The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-09-29


college and vice versa will constantly
sential fundamentals OF college train
ing The public believes in a state
system Of education and the private
college ought to affiliate itself with
the system by act and spirit, main
tanning the standard set up by the
state system, IL not actually leading IL.
This / hope and am sure that, in so
far as is In their power. the privately
endowed colleges will do.
IL there Is any cause OF conflict be-
tween the two institutions, whether in
the matter OF courses of studies or
athletics, the officers of the university
and the agricultural college are en-
deavoring by conference and discus
sion to remove it The university has
no desire to enter the field OF agri-
culture, nor do / believe that the ag-
rtcuItural college wishes to engage In
the professional training Of engineers.
Co operation and good feeling will
solve every difficulty that may arise.
The old phrase, "lhe state unlver-
sity ss goddess institution" has al
most passed out OF current use. In
this phrase is involved another rela-
tionship, that between the university
and religious organizations which rec
ognize the state institution as an inn
portant factor in the life OF the young
women OF the commonwealth. That
religious ideals are essential to good
citizenship has been maintained by the
course of history and the movement
of events to the constant betterment
of political and social activities The
separation of church and state pre-
vents the state university from giving
instruction in theological concepts, but
she can and does constantly give In
struction in the large faith set forth
by the founder Of christianity On the
love OF God and the service of man"
Too much emphasis cannot be laid on
this statement. There is practically
no difference in the training, sur
roundings, or moral influences of
UNCONVENTIONAL college and a state
university. Both are guided by men
of proven lives. The fact that a de-
nominational group maintains a coll
lege for the instruction Of the youth
of the church does not relieve the DIFF
/ ferent religious organizations of their
duties toward the young people of
their faith in attendance upon a state
institution. / hardly think 1t Is too
much to say that the public school
system of a commonwealth is the very
flower Of civic action. Men tax them
| selves for schools, and 1t Is but nat
ural that they should expect from it
educational advantages, which ex-
plains the trend to the state UNIVERSE
ties. At present the direct religious
instruction has been left in the major
| tty Of state educational institutions to
the Y. M. c. A. and the Y. w. CA.
! but neither of these organizations are
| churches, important as their work may
be, nor in the long run can they be
made substitutes for churches.
Relations to the Commonwealth.
| Education neither begins nor ends
| with the four years of a college course.
! 1t is coincident with life itself. Real
! ization of this truth has brought some
| of the universities to an understanding
| of their full function and duty to the
| people of the commonwealth. 1t is
! apparent that not all the alert, able
and ambitious young men and women
can have the advantages of residence
/ u
| coveting the opportunities of the more
| fortunate, but expense, time and fam
| lily obligation bar the way. The slim
ulus of education has not touched
some of the most able and capable.
Here and there throughout the COM
monwealth are others who, having
tasted the fruits Of knowledge, wish
to become better informed along some
cultural line. Two distinct problems
are thus created, which have their
solution outside the university cam
pus. The public school system ought
to meet this situation, but as long as
1t does not, the university must step
in the breach and supplement the ex-
listing agencies, for there is a real
need, in order that every mind, in the
language of a speaker Of more than a
| quarter OF a century ago, may have
1 the utmost freedom in finding it's
own level determined by its power and
ambition. The university of North
Dakota has organized an agency to
meet both problems, one through COR
respondence courses of study, the
other through extension lectures. The
field is great, and but one difficulty
prevents the immediate occupation of
It, and that is financial, difficulty
that / have no doubt the legislature
will be ready and willing to remove.
1t is beyond the truth to say that a
university is a beacon light to the peo-
pie of commonwealth, pointing out
! to them, not only where advances are
to be made in the realms of commerce
and trade, but in the fields of morals,
general knowledge. and better living
and vice versa, we may say that there
Is no clearer indication of the ad-
vances a people have made than that
set by their university. Once free from
political control, and truly of the peo-
pie in the larger democratic sense, II
means that the people of a common
wealth where such an institution ex-
lists are truly turned toward real prog
ress and the light of the lamp OF
civilization While there are a mum
Der of serious educational problems
in North Dakota, am fully persuaded
that they will be met in calmness, with
good sense and complete freedom from
partisanship. 1t is the right thing we
want above all other considerations
and am sure with temperance and
i patience we shall get it. Cooperation
is the principle to follow, and that will
lead us to the making OF better sys-
tenn for the education of the best type
of men and women in whatever CALI
ing they may be found.
Il
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