Arizona republican., 1912-03-19
MESSAGE OF GOVERNOR GEO. HUNT TO THE FIRST LEGISLATURE or ARIZONA

. SilldlI. A'uI lilSb4l lut4pilS VI i'-ai 4Ai4i from the university to the common i schools. would do credit tO any state
 in the union But there are oppOr- tunities for great advancement still ' and advancement in education will
 insure advancement all along the , line I therefore charge you to give careful thought to the subject of education. t0 the encouragement of the institutions where the youth of i Arizona are being fitted to solve the problems which will come to them in the battle Of life. and to further strengthen the system which is the greatest hulwark of human liberty 1 the common schools.
 Free Books.
 | am convinced that a great i'm petus would be given to education. and it's privileges spread over a far greater area if the state. or each of the counties of the state. would sup ply text books free or at a nominal cost AS the matter now lies. many poor families are compelled to seri- ously cramp themselves in order tO supply the required text books for their children. or to suffer humiliJ- tiOn by declaring themselves paupers. More frequently than otherwise the children of these poor parents go without the books needed for their schooling. and thus lose the benefits of d system which is ostensihly main tained for the benefit of all alike The seriousness of this situation is intensified by the circumstance of all too frequent changes of text books and the exorbitant prices charged for them. Should the state supply free text books either by publication or hy contract purchase in large quanti- ties. it stands to reason that they would be more uniform. changed less frequently and cost but q fraction of the prices now charged for them Agricultural Schools.
 The time has arrived. I think, when more particular attention than it has heretofore enjoyed. should be given to the subject of technical education along the lines suggested by our [ states chief ndustries-agricultur and mining. and particularly the ! former The University of Arizona. | li' llf- sure. lilatlIiltililS II''@b tNNfAltllb mining and agricultural colleges, with { several experiment. stations in diff : f,rcnt localities reinforcing the agri- cultural college. but the possibilities : and influence of the institution might l bc wonderfully increased at little cost At present there are no feed | CTS to the agricultural cOllege-in other words no preparatory schools. | such as the common schools afford ? for other courses of college study | would therefore recommend the ex- tension of agricultural class work into the high schools of the state. by i means of a state endowment, small in amount at first, but sufficient tn ! encourage the establishment of agri- iculturaI class work in such high ischools as shall qualify to receive it. ! By means of such a course of study. the greatest possible number Of students throughout the state would be reached at an impressiOnable age. in their own agricultural localities. land with least cost to themselves and the state.
 1 Thus would the high schools more 1 fully serve as feeders to the state university. by qualifying students for ! the ColleGi2te course in agriculture and possibly, if you deem it ex- i pedient. in mining as well. as they | do now in the other branches. ! can think of no more effective way 1 in which the university can be ] strengthened and enabled to maintain | high standards of scholarship. and to render the maximum service.
 Comprehensive Plan for University. 1 deplore the policy which has | heretofore been pursued of building 1 the states greatest educational in-
 stitution on a crazy-quilt patchwork scheme From year to year. or from period to period. as the re- I quirementS of the University die | tated and as the necessary appro- priations could he secured. buildings
 generally of cheap and unsubstan- ti1l character-have been added to the plant. apparently with no definite | idea for the future. I realize the inn possibility which has existed. and which now exists. of erecting at one time, all or even a considerable portion of the buildings which will
 be required for the institution fifty
 years hence; but l recommend that
 before any more appropriations are
 made for Improvements. cOmpre-
 hensive and elaborate plan for d
 university not only beautiful but
 adequate for the needs of a cen
 tury. he adopted With a goal to
 work to thus established. buildings
 may he added from time tO time.
 unit by unit, so placed as to fit ap-
 'propriately into the finished scheme.
 | so designed as to harmonize archi-
 tecturally with those surrounding 1t
 land to come after. sO constructed as
 to endure for ages. This is the
 modern method of systematic growth
 by which the world's greatest insti-
 tutions of learning are being de
 IvelOped. Whether viewed from the
 standpoint of economy, efficiency or
 architectural superiority, it is tho
 proper plan.
 Revenue and Taxation.
 | Of serious moment. and one in which all the people are vitally in-
 ! ,b.. nragtipy, nf rrnHnHinc