Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1871 [PAGE 279]

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271 will need the same kind of education as others; he wants to be a man as well as a workman. We, therefore, propose this to the educational men in Minnesota: that they develop the high schools of the State as rapidly as possible to do all the work up in the end of the Sophomore year. President Angell proposed, in his address at Ann Arbor, that the high schools do all the Freshman work very soon. We have proposed that to the high schools of our State. When this is done, the University will be delivered from a great deal of work which belongs to the secondary schools. We propose to start our Agricultural College from this common basis to secondary schools, and make it a technical school of agriculture and the mechanical arts, and not simply higher academic. In the meantime what we shall do is what we can do. I propose, as a practical thing, to assemble this fall a class of any number who want instruction in agriculture, for the purpose of practicing it. We shall give no degree to a student in that department unless he has a good general education. I should be glad to answer any questions. President Denison—Let me ask in reference to training in your secondary schools. So far as I see this can be apcomplished in your chief cities and principal towns, but when you get out into the country towns, which need the benefit of the agricultural department, they cannot have the benefit of the schools, and unless the institution adapts itself to them, they go unbenefited. Professor Folwell—That is quite right; we recognize that fact, and are maintaining a preparatory department intended to meet the wants of such schools. Our rule is this: that the University begin almost where the high schools leave off; we intend to work in harmony wi,tJj:4hem. We have this advantage, that we have rather a clean sweep in no competing institutions; we propose to leave the secondary work to the public high schools and the denominations. I have long been of the opinion that the division under the last grant was unfair. It was made in 18H2 on the basis of the thin population. Since then Minnesota has doubled in population, and has acquired one additional representative, but we have got no more land for the college. It seems to me such a basis of division never could be fair. I have no plan just now to propose, but certainly a better one might be devised. The State of New York has 46,000 square miles of land, and she gets 990,000 acres of land. What does Illinois get? 480,000 acres, and she has 55,000 square miles; Minnesota has 83,000 square miles, and gets 1 "20,000 acres. It seems to me the opposition which might arise in changing this matter can be met. They do not like to have scrip located in the States.