Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1897-11-05
Washln9ton Standard
OLYMPIA. WASH.
FRIDAY EVENING. OCTOBER %. 1897.
Education Interests.

Olympia Wa once known IL an cdu
cational center from one end Of West
crn Washington to the other. For
years after the founding oi the Terri
torial University. people residing in all
parts g; ia" Sound c.1utry Were arcu>-
tumcd.to send their SOILS and dau-h-
tcr> to the capital city that they
might enjoy its superior academical
advantages. That fact is part of our
Territorial and State educational his.
tory.
Since the palmv days OF the Olym-
pia Collegiate Institute. Olympia has
had little to boast of IN the way Of ed
ucational facilities, outside OF her pub
lie schools, and st. Michacl's College,
which is too suburban ior practical
Use oi home students.
BY the "palmy days" of that insti
tuition, we mean period OF about six
years during which time its leading
spirits were Professors Henderson,
FOllanSbee and Yemen. Although at
that time the property was owned and
nominally controlled by the Methodist
church society, the school, in its gem
eral conduct and government, was
strictly non-sectarian institution.
Students bound for the institute
tlockcd to Olympia from all directions,
from both Eastern and Western WASH
ingtoi.
1t will be remembered by our older
citizens that large boarding hall
could not accommodate all the incom-
ing strangers, inasmuch as many stu
dents had to be farmed out" among
the families adjacent to the institute
grounds, while others, both young
men and young women, formed them
selves into clubs and boarded them
selves. The annual commencement
seasons of those years were an honor
to our city, the town being surfeited
with visitors, the rank and file of pa
irons and friends of the school, at
each recurrence of those interesting
occasions.
In the course of events, Professor
Henderson drifted into business pur-
suits, and his retiring was followed, in
year or two by the resignation of
Messrs. Follansbee and Yemen.
Probably the Immediately cause of
the resignation of these gentlemen has
never been generally known by the
people of Olympia; but briefly told, it
was the inroads against the peace and
well-being of the school caused by
nothing else than church intervention
and church interference.
The non-sectarian teachers wanted
to conduct a non-sectarian school and
they could not tolerate the iron-clad
regime of church discipline of any
sort, and SO they chose the inevitable
and politely left the institution to
such other hands as might in the
course of human events take the mat
ter in charge. The history of the
school from that time till its final
death is too we'll known to be here re-
counted. A preacher for President,
preacher students for his subordinates,
q long line of preachers for trustees
and outside preachers for general ad-
vice and counsel, were too much for the
school and, of course, it painfully but
finally succumbed to the stronger in
fuence. But the lesson taught by the
downfall of that institution is whole
some one, and strongly reminds us of
the old precept that "There is no
great loss without some small gain"
The lesson learned and the point
made for future use is, that the teach
ing of religion is one thing and the
teaching of the educational branches
is another thing. These two pursuits
cannot be united in the same school.
Olympia and the surrounding sections
of country are teeming with just as
many young people to be educated as
ever, and young people of both sexes
could just as we'll come to Olympia
now as their predecessors did before
them.
People want their children educated
all the same despite the stringency of
the so-called business depression of
the country. With a competent corps
Of teachers, properly sustained, first by
Olympia people themselves and then
by the patronage that would flow in |
from abroad, first-grade classical,
scientific and commercial school could |
be maintained in this city as we'll now
as ever.
The old collegiate building, with
boarding attachment, is too fine a |
school property to remain longer un-
used in legitimate way and manner
as contemplated by the founders of
the original plant. 1t is to be sup
posed that the property could be pur-
chased or leased on reasonable terms
by any party or parties who might de-
sire to undertake the building up a
prosperous institution in Olymdia.
The State of Washington is as full
OF good teachers as it is of children.
We have no need of imported mater.
ial in this line. The importation of
teachers is destructive factor in any
incorporated or private school.
STRANGE to say, Mckinley, in his