Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-06-28
COLLEGE And TIE STATE.

| m5ncement OF Delaware College, L feel
| a peculiar pleasure, not only because
have heen honored with a place in the
exercises of the day, but also because
| eam able personally to witness the
| evidences of activity and progress ip
an institution which has borne useful
part, and, If Judged by its recent past,
seems destined to bear a still larger
and more important part in the intel
lectual and moral development of my
native State. At no time In the history
OF our country has SO much attention
\ been paid to tho improvement of the
means and methods Of education as at
present, Nor is the effort for the at
tainment of better conditions confined
| to any division Of the educational
| 81 stem. In the common schools, in the
colleges, and 10 the universities. we
observe an unceasing movement towards
a higher range Of thought and of action
while private benefactors fairly out
rival the State in the munifcence of
their contributions.
What is the meaning OF these phe-
nomenaf They signify not only an
interest in the cause of humanity, but
also conviction that the welfare of
the State depends upon tho intelligence
| of its people, 1t Is true that it lie not
enough that people be intelligent; they
must also be virtuous, and 1t is some.
times said that virtue and intelligence
do not go together. And SO it is in
individual cases. But, to deny that the
people rs q whole will devote to good
uses the increased capacity which comes
from The cultivation of their faculties
is to assail the very Foundation of our
institutions and discredit the hope of
'o III. .t,ptoVe,uehs
r.. ;t ~ 'ne rscens aeveiopment IN the
.S osases u Wnat We are aocus-
someo 70 caIl tne nlgner edncation, We
law Wi'nesseu sne grown Oh ais-
snoion' Wnlcn uay py Gay peeomes
u,eal, . nes"gsn tpe ooiieee ana ine
uutIheassy lnat tn,s aistlnotion mas
ho' peen sene.ally observed " evidenced
~ she iaeI tnae ghe term university
nas peeh iIeeiy bestowed upon lnstltu-
eions oI an eAoeeoingy primary order,
pernaps Win no otner object than to
edve tnel nign -sonnainR title, put
ee.taIniy WIN lne unfortunate result OF
pnsing INTO uisrepute our educationa!
work. Happily, we are passing out OF
MS conoiuon OF chaos. The develop
ment among US OF real universities, in
whloh work OF Q nigh grade is carried
IN an1 speoiai framing given 10 the
iearneo PROFESSIONS, 10 not only teach
ing me true value Of terms and render
Ing Iutlle the attempt improperly to
use them, put 10 introducing, system
ana ordel where system and order were
formerly lacking.
ne assignment OF the university to
sEeoinc pos'tion, as place in which
advanced special work Is carried on,
las tenuea 70 give 70 the college a
uennite aim ana an enhan! 60 import
ance. onuer the system winch we are
now estapiisnlnR, we look 10 tne college
Ior me aii-round development which
noG only Iorms the rasls OF university
training, but which also constitutes
an adequate general preparation for the
eu1cient discourage OF social and politi-
cal duties. FOR the performance Of this
hlgn TASK, u IS gratifying to observe
tnat the people oil delaware are locking
Wild increased conhdenoe to Delaware
ooilege. Itey should also give it
generous support IN all things that may
&c neeoful, " has been said, and /
rePeat the statement, though l have
never undertaken to verify it, that 80
per cent OF the Fersons 10 the United
States who have had the advantages OF
college training have obtained it
within 100 miles OF their homes; and it
~ reasonable 70 infer that q very large
part OF the 80 per cent, il they had
not received it there, would not have
obtained IT at all. This consideration
must to great extent be applicable to
: community Ike that Of Delaware, in
which agriculture is the most general
pursuit, aud in which the average rate
OF income is not high. IN many Of
our older and larger institutions of
learning, even though they may not be
far distant, thers has been and still
exists tendency towards an increase
in the cost both Of living and of in
struction. There are those who do not
regret this tendency, but | confess
that 1 am not one of them. In cur
modern democratic society, the true
principle appears TO be to extend the
best advantages to the greatest pos
sible number. 1t is obvious that the
fact that student is so circumstanced
as to have liberal pecuniary allow
apce is no test OF bis ability or of his
inclination to use we'll his opportuni-
ties. Nevertheless, IL the necessary
expenses at our large institutions in
crease, or If, without necessity, high
rate of living becomes the vogue. the
result must be to exclude from them
more and more those whom fortune
has not favored. For this reason, as
we'll as for the renson that the de.
maDds for education are constantly
growing, it Is a matter of public
interest to care for our gpailer insti-
buttons and COntributo tn their naada