Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-03-16

bear their part of the burden in main
tanning higher education.
The same history was repeat ted in
New Hampshire. Dartmouth College
received a township from the state of
New Hampshire-more than that, a
township from the state of Vermont,
because the college was so near Yer
mont. Dartmouth College was liberal
~ aided to the amount ofe11 900 by
contributions from England and Ire
land. Dartmouth College has become
firmly established. And has Dartmouth
College ceased to receive the kindly
aid of the state that called her into
being? BY no means. One hundred
and thirty-five thousand dollars are
represented in buildings upon the cam
pus at Dartmouth erected by the state
Of New Hampshire; and at every scs-
sion, gentlemen, for the last eight or
ten years appropriations have been
made for Dartmouth College from the
treasury of New Hampshire. I find
that in 1900 $4,000 were appropriated
to that college with its fund of mil
lions and its score or more of build
ings.
Nor. as has been shown, is the State
of Maine an exception. Our oldest in
stitution, as you all know, is Bowdoin,
and BoWdoin was chartered by Massa-
chusetts in 1874, and with her charter
she received five townships OF land. Il
is somewhat difficult to determine just
what that land was worth, but Pro-
fessor Packard in his history of Bow
dom College says, while admitting the
difficulties. that it is known that from
one township $4,000 was realized for
the college. Put what estimate you
please on the remaining four town
ships, you can scarcely conclude that
less than $4,000 was realized from
those lands for Bowdoin College. And
when the State Of Maine was launched
upon its own existence in 1920, it was
launched with that provision in the
constitution which has been read be-
fore you. and which is doubtless famil
lar to us all; ard. in harmony with
that provision, the State of Maine inn
modiately began to make appropria-
tons for BoWdoin College. The State
of Massachusetts, in addition to the
five townships of land it had given.
contributed sums certainly not less
than $4,000 in cash, and possibly equal
ling $4,000. as shown by all the his
tories of the colleges. And the State
Of Maine, we find, contributed $4,000
every year for seven years for the
college proper and $1,000 a year for the
Medical School for three years MAX
ing a contribution from the State of
Maine of $4,000 in money for BoWdoin
College.
Nor was the history of Colby, the
second college to be chartered in the
State Of Maine, different. Chartered
also by the state OF Massachusetts, I'M
der her first organization, she received
! from that state a township of land.
| ! have been unable to find what the
value of that township was-the same
! difficulty exists as in the case of Bow
doin-but undoubtedly it yielded some
substantial return. The State of
| Maine, true to the duty that she
acknowledged in her constitution, en-
dowcd Colby College, then Waterville
! College, with gifts at various times
amounting. according to statements of
the faculty OF Colby College in 1855,
to $li,5O0; and again in 1892 the State
! herself gave. in addition to what
Massachusetts had given, two half
townships of lard.
Such is the history gentlemen. What
is the principle? The principle is this:
individuals initiate. the State encour-
, ages and that is the New England
principle. 1t is through the operation
| of that principle that Harvard Col
lege has attained her splendid position
as n university, and all these other
| colleges and universities to which |
| have made reference. Now. when
| does the obligation cease? Mind you
gentlemen, | am speaking modestly,
| am not using the word obligation"
as a word created out of my own
| mind. | am using it as word OF
which YOU will find an equivalent in
the constitution of the State. When
does it cease? When did it cease in
| Massachusetts. Can it be said to have
| ceased Evidently not. In the case of
| particular Institutions ii has ceased
| only when the money given by the
state has called in large contributions
| from individuals aggregating hundreds
| OF thousand and millions of dollars, so
| that the state aid is no longer needed.
| Nobody would think of asking Massa-
| chusetts to give money to Harvard
| College, because Il million dollars came
from Mr.. Rockefeller. last year, mil
| lion dollars from Pierpont Morgan. last
year. $G50,000 in a single lump from a
wealthy lady, last year--several mil
lions of dollars, individual contribu-
tions, in single year. There is no
reason for Harvard continuing to ask
aid; but Mount Holyoke receives it in
her need. The obligation evidently ter
inmates, judging by the precedents we
have had, terminates when the oppor-
tunities to encourage education cease,
| when the state contribution is not
needed; and the question before us, to-
day. is whether the opportunities have
ceased for us, whether the duty has
ceased for us. While the opportunity
exists. Gentlemen. we will all try to
remember tnat we are acting under
the organic law of our State. under no
less an instrument than the constitu-
ton of the State.
Now, let me ask you to think with
me for moment whether this method
of action is bad-individual initiative
followed by gifts from the State
whether it is bad? | will not go over
the roll of the colleges again r,araly,