The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-12


quires it TO report 70 the state or to any
The so-calied state University. that plays
such a desperate game to take from the
taxpayers OF the state money that prop
erly belongs to the common schools.
through its advertising bureau some time
write se OUT % sne papers ,ol u sne S Sss1e
ton in the county papers This circular
speaks IN fulsome praise of the head OF
lndianas great school SYSTEM; OF the six
ty-four weil-paid professors and of the 156
dlnerent courses of study. Just think Of
the common school system being loaded
down with l56 coursesl Was any such
spreading process ever contemplated by the
trainers of our Constitution and the found
cular speaks OF the marvellous growth in
recent years of the university. No wonderi
The money that is spent and the organized
Efforts OF ITS promoters would make any
institution grow. But If you analyze the
large number in attendance according TO
their claims you will lind that Il is not so
large after all. For the year 1s97-gS IL Is
claimed that the enrolment was 1,049. But
the question arises, how long were the stu
dents in attendance during tile year? COLI
lege year consists of nine months, or thirty
six weeks. Let us take those who attended
from Hamilton county as an example. The
following are the names from this county.
Walter Shirts, c. G. David, "A. c. Newly,
Milo n. Stuart, G. e. Teter, ]. w. Teteg.
j. NJ. Thistlethwaite, F. W. Carter, W. l..
Eaton, Z. X. Knipp. F.. I. Knause, j. NJ.
Noble, o. Il. Phillips, Z. p Myers. Morton
myers anu f1OWdTU fbCDeTtS. IN OFuGf To
get at the facts wrote to each one of these
persons and asked them to state the num-
Der OF weeks each one attended, what term
OF the year and the branches pursued. [
md that majority of them were school
teachers that attended the spring or sum
mer school and took some special work in
some particular studies. To be accurate,
let me give the figures. There We're nine-
teen In all in attendance. Only four or
these were in attendance during the thirty
six weeks. and one of them was the wife OF
one or the professors. Ten We're there
weeks Of all these nineteen is 1865. which
makes an average of nineteen weeks TO each
student from this county This is but one
week more than half year If this county
Is fair sample of the attendance from
over the State, there is an average attend
ance OF only a little over five hundred, i'm
stead or thousand as is claimed. And [
understand that in order to get this large
enrolment that those who attend the sum-
mer school and pay their tuition are also
counted and listed in the catalogue. From
the answers II is shown that not over half
dozen of the nineteen took a regular col
legiate course by which a broad culture and
liberal training is given to the mind. The
university with its liberal inducements and
shortest routes offered across the field OF
knowledge by means of its 156 courses, and
the modern method of major study" we
believe is hindrance to a thorough and
systematic training of the minds of our
youth. They teach everything from Alpha
to Omega, but most of the students get
their knowledge by little snatches and at
piece meal so that the effect of a proper
development of the mind is lost. But what
is the purpose of making this big showing
false in part, to the people of the State?
It Is to keep the ball rolling, for the next
money. These state institutions that were
barred. out of the Constitution in 1852 knew
that they were not of the State at that
time and no appropriations were asked for
the so-called State University until 1867.
when an annual appropriation of 5000 was
made. This was increased to $4,000 in 1873.
But the statute then did not say to the
State University" but to ....Indiana Uni
lobbying. In 1895 by y the biggest losoroIIine
in the history of the State between these
state school institutions, the penitentiaries
interests in the State. there was saddled
upon the taxpayers of the State the educa-
tional institution tax of Ia cents. which
takes from the children of the State more
than $4,000 a year. Besides this special tax
these institutions are richly endowed and
their revenue from all sources amounts to
outlay Of about $500 a head for those who
attend the state schools, while the children
Of all the jState, rich and poor alike, get
each. Whatever more revenue is needed for
schools is raised by local taxation. There
are in the State of Indiana 754 ,945 school
era taRa ana fST sem are by @
pays for the 1921 school children by general
taxation. Sl2, 45S.56. She pays for less than
fifty fifty. who enjoy the privileges of the So
claim, is IN unequal distribution of the peo-
pies money. 1t Is against the poor boy and
cannot afford to go to these state institu-
lions and pay board and expenses. IL is
contrary to the fundamental principles upon
which, this country was founded and has
been developed. 1t is contrary to the great
doctrine of equality that rules this land It
is contrary to the spirit of democracy which
the American people love ,, and will maintain
Noblesville Ind. Sept To-