The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1910-09-29

policy of the federal government up
on the subject of education by the
state. 1t was the judgement of those
n national authority in 1861. as a
was of the members Of the contin-
entail congress in 1887, that religion,
morality and knowledge are neces-
sary to good government and the
happiness of mankind and for that rea-
son knowledge must ever be encourag-
ed. The act of 1861 did not in terms
renew the declaration Of 1887 for the
national policy had become firmly
fixed, but it did what was more to
the point,-it provided means for
making that policy effective in the
sollowing provision which I quote
from section IA of the act organizing
this territory:
Sections numbered sixteen and
thirty-six in each township in said
territory (referring to the region
since organized into the states of
North Dakota. Wyoming, Montana
and Idaho) shall be and the same
are hereby reserved for the purpose
Of being applied to schools in the
states hereafter to be created out Of
the same"
By this declaration one-eighteenth
Of this great empire was set aside by
national authority for the support Of
schools. The. five states since organ
lied out Of. and the several millions,
OF people now inhabiting 1t, and the
millions In the future, are the ben
efciaries of this grant, for upon their
admission into the union the reser-
walton by congress of 1861 was con-
firmed as a permanent grant in aid
OF the common schools.
The pioneers Of Dakota territory
were quick to realize the impor-
tance Of Leadership and the necessity
for special training for special SER
vice They recognized the impor-
tance Of the general education AFFORD
cd by the common schools, but they
wanted university. At its second
session, and within the first year after
Its organization, the territorial legis-
lature. In memoralizfng the congress
Of the United States, acknowledged
the adequacy Of the provision for
common schools, but urged the neces-
sfty Of university in this language:
There is needed for the more ad-
vanced education and discipline OF
our youth university Of high grade
and character for it is our belief that
such an institution is as essential to
the preservation of our republican
institutions as is the common
school,"
This appeal for assistance in es-
tabltshing university was repeated
at the third session and again in 1874.
We were granted statehood in 1889,
and with 1t came the fruits of the
national educational policy declared
in 1887 and the answe: to the prayers
of the pioneers of Dakota territory
not only fory.the establishment of a
common school system, but for a
state university and other Institutions
for higher education. Through the
enabling act under which we came
! into the. union of states, and the
state constitution accepting the same,
we became the benefciaries of spe-
cffic grants from the public domains
for educational purposes as follows:
Acres
For the common schools
sections 16 and 36 of each
township, aggregating ......2,41S,291
For the state DIVERSITY. 36,0S0
For the state school of
mines. which is department
of the state university. 500. 10000
For the agricultural COL
lege :.......:.......:....... 10000
For the normal school at
Valley City. ................. $4,000
For the normal school at
Mayville. 10000
For the deaf and dumb
school Observation-Disclosures. 10000
For the school for the blind 10000
For the industrial school. 10000
For the scientific school. 10000
making total grant by the federal
government to this state at its birth
for educational purposes Of approx
imately 100000 acres.
Section II of the enabling act pro-
vided that all the lands thus granted
for educational purposes, and the
proceeds thereof, should constitute a
permanent school fund. the interest
of which only. shall be expended in
the support of said schools" The
trainers of our constitution under
stood the character of the, obligation
imposed by. the federal government
and in. section 1853 Of that document
made this declaration: 1T shall be
deemed q trust fund. the principal Of
which shall forever remain inviolate,
and may be increased but never d.
minished. The state shall make good
all losses thereof" They also un-'
derstood the national educational pol
Icy nfst announced in, the ordinance
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