The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-11-26
THE UNIVERSITY
... OF MINNESOTA
By PRESIDENT CYRUS NoRTHR0P.

agencies than the state, Is tho strong
est possible evidence that the people
Of this country properly v~lue the
higher education and are ready to
make all necessary sacrifices to Sc
cure it. 1t was a great advance on
the e.. previous condition OF educational
legislation when the common schools
were made free to all without any
personal tax specially laid on tho par
ent Of the child. It was a still great
er advance when high schools were
esta blished free to all and to be main
tanned at the public expense. Some
doubted tho Justice of placing the cost
generally instead Of on the parents
OF the children to be educated. Be-
cause only q limited part Of the chill
dren Of community ever attended
the high school. 1t was commended that
the state should not do anything for
high schools, but should limit it's benef1-
cience to- the common schools in
which only the common branches
were taught for the benent Of the
common people and for all the peo-
pie. That the state should go even
further and establish a university,
erect buildings. equip laboratories, buy
libraries, employ learned men as
and literary, and even technical and
professional subjects-all this being
done by the people who were to bear
the necessary burdens incident to the
esta blishing and carrying on of the
university for the comparatively free
education Of all who may be qualified
and may desire to secure the highest
education, is q marvellous proof Of the
Observation-Disclosures wisdom and gener-
osity Of the American people. For
tunately the results have proved the
wisdom OF this action, and the eleva-
ton in thought and character and
technical skill and general usefulness
of large numbers of students-citizens
of the cherishing state-has had it's
influence, to a greater or less degree,
on the whole population and has pro-
duced a nobler civilization than can
be found in any country where educa-
ton Is left entirely to the individual
without state aid.
+ What the ordinance of 1887 re-
quired to be done for education in
the northwest territory has been done
not only there but In all the vast re-
gion stretching from the Mississippi
to the Pacific. Minnesota when but
the most feeble kind of a territory
and with total population of less
than ten thousand people made pro-
vision for the establishment Of a state
university. Nobody could at that time
nave dreamed OF the future greatness
Of the state, and still less of the mag
nitude to which the university would
| in a few years attain. But results
have fully vindicated the faith of the
early settlers in the future both of
their territory and of the university
which by law they required to be es-
tablished; and nearly four thousand
| students in the university every year
! bless the fathers for their foresight,
wisdom and generosity; while nearly
! two millions Of happy people live in
comfort and JOY within the limits of
Minnesota, once supposed to be almost
too cold and inhospitable for the per-
manent abode of civilized men.
| THE university began its actual
career as college in 1869. Prepare
tory schools were almost unknown,
and the university had to do both the
preparatory and the collegiate work.
But wise provision was soon made
for the whole educational system OF