The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-02-26
The A. And N. COLLEGES.
Brief Statement Of the National
Land Grant Act.
INTEREST IN INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION
First Directors of the Texas lnstitu-
tion I.abOrcd Under DiaRdvnntnge.
Liberal Appropriations Needed.

College station. Texas. Fepruary sa.--
As there seems to be growing interest In
Industrial education In our State and some
desire to cngrstt It's features upon both
public and private schools, II may not be
iropportune to give brief statement of
the National land grant act by virtue Of
which the Agricultural and Mechanical col
iege was established. 1t has been asserted
that II in the early days OF the Republic
the opportunities for scientific and prao-
teal education had been equal to those Of
sered for training men OF the learned pro-
LESSONS the advent of the steamboat and
rail car would have occurred at an earlier
date. 1t was tho recognition OF tho im-
portance of such opportunities that led iu
after years to the establishment OF more
liberal practical education.
Conspicuous among the scientific schools
we're the Rensselaer, Polytechnic institute
at Troy. n. y, established in 1924. the
Sheffield school, an adjunct OF Yale col
lege. which had its beginning In 1876 the
Lawrence Scientific school. In connection
with Harvard university, In 1877 and the
Chandler Scientific school In connection
with Dartmouth college established in 1881,
But the earnest practical educators de-
sired a still more comprehensive system.
the ideal Of which would combine the train
ing OF the hand with that OF the intellect
and invest labor with the rank OF honor
aud dignity commensurate with It's value III
the worlds economy.
In the year 1889. in response to numerous
petitions a bill Ito promote the liberal and
| practical education Of the industrial
classes" was passed by both houses Of con
gress. 1t had been drawn with great care
nv the Hon. Justin $. Morrill, OF Vermont,
and proposed to give TO the several States
and Territories %. coo acres of public land
| for each OF their senators and representa-
| tivos in congress for the purposes above In
| dictated
The bill was vetoed hy President Buoh-
| anan.
| In 1862 n similar bill was passed, which
| gave 10000 acres OF land to the States and
| Territories for each OF their members In
both branches of congress This bill re-
| ceiyrd the approval of President lincoln
| July 2. 1862. Its originators called IT the
| new education bill because II proposed to
extend TO the Industrial classes tho advan-
! tage of liberal education by new meth >ds
OF instruction. While among The sciences
| to be taught IL was declared that the lead
| Ing object was to teach those relating to
| langusAe Of the act making the grant de-
clared specifically that 1t was not its lur-
pose to exclude other sciences The dc
| sign beins to establish Institutions of learn
ing Of the highest order IA comprehensive
| in scope aa the design was liberal No por-
tion Of this National fund or the interest
crising thorcfrom can be either direct ly
or indirectly expended for the erection
preservation. purchase or repair Of build
! INKS. 1t was expected that the States and
territories would supply thcSe minor and
varying wants and maintain the bounty o
the National government intact. The real
iaation Of the desire for thorough systcn
of mechanical training by shop instruction
and practice for students in that depart
ment was not attained until 1876. At tn,
Centennial Exposition. held at Philadelphia
III that year, the Russian government mad,
an exhibit ot this feature OF he system in
aueuratod by their people. and It's sim
plicity and adaptabilily 10 the purposes dc.
sired at once commended IL TO practical cd
uCators
1t has been aptly said that the American
mind Is SLOW to adopt new ideas or prlnci,
pies without demonstration but whcn O
measure Is shown to be practical 1t In
ready to reap the benefits. The foundni
of these colleges for the purpose Of co -odu.
eating the head and the hand and elcvatial
tie life of the farmer and the mcchani,
was an innovation.
| The friends OF existing colleges looked
uron 1t suspiciously,
Tho average legislator approached II wa,
rily. There was n common belief that
these colleges would simply add another
to the existing institutions whose purpose
was to train young men for the Learned
profession. and not for the active bushes.
pursuits OF the country. They were toler.
ated rather than supported and seemed {,
require an apology for their existence II
some instances they were threatened con.
stantly with strangulation by rclenilcs,
opposition. In the South especially thor,
never was more inopportune time for NJ
radical a venture In education. There wal
general repugnanco TO the system b.
cause Of the auspices under which 1t wa.
inauguratcd. The asperities naturally en-.
gendercd by a great revolution aud tho
friction attending reconstruction. tOgethe
with the dubious future Of the country
environed the cause with formidable ar
ray Of discouragcments. The accumul1
tions Of two centuries had been swept away
property values destroyed and the labo
system disorganized. Men long accustone
. to comfort and opulcncc were wholly i'm
povershed and there was exoTbtant taxa
tion and scarcity of revenue. The first III
rectors entered upon the discharge Of thel
: duties under conditions OF the most dis
conraging character.
There was a lack OF funds for building
and other necessary purposes They ha
given the new educational scheme but It'll
thought or study. and there was little 1
. the experience of the past TO guide them
The results sought were far different frof
. those attained by existing institutions an
d could be reached only by different meth
b. DDS.
r There were no models for imitation. TIL
: colleges and universities found no Difficult
ty In procuring trained men for the learne
. | professions, but tho men whose trainin
and fluctuations fitted them for work In tn
a new educational scheme were scarce
most instances they had to be trained "a
these positions. They had TO arrange tn
outline Of instruction in harmony with. an
study the limitations. suggestions and scot
;, OF tho law. But in spite OF every adveri
u influence there was an outspoken declare
: ton OF loyalty to the new system that wa
Il each day rewarded with keener sympath
: and n more wakeful concern as these agt
cultural and mechanical colleges stcadi
" worked their way to conspicuous place
"A popular regard. Public apathy retreatf
before clearer light and broader views. ~
- position gradually yielded as men BEGAN