The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-05-22

leges, to which maybe added institu-
uons for pursuing postgraduate courses.
1 like the Clark university of Cambridge.
Mass, and the as yet inchoate Carnegie
institution at Washington. AS "educa-
/ ton" consists not so much I'm what
man has set before him 10 choose from
I as in the choice OF the individual. and,
moreover. as the brief span OF ones life
I Is hardly sufficient for acquiring a mil
lionth part of human knowledge, the
necessity for going TO England or to
| Europe for o finished" education Is
wholly ina ginary
Everything the world contains, ev-
erything within the domain OF human
| intelligence. has been brought 70 this
country and lies open 10 the young man
or woman who win out choose 10 svail
himself OF herself OF the priceless gifts
which the latter day Oenefactors OF our
race have bestowed upon the people OF
/ the United States. We have everything
here that Europe has. everything ex-
cept the halo OF antiquity" and in
this practical age we can well dispense
with that. Education in the United
states long since passed the elementary
stage, and parrotlike memorization of
set lessons has given place TO the cul-
tivation OF the reasoning faculties.
There was much in the old system
worthy OF being perpetuated. but pres
ent teachers have the wisdom OF per-
ception that induces them TO seize upon
the best i'm the new and the old Never
in the history of the world has the
higher education really aimed so high
or 50 nearly attained to what should
be the ultimate of all-the perfection OF
culture I'm the individual. And yet IL
seems TO be the opinion of educators
| that the best is still to come. Thou
sands OF self sacrificing teachers are la
boring in the colleges OF this country
with no other object than evolution of
the grandest ultimate. The university
probably EXISTED before the common
school at all events II had more to do
with the earlier education; but at last
the proper relation between the two has
been perceived. The pyramidal struc-
ture OF our ancestors has been restored
to it's correct position, standing on its
| base instead of on it's apex
| Education i'm the United States is
practically free: at all events one may
! obtain a college education at but little
more than the bare cost OF subsistence.
Thanks to the great bulk of benefac.
tons. the old custom followed by some
of the more strenuous and worthy
young men of former generations-that
OF saving wood. doing chores and
teaching school In the intervals OF
studying-has gone out of fashion be-
cause no longer necessary. Whether
the result is ultimately "A beneficial 10
the individual is open TO question
There Is. however an individuality I'm
this country's collegiate educa tion-or
there was until quite recently-which
arose from the sturdy individuality OF
its first promoters. State and not ma
tional control is the rule. for. aside
from it's specialized schools or acade-
mics. as the Naval at Annapolis and
the Military at West Point. the govern
ment exercises no supervision over pub
lie education. Indirectly, to be sure
congress has extended aid TO struggling
institutions en- masse by numerous
grants of lands from the public domain
during the past 100 years Millions of
acres have thus been donated for edu-
cational purposes; but the individual
student feels no obligation attached to
the gift. as would be the case with
personal donation.
About forty years ago an act of con-
gress was passed granting 10 the sew
eral states OF the Union 10000 acres OF
land for each senator and representa-
tive ia congress FOR the benefit of agri-
culture and the mechanic arts" GER
tain easy conditions being attached TO
the gift. BY this wise donation from
the public patrimony scientific agricul-
ture and also science per Sc received n
stimulus. The vivifying influences
were felt all over the land, and among
.i.-,...