less the cost of management. He gave an endow ment fund of $500,000 to begin with, besides a site for the University, and enlisted the co-opera tion of wealthy friends, whose combined gifts al ready run up into the millions, while proceeds of the Land Grant alone for New York will exceed $5,000,000. On this basis the University estab lished one free Scholarship for each Assembly District, (not “county”), but the last two Legis latures of New York, on the ground that this was putting too heavy a burden on that wealthy Insti tution, has made large appropriations for build ings and equipment for some of the Departments. The grant to Pennsylvania amounted to 750,- 000 acres, and was sold by a Commission of State Officers, with the honored Governor Curtin at the head, for the trilling sum of 5C 31-100 cents an acre. The total proceeds amounted to $439,186.- 80. On the recommendation of the Surveyor General, the amount was increased so as to make an even $500,000.00 and the College has since been receiving $30,000 as the .income of that United States fund for annual maintenance, while Cornell has an annual income of $500,000. For the last 15 years the College has maintained one free Scholarship for every Senatorial District in the Stale, which in proportion to its endowment is a larger number than is provided by Cornell, 4. The mention of the State College as a beneficiary” of the State gives a key to the mis conception which pervades the entire article as to the relation of the College to the State. It would be just as correct to call a public school a “bene ficiary” of the State. The College is, on the contrary, merely that agent through which the State and the United States have jointly under taken to give “a liberal and practical education to the industrial classes” of Pennsylvania “in the several pursuits and professions of life.” Its courses of study are placed by the act of Congress under the direction of the State Legislature and the Legislature has pledged the “faith of the State” to fulfill that trust. The Slate, accordingly, in making appropriations to the College is not giving LANCE. THE FRE grants to a private Institution, but simply express ing the measure of what it proposes to do for higher education as a branch of the entire system of public instruction. 5. The remark of the Press that the condi tions for obtaining the Scholarships “are not made stringent” is an error. Candidates are re quired to be fully prepared to enter the Fresh man Class, the standard of examination is to be fixed by the Board of Trustees, to be uniform throughout the State, and the county superintend ent, with two others, is to be in charge of the ex aminations. The mere fact that, for convenience of distribution, they are assigned to Senatorial and Representative Districts seems no more to justify the suggestion that these Scholarships may be improperly used for “patronage,” than does the similar distribution of West Point and An napolis appointments by Congressional Districts. 6. The Press declares that it “would welcome a comprehensive plan for linking our common school system to the higher education in the State University and the State College.” What that plan would he 1 have no means of knowing. But why should not the Press give its powerful aid to this first practical step in that direction? And has not the time come when the State of Pennsyl vania throughout its whole system of administra tion should give public support to what is public and leave to private support what is private? Very Respectfully, Geo. W. Atherton. State College, Pa., March 22nd, 1895 THE CO-EDS. One Ih as fair ah a pool's dream, Ah proud and as cold as the north star's glaum ; A goddess to worship, a shrine to adore, An Itloal of boiiuty—nothing more. The othorsivoot maid Is noun the loss fair, Willi a graooful a form ami as iiuoonly an air, And a heart,, the essence of love all for me, Oh, fair one, oh, dear one, How many love thee 7
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers