Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-11-18
EIGHT MIND or TALK.

leBel HTOL. "A. J' tWNt0h's "iN1sf ~
tended by a large number Of the
faculty ef'ths University. Among the
addresses that BY Chancellor Strong
was one Of the best and It emphasis
ed an Idea in, Kansas education that
| is commendabie and exhibits the true
spirit OF progress. He said;
@Tbe Agricultural College has had
long and honorable history Its roll
Of alumni includes many eminent men
who have made themselves Influential
because of their researches in science
| and because Of their practical work
| in the development Of the industries
of the state OF allgthis the college
has reason to he proud. Today prob
ably marks new epoch in the history
of the institution. 1t undoubtedly
marks the beginning Of an even
greater history; new lines OF policy
will be entered upon; new elements
of greatness will be developed. In
all Of these things the University Of
Kansas wants to be cordial and help
full. 1t sincerely desires that the
relation between the institutions may
be upon the highest plane Of re-
ciprocal friendship. / therefore VEN
ture to hope that the watchword for
both institutions In the years to come
may be cooperation; that some defi-.
mite terms Of INTERPOLATION may be ar
rived at my which the resources OF
each institution may so far as is feas-
ible be at the disposal of. the other;
that there may be worked out some
practical method of interchange or
teachers and general coordination Of
work, SO that there may be az. easy
passage Of students from one institu-
ton to the other; In short, that CO.
operation be writ larse in the subse-
quent history Of state higher educa-
ton in Kansas. It may DE done
without any decrease in the anto-
nomy the power, or the dignity Of
either institution, ans will enable the
two institutions, even now SO closely
related in fact, to do greater work
for the state Of Kansas than we at
present dream Of. TO this end. /
venture to hope, as representing to
some extent at least, higher education
in Kansas, that there may be no
backward step in the standard OF
maintenance of the Kansas State
Agricultural college. That It may
have at Its disposal as great a per
capita income as may be necessary
to put 1t on a footing equal to that
of its sister agricultural colleges,
believing very sincerely that no state
In its social, economic, or civic life
can rise above the level Of It's lnsti-
tutions Of higher learning; believing
that it is demonstrated beyond perad-
venture by the experience Of q thous-
and years that cheap education makes
cheap men and that there Is no In
vestment which yields 50 large a
return as. that which is spent In high
ly developing the moral and intellect
ual ability Of the youth ola commun-
ity. W.
Il recently returned from the In
augurations of two presidents Of
prominent eastern institutions; one
Of these gentlemen Is an honored
graduate Of this college. One can
hardly visit such, institutions as the
Eastern universities without being
again Impressed by their great power
land effielency. They have all Of
IfhsE fhbtle influence which comes
from d lOAs ana 1 great past. They
are situated among great populations;
the wealth Of their communities is
great; their whole equipment Of
buildings, apparatus, libraries, Is
enormous. And yet they belong in
some considerable measure to the
past. In spite of their wealth and
r.
greatness, in spite of their traditions
and enormous equipment, the future
does not lie with them. 1t lies with
us in the great Middle West. And l
believe 1t is not too much to say that
the great American university Of the
years to come is not going to be
upon the Atlantic seaboard, 1t will
be in the great Mississippi valley.
And why should not the greatest and
best education, why should not the
purest democracy develop in this
Kansas that we love? It is for us,
therefore, who are working in a state
whose history is 50 noble and stlmu-
Iating, and whose soil is so sacred
to liberty. to see to 1t that we grasp
4 a. A.. klsN.a. ~