The Portland daily press., 1897-02-20

the ground Of location, ard takes advnnt-
age of somewhat has5y aud obscure
sentence in President Harris late address,
(atsrward fully explained to the under
standing of every body, to turn point
against that gentleman as we'll as the
college of which he is the honored, en-
thusinstic anu beloved Lead-thea We
have no further argument with such
newspaper.
We do not cara II flip what Mr. Goodnle
thought of the State college in 1864, four
years before the institution had arranged
its outline Of stuoies ur received
student; or whether tt great state uni
versity'' was contemplated by those
gentlemen who shared its early course,
or not. We know this and everybody IN
Maine knows it-that the college mas De-
come noble institution OF our state !;
successive legislatures have in their WIS.,
dom and liberality granted it from year
TO year such appropriations as have teen
needed to enable it to carry to its devel-
opmen5. Mr. Goodala in 1864, nor any
body since, has never believed that the
never make progress, never enlarge Its
curriculum. Heger become more fully
equipped to meet the demands Of the new
age OF studies aud nrestigation Of the
year 1897 Nobody ri 1.-THE present time
believes that the state college Of agricui-
ture and the mechanic arts should be to-
day what it WIS in 1868, or be what any
body thought in 1864 it ought to be.
There has been some progress in educa-
ton, in the applications OF science, in the
demands upon educated young mon
during.the past thirty yaars. II to meet
these charges additional appropriations
are needed; if new buildings and appara-
tus are ne6dad; if it will more completely
conform to the character of the institu-
ton that it's name be changed-then we
believe the state ought to meet the de-
mands and make the changes required
by the spirit of the times.
There can be no possible objection to a
change in she name of the institution to
the University of Maine" unless it is
founded in local jealousy or comes from
narrow minds who see in it only an over
shadowing of other institutions. Many
of the colleges originally founded by
called universities, and if the Maine
State college has so enlarged its scope as
to request this change of corporate name
as more completely rejecting its cbarau.
ter, why should the legislature not do it?
In what way would the college be differ
emit under a change of name from what 1t
is now? What does university mean
The Century Dictionary says:
IAN association Of men for the purpose
of study, which confers degrees which
are acknowledged as valid through bout
Christendom, is endowed and is priyll-
eyed by the state in order that the PEOPLE
may receive intellectual guidance, and
that thu theoretical problems which pre-
sent themselves in the development of
civilization may be resolved.
The explanation by Webster is:
Gan institution organized and 1ncor-
porated for the purpose of importing in
struction, examining students, and
otherwise promoting education in the
higher branches Of literature, science,
art, etc., and empowered to confer de-
grees in the several arts and faculties A
university may exist without having any
college connected with it, or it may con-
sist of but one college or it may comprise
an ASSENT lage of colleges, with profess
sors for instructing students in the
sciences and other branches of learning. !"
Now under these clear definitions what
can be the objection to the change
of the name of the Maine
State College of Agriculture and
the Mechanic Arts''-always objected to
on ACCOUNT Vi ,lbs ultuRtH~uO ono sHol Uci
and more comprehensive one of "Univer-
sity of Maine;' provided. as the resolve
introduced in the House by Mr.. Dnrgin
of Orono expresses it, the new institu-
ton "shall have all the rights, powers,
privileges property, duties and RESPONSE
biIities which belong or have belonged
to the trustees of the State college, The
State college now has sixteen courses OF
instruction in "the sciences and other
branches of learning" Why is it not
then university in reality, and why
should it not be in nameP
Many little newspapers in central and
western Maine have been ringing the
changes of opposition to the State college
during this session of the legislature I'M
til we are tired of it, 1t is difficult to
believe such sheets are Maine news
papers, loyal torour Statesand her insti-
tutions. 1t sounds as though they were
doing all their small influence was capa-
BILE of doing to belittle the state, cripple
the future of her educational system and
drive our young people away from home
for their education ard for employment
after their education has been obtained.
We say again, We are tired. OF this small
barking at the State college which comes
from the western part of the state and
from newspapers printed under the
shadows of buildings of well endowed
and old colleges so well supported by
different religious societies We have
none too many institutions of learning
in Maine. They are an honor to the
state and deserve well of its people and
of she legislature. When the state goes
back on it's educational system which is
the boast of every intelligent citizens
and the browning gem Of which is it,
state college or free NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
ever one chooses to call it-then Maine
takes backward step in it's proud pro-
gress and brings discredit upon it's fair
and honorable record. We do not believe
the present legislature is preparedato take
this 6tep,