Omaha daily bee., 1900-12-27
ABOUT NEBRASKA COLLEGES
Higher Institutions of Learning In
the state Rank Well I'm Num-
bers and Importance.

AURORA Neb., Dec. 24.-To the editor
Of The Bee: In The Bee OF December %
was mentioned the colleges of Iowa; by
comparison you will find that we are not
far behind although Iowa is a much older
state.
Besides the State University and State
Normal, there are about thirty eight pri-
vate schools in the state, with an enrolment
of from 900 to 200 students each. The ma
jority of the schools are denominational col
leges. although there are several normal
and commercial schools, such as the FIRE.
mont Normal school at Fremont and the
Omaha and Lincoln business colleges
Among the leading denomina tional schools
are the University OF Omaha, Wesleyan ,uni-
versity, Cottner university, Union college
Doane college at Crete, Hastings college
at Hastings. Grand Island at Grand Island
the Kearney Military academy at Kearney
and others too numerous to mention for In
fact, all the leading religious denominations
have some seat OF learning in the state,
and that they are doing a grand work those
that are best acquainted with their work
can testify.
Many OF these schools have expended
thousands Of dollars In buildings and equip
ments and some of these building are of the
finest 70 be found In the west.
Although the early history of many OF
these schools is mostly a record Of financial
difficulties, through the earnest efforts of
noble men and women who made 1t pos
sible for them to exist at all they are now
on more firm financial basis and extend
to the youth Of the land a grand opportun-
ity for the betterment OF his condition.
The financial reward of the founders
and OF the generous men and women at
present connected with these institutions
will never be great, but they will always
be remembered as the great upllfters OF
Christian education in the west.
In regard to our normal schools II is only
necessary to point to our public schools
as a proof Of their excellency. We have
only one state normal school, which is al
Peru but the educational people of the
state have asked the, present legislature
to take measures for the establishing of al
least two more normal schools. Although
they may not be granted this request al
present they are sure to be heard in the
near future, as the educational system OF
the state demands them. With these and
satisfactory high school law our educa
eional system will be complete.
The location Of these schools will prob
| ably be In the west and central part Of the
state, as the eastern part not only con-
| tains the present normal school, but a ma
jority Of the private schools as well, vel
we find one school. the Chadron academy, as
| far west as Chadron.
In speaking OF the commercial schools
we do not hesitate to say that Nebraska is
we'll supplied, for among these institutions
we have some OF the finest to be found in
the west. That the value of commercial
education is realized by the masses is
proven from the fact that many of the high
schools have recently added commercial
departments. The high school at Crete
Neb., has not only added a commercial de
partment, but shorthand and typewritins
department as well and many Of the schools
have offices for the teaching of bookkeep-
ing banking, etc.
Whether these additions to the high
school are In line with the best educational
ideas and whether they are an advance
ment 1t remains for the reader to decide
but that the school men Of Nebraska are no,
slow in picking up new ideas none will
deny.
Although these schools have been \called
private schools, they are In a greater sense
part of the public school system
OF the state and could not without untold
injury, be separated from it. For it is
they that have made II possible for numbers
OF our teachers, as well as those in other
walks Of life, to better their education.
There is perhaps no other feature of the
school life of these institutions more no.
ticeable than the hand OF fellowship and
the opportunities for self that they
offer.
The life of a student in one Of these
schools is far different from that Of the
life Of the student in the larger colleges
and universities. A larger per cent are in