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The University And The Colleges

The University And The Colleges image
Parent Issue
Day
5
Month
January
Year
1877
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

At the recent session of the Michigan State Teachers' AsBociation Dr. Angelí, of the University, read a paper or an address on " Our Denouiinational Colleges and the State University," which the Detroit Tribune reporter abstracted as foilows. Ho begau by sayiug : What is the proper relation of the deuouiiuational(colleges and the Uuiversity in Michigan to each othor 't Are they uecossarily hostile to each other, or may they be aud should thoy be friendly to each other 't Is the gam of one the other's loss 't Are they fierce rivala, or has each a distiuct field in which to win honorable rewards and do noble service 't Must Ihe friend of the college look with jealous yes on the University aud be quiok with the stinging word of disparaging criticism ot reputed successes, and raust the friends of the University loook with soorn on the work of the college and cüunt as absolutely wasted the toil which it has cost 't Or may we justly and fairly rejoice over uiuch that lias been aoooinplished by both, and regard each as in uiauy respecta oompleuieutary to the other 't If here and there the work undertaken by the oue seeins to overlap that attempled by the otber, is it possible that the competition is only juut enuugh to be goud for both, ;uid is it true that takiiig a broad view ut' their aetivity we find thein not unwisely co-ordinated aud practically cooperating in the achievonieut ot boueficeut resulta, which mathei alone would have so suocessfully aeooniplished 'i I urn well a ware that these are not new questioas to you. ïhi y have often been discussed in private, it' not in publio, and sometimes disuussed, I tear, with warmth and passion and prejudice, rather than with judicial fairness and oalmness. It may be deemed a delicate matter for me to discutís them publioly. Let me at the outset remarle that I do not propose to discuss the question whether denominational or State control oí ooileges is to be preferred. Nor do I propose to inquire whether couceding that denominational colleges are desirable in tais State, there are more or fewer than could be wished, nor shttll I presume to decide whether all of them have attaiued that degree of excellence and prosperity which a disinterested observar might deern comniensurate with the toil and treasure devoted to them. ïhat is a matter chiefly of interest to those who have besto woil the toil and the treasure ; my inquiry there'ore i8wwhat kinda of work in promoting educa tion have the denoininiitional coleges done whioh the University could not have done 't I answer : 1. They have awakened a local interest in education in their respective neighborhoods. Frora obvious causes many persons within a radius of a few uilua trom the site ot' eaoh college, who would otherwise not have been stirred to obtain collegiate training have been drawn to a course of study, 2. The colleges have in a general way done something to awaken in the churches an interest in higher educa1011. The denomination which Controls he management of the college naturally led to set some value on the obect the college has in view. 3. More specifically we may say the lenominational colleges have been able o stiuiulate ministers aud prominent ;vymen to vigorous work in commendug the higher education which the colleges were founded to impart. The udebtedness of these institutions te the oountry ministers cannot be overastima;ed. But it is easy to see that the colege comrolled by their own religious rethren would generally secure from hem an exceptional amount of work in raising reoiuits tbr the college classes. 4. The colleges have beyond all ques;ion raised a large amount of money for educational purposes, which would aevr have been given to the University, and in all probability would in no way ïave been applied to the support of chools of any kind. The property held y the colleges in this State must, I udge, be at least $1,000,000, hardly a penny of which would have been )rought through any other channel to he help of education. 5. The denominational ooileges have lirectly and indireotly induced a certain number of young men who would not otherwise have found their way to oolege, to take a i'ull course of training as a preparation for the ministry. 6. There is yet another kind of work which has been done under the roofs of he colleges, though it is not strictly colegíate work. I refer to the preparatory schools which all of them have oonucted. In these various ways then the ienominational colleges have done eduational work whioh in large part, if not wholly, would have been undone )ut for thein. I have attempted to set orth fairly and frankly the resulta which he colleges have been able to oompass, and which the Uuiversity could not have accomplished. Let me now attempt with equal frankness and fairness to set forth some resalta which the University from its organization and relation to the State has been able to accomplish, which could not have been reached by any one of the denominatioual colleges or by all of them combined. 1. By thenational endowment and by legislativo appropriations it has been enabled in a siugle generation to procure an equipment of buildings, faeulties, librarles, cabinets, and apparatus which a deuominational college would propably not have secured in a century, if indeed it could have ever secnred it. Thia is a fact of immense consequence to Michigan, and is the justification, if any is needed, of the wisdom of the people of the State in eatablishing and fosturing the University. The support of the University has not, I think, been feli by the State to be a serious burden, yet its grounds, buildings, and equipment are at a moderate estímate valued at nearly half a million of dollars, and its annual income ib about $100,000. Had the University never been founded no college in Michigan could have gathered such resources uutil after generations. 2. With its large museums, its welldoveloped microscopioal department and laboratorios, and its large corps of teahers, it is able to supplement the instruotion in the colleges by special and advanced training in branches whose elements they may be teaching yery well. 3. The University is able to furnish in its techmcal and professional schools kinds of instruotion which the denominational colleges do not undertake to furnish, and which, nevertheless, the State greatly needs. 4. I have cheerf ully admitted that the deuominational colleges have in various ways intereBted in education inany persons whom the Univerity would not have reached. Now, I wish to claim that the University on its part has interested in higher education many of our citizens, whoiu the ooileges never would have reached. There are some persons who do not favor denominational schools of any grade. Perhaps, too, it is not too much to say that the University has attained a growth and won a reputation which awakens in the breasts of not a few citizens a certain State pride in her achievenients and renown. 5. I have just Bpoken of the reputation which the University has won. That leputation and the signal advantages which the generosity of the State has enabled it to offer students has, in aadition to studeuts trom our own State, drawn hundreds of noble men from other States to its halls. Just oue-half of our students last year were from abroad. 6. As the Univorsity hag attracted to its halls inany who would not hare been ilruwn to üiir denominational colleges It has consequently done uiuch througl its alumni in awakening general ínter est in education. A large proportion o its 4,663 gradúate are settled in the State. 7. The University holds a relation to the publio schools, which the ooileges, in the nature ot' things, cannot hold, and o the University is abln, through the schools and by their aid, to do a work which the colleges could not do. 8. The University has exerted a special innuence beyond the limita of this State, which could not have been exerted by the colleges. It is well known that nearly every State west of us has established a University. Our Michigan University is gonerally reoognized as being one ot' the most successful State Universities. It has attracted, in a gratifying measure, the attention ot both American and foreign educators to Michigan. Such, I believe, is a fair and honest statement of valuable resulta which the denomiuational colleges and the University have wrought out here in Miohigan. There is enough for us all to do, ooileges, Normal sohool Agricultural college and University. We must guard againsk the fatal error of supposing because Miohigan has been praised for her zeal in eduoation that she has not yet room for improvement in herjschools, colleges, and University. Great room indeed there is, andwe can afford to lose no time in unseemly and and acrid criticisms of each other. We must hare the most hearty oo-operation. Let us have no fears that too many of our sons and daughters will be thoraughly educated. As well fear that our mines will be too productivo and our harvests too abundant. We want everywhere men highminded, thoroughly trained men, to develop our resources, to preside over our industries, to 'hoad our professions, to sit in our halls of legislation, to represent us in the national oouncils, men, therefore, of the ampleat kindness and riohest culture and highest and noblest character, that school, college or university can give us. Let us all do our aest in our halls of instruction to folio w ;be teachings, and we need have no fear of over produotion of thiB kind of men.

Article

Subjects
Old News
Michigan Argus