The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-01-22
THE STATE UNIVERSITY.
Its Graduates i'm the States Educn-
tiOnaI Work-Character of Students.


tionaI Work-Character of Students.
The anniversary of the foundation of the
University of Indiana, which was last week
celebrated with appropriate exercises. is
an appropriate season for some notice of
an institution of the State which is three
quarters of century old. The first class
was graduated in 1880 and consisted of four
men. The last class graduated i'm June, 1899,
and numbered 126. The total number of
graduates of the College of Liberal Arts,
which included the class of 1898, was 1909;
the graduates of the School of Law, $40;
advance degrees conferred on ex-
animation. 1874, making the total alumni
of the university at the close of the year
1898 1850. Nearly all of these graduates
were natives and residents Of the State
when they entered the institution In fact,
more than any other institution with a
similar number Of students, the University
of Indiana is a state institution. The
growth of the institution has been quite
remarkable during the past ten years. In
1890 the number of students was 321; in
1893 the number had increased to 572; in
1895 1t was III; in 1896. $40: 1897. 944; 1898,
1,049; in 1899, the number was 1O5O This
remarkable growth of the last ten years
has been larger than that of any similar
institution in the country. Indeed, il can
be safely said that no institution has more
than doubled its number of students in
seven years. In looking back over the num-
Der OF students attending from year to
year; it may be observed that the largest
number up to the year 1916 was lis, with
a graduating class of 10. The number de-
creased from 1916 until 1859, when ii was lis.
The war for the Union had a very Sc
rious effect upon the total attendance of
the institution. In 1861 it was l02: in 1862.
so; in 1863 6S; in 1864. so; in 1866. 20. On the
closing of the war the attendance increased
very materially; In 1867 it was 1s4; in 1876 it
fell TO 132. Doubtless the hard times dur
ing that period cut the membership. In 1883
the attendance was Ice and il did not
reach the 300 figure until 1889 These figures
show conclusively that the university is
a thriving institution so far as member
ship is concerned. The largest graduating
class was that of 1899. 126. 1t was not until
1890 that the graduating class numbered
90, and 1t was not until 1897 that il ex-
ceeded 100. In 1856 1t was but 90 In 1887 %
1t is not necessary to go through the
list of alumni to pick out the men and
women who have graduated from the State
University who have been prominent i'm
the affairs Of the State. Looking through
the register of graduates, the reader will
find names in very large part Of the men
OF the State, lawyers, physicians, clergy
men and particularly teachers. In the list
VIII be found the names of each who have
achieved reputation in other States for
scholarship. IL the graduates of the uni
versfty who are county and city superin-
tendents Of schools, and who are teachers
in high schools in the State should re-
sign to-day Ii is not too much to say that
one-third of the more prominent positions
would be vacant There is general i'm
preston that on the rolls of the regis
trar are the names of many persons who
enter for but q short period to take up
some study and are placed among the
graduates, irrespective OF their general
scholarship. This is not the case. No one
has not taken four years course at someq
institution in the special departments in
which their names appear as graduates.
Those who go there to take partial adj
vanced courses must first satisfy the fac
ulty that they have taken equivalent of
first part OF the course.
One of the things that will impress the
visitor at the State University is the char
acter of the students. They are young
women and young men who go TO college
because they are in earnest to obtain an
education. 1t IS not to their discredit to
say that, as body, they strike the OBJ
server as having very limited means to
spend upon an education. They go to the
university to study. They are ambitious
to do something for themselves: Indeed.
If 1T were not for the State University,
these young people could not go to college
anywhere, simply because 1t would be i'm
possible for them to obtain the money to
bear their expenses. 1t is a noticeable fact,
and one to be regretted, that the expense
attending the college course throughout the
country I'm many OF the best institutions
has greatly increased during the past twen-
ty-five years. In fact, so great has been
that increase In most of the institutions
that young men who could take course
before the war or any time in the Few
years subsequent cannot do so now in any
of the more prominent institutions because
of the very greatly Increased expense.
Therefore, If II were not for the State Uni
versity the greater number OF the thou
sand students who have been there the
past two years could not have the adj
vantage of liberal education IL the State
University had not been established and
offered the advantages il does.
Another thing which will strike the OBJ
server is the very frugal equipment of
the institution. 1t is probable that no in
stitution having the same number OF stu
dents has so few buildings and so little
room for doing its work. There is no insti-
tuition In the country to which liberal
minded man of means could give two or
three hundred thousand dollars that would
benefit more people than the University of
Indiana. The grounds themselves are de-
lightful, and there is ample space for the
construction of buildings by those who wish
10 help the educational interests or In
diana by constructing "a building 10 which
their names can be given. The recitation
rooms meager in everything except
| the intelUSenCc ana enlHuSldSfn OF lnt
| structors and the presence OF large and in
terested classes. The statement is made
by educated men who are familiar with
many institutions that no institution is
| doing better work than Is the University
| Of Indiana. Its faculty Is composed OF
men OF ability and zeal whose instruction
will compare favorably with that OF any
| other institution.
IL can be said that there is no discip-
| line observable in the State University. The
| thousand young men and women who are
| there go there TO study and not TO harass
a faculty or indulge I'm what are called
college pranks." which have been prac-
! ticed so long that they would seem TO be
| an evidence OF stupidity on the part OF
| those who indulge in them now The
| students, after their recitations. scatter all
| over the city OF Bloomington, where they
| have rooms. No attempt Is made 10 re-
| quire them TO study during certain hours
or to be at home or asleep at given hours.