions short career of twelve
years, it has to gratifying degree
realized the fulfllment of it's designs.
President Merrifeld, a Yale gradu-
ate, who has taught in the institution
since it's organization and who for four
years has stood at the head of the uni
versity, zealously guarding the inter-
ests Of the state as represented there,
lis a man who enjoys the friendship
and respect Of many of the foremost
educators Of the country and has,
therefore, superior advantage in OBJ.
tanning for the university as heads of
Its departments graduates from the
first-class institutions of this country
and Europe. AS result. the univers
ity now possesses staff of instructors
which, although limited in number
because of the financial inability OF
the state to support an extensive in
structional force, is in strength and
modern culture quite equal that OF
many of the older institutions of the
East.
Six classes have been gradu
ated from the university thus
far averaging eight members each
The class this year bids fair to more
than double the usual number, as II
now consists Of twenty young men ani
women the per cent Of young wome1
in this class being much larger than il
the proceeding one. In ability tho
members Of this class can hold theil
own with any Of the graduating classe.
>cf the institutions located in older por
tons Of the country and in scholarship
they can claim superiority to many q
them. A stranger coming recently into
the life Of the University of Nortl
Dakota was impressed with the higl
character of the morals of the SUDDEN
body and the diligent and studious at
mosphere that pervadcd it. Wher
these are the two impressive character
gnI. - boIx ~ ct,,I