Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-01-21

perIod OF controversy respecting the
necessity of training the teacher to
teach. It is also accepted as an es.
tablished fact that the capacity of the
present school at Cedar Falls is made
quate to accommodate those who should
and who can take the course of in
struction now required. Nothing but
the disabilities of poverty can be
pleaded in defense of the failure to
the state to furnish additional facili.
ties. Iowa cannot make this defense,
and 1 confidently predict that the
session of the general assembly just
begun will not close without supplying
a want so keenly felt.
The State University of Iowa.
The established policy of this state
concentrates all it's colleges of higher
learning, save those already men
toned, in the State university 1t is,
and ought to be, cherished object Of
devotion and admiration. confess
that while l have the deepest solicit
tude for the growth and betterment
Of our Normal school and agricultural
college, my affection fingers last and
longest upon the State university. In
an educational way it is the monu-
ment which marks the position of
the state in the world of culture, and
around it there should cluster our
choicest memories and our fondest
hopes. In considering it we should
remember that it is easier to form
character than it is to reform it, and
that formative institutions precede in
point of Importance reformative insti-
tutions. Government has no higher
function than to prepare men and wo-
men to become good citizens. Gener-
osity and liberality should distinguish
the provisions made for the university,
and inasmuch as it is the institution
intended to represent our appreciation
of education in its higher and special
lied forms, it should be all that money
can create or genius devise. Iowa is
not poor and there is no extravaganza
in any provision which will enable the
State university to do the most and
best work of which a university is
capable. | have given some time to
the investigation of the subject so near
my heart, and l assert with confidence
that there is no school in the Union
that has made more progress, achieved
better results, or done more work with
the same means. The fact that it Is a
state institution precludes it's growth
through private benevolence and phil
~
feel that the full responsibility for its
destiny lies with you In this day Of
eulogy and rejoicing respecting the
high position which this state has
worthily acquired, it is not gratifying
to our pride to remember that we are
doing less for our university than
Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin,
Minnesota. Missouri and Nebraska are
doing for theirs. We ought to march
in the very van of the procession Of
education. and it is humiliating to see
states less able to keep the pace mass
ing us in the ranks. We are not ac-
customed to look at the backs of our
comrades in any march, and l trust
that we may speedily take our proper
position in the advancing column.
Senators and representatives, l con-
clude my first utterance as an officer
of the state with the thought often
expressed but never exhausted. 1t is
the quality Of our men and women that
has made the republic Of the United
States great, powerful ond prosperous.
Bountiful as Providence has been, her
treasures would still be uneXplored
and undeVeloped had not the manhood
and womanhood Of America lowered
above the standard of other nations.
If we would preserve and increase the
honors we already wear we must see
to it that no child shall be born with
out hope, no boy or girl mature with
out care, and no man or woman die
without opportunity. Property must
have its protection, but men and wo-
men are worth more than property.
We are appointed to do justice, alb.
solute, even.handed Justice, and to
the test of this. the divirast attributes
of humanity let us bring every legis.
latiye or a,->r"tiue ~c+