La Junta tribune., 1916-08-12
FORTY YEARS OF PROGRESS.
CONTINUED from Firs, Page)

in the state today AS there were
school children in the early seven
ties The school population for 1916
is 23s,5OO and there are more than
the second and third class, which do
not include the buildings OF the cities
and larger towns. The organization
OF high school with full quota of
classes was not completed even in the
capital city until 1876. and the first
class OF seven graduated the follow
ing year--in this class were the late
Robert W. Steele, and General Irving
Hale. The number OF graduates
from the Denver high schools this
year was nearly one hundred times
as great as in II.
From the beginning our people
were possessed with faith and ambi-
ton. At the middle OF the sixties
the miners OF the Clear Creek Valley
proposed to assess themselves to es-
tablish a school OF mines that the
youth OF the state might be more
efficiently trained to develop our
vast mineral resources. In 1874 the
territorial legislature actually inaug.
urated the movement and founded
what proved to be the beginning OF
our splendid institution at Golden.
About the same time steps were ia
ken TO establish both the state uni
yersity at Boulder and the Agricul-
tural college at Fort Collins. The
work OF the last named institution
was not really begun until 1878. Like
the balance, 1t began most modestly
and at recent celebration a full
sized model Of its first building was
paraded in the streets OF Fort Col
lins on a hayrack Now ii supports
one OF the greatest experiment sta
tions in the west, has l.l0O students
on the campus and spends more than
10000 a year in carrying instruc-
tion to thousands OF adult farmers
over the state.
The state university has an equip
ment worth more than sl.5O0,OOO
and over l 200 students, The equip
ment OF the School of Mines is worth
more than 100000. Property on
the campus at the Agricultural Col
leEe is worth $1,000. 900. and 1t has
other property worth even more than
that The Teachers College. estab-
lished less than a quartcr o. a CEN
tury ago. now has $500 worth of
equipment
In addition to our colleges sup
ported at public expense. many pri-
vate institutions have oeeu establish
ed two OF which-the Denver Uni
yersity and Colorado college-haye
gained national prominence
This year there were about as
many-if not more-college gradu-
ates in the state than there were
children In attendance at the Denver
schools the year In which Colorado
was admitted as state The pro-
gress throughout our educational
system has been OF national fame
and the recent Colorado plan OF
standardizing the schools Is being
copied by many other states. We
have a permanent school fund own
Ing 100000 acres OF land and
having cash securities to the amount
Of s3,600. zoe with an annual income
Of half a million dollars.
our Sugar Industry.
Our state has ever been in the
vanguard of progress. its laws are
progressive. II has been the leader
In the movement for equal suffrage.
Railroads were built IN advance Of
business and factories ahead OF pop.
ulation to support them. In the
early seventies a bill TO appropriate
10000 to encourage the establish
ment OF the sugar INDUSTRY failed
only because OF shortage OF money
and even then by only narrow vote
Among the new enterprises deyel.
oped Is tn. sugar business. Though
long agitated. the first factory was
not built until 1888. Today there
are sixteen. costing $4,000. 600.
They are producing one-third OF the
sugar grown In the country and near.
ly 10 per cent OF that consumed
This year they win pay the farmers
H5.ooo.ooo for 100000 tons OF
beets and will employ part or whole
time $4,000 people. and sell 325.-
GOO tons OF sugar for probably more
than sIo,ooo.ooo. eighty per cent OF
which money comes from beyond our