The Oskaloosa herald., 1911-06-08
THE SMALL COLLEGE.


Harvey Ingham, editor of the Des
Moines Register and Leader, who
came to Oskaloosa Thursday to de-
liver the address to the graduating
class of the Oskaloosa High school,
found himself in the midst of the clos
ing day of the campaign for the rails
ing of the endowment for Penn Col
lege. After the exercises were over
he was invited and took part in the
celebration that marked the success
of the endowment undertaking, and
he entered heartily into the abandon
of the hour. The occasion was the
inspiration for the following excellent
editorial which appeared in Satur-
days Register and Leader:
The enthusiasm with which the
citizens of Oskaloosa and of Mahas-
ka county have contributed to meet
the demands of Penn college for an
adequate endowment speaks for much
more than mere pride in the local in
stitution. Colleges are not regarded
as local asset of such importance as
to Justify liberal contribution on
commercial basis.
1T has been in this instance, as in
so many others here in Iowa, which
may be described as a state of sma
colleges, in recognition of the actual
service the small college is rendering
that the farmers OF the vicinity have
Joined with the residents of the town
and put one of the oldest and best
known of the smaller schools on Sc
cure foundation for the future.
1t is not recognized as it should be
that the attendance of all colleges
small and great is essentially local.
Even at Harvard, which is Americas
cosmopolitan college, the bulk of the
attendance is from Massachusetts and
from neighboring New England states.
At our own state university and the
agricultural college a circle drawn
with a radius of fifty miles would
surround a very large majority of the
students.
Thousands of boys and girls have
followed their education beyond the
high schools in Iowa who would new
er have entered college if it had
not been for an institution at their
own dooryard affording convenient OPP
pOrtunity, suggesting the desirability
of higher education and creating a
college atmosphere. Not only this,
but the presence of college has
greatly stimulated high school attend
ance and the completion of a high
schol course.
1T will never do to accept the con-
clusion that a few highly developed
institutions of learning can do the
work OF larger number OF smaller
colleges. This may be true of the
professional schools. Men and women
who are seeking professional train
ing are not deferred by distance. But
in strictly collegiate work there are
thousands who would never even
have their attention attracted to an
institution a hundred miles distant
who would, by the mere force of To-
cal sentiment, get their minds set on
college training in an institution
conveniently near.
There is going to be much more
insistence in the future than there
has been in the past on getting edu-
cation to the masses of the people
Only very small percentage of the
boys and girls of as wealthy and as
ambitious a state as Iowa ever finish
high school course Only a very
small percentage ever see the doors
of a high school. The vast majority
owe what training they get to the
little country school. There is going
| TO be more insistance on bringing ed
ucation to this great mass of the
people if not less on providing an ex-
ceptional opportunity to the favored
| few.
ITO this end the small college
should be encouraged. 1t has
place in the grand scheme of univer-
sal education. If the state ever en-
tiers upon course of agricultural in
struction it should not confine it's ac-
tiyities to the state school, but should
equip every well-supported small col
lege in the state with an instructor.
State schools should be maintained to
set standards. But the state should
never allow itself TO come into a de-
structiye rivalry with any agency of
intellectual uplift.
THE people of every county in the
state may well emulate the example
OF the people OF Mahaska county who
have so generously come TO the rescue
of college which in the past forty
years has been so important to the
growth of the community. There
should be more rather than fewer
such schools.