Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1871 [PAGE 311]

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303 objects; one of which shall be experimentation; and another, the course of study best adapted to accomplish our purposes in the new organization, and the manual labor, etc., etc. I don't want any one question, or any one specific individual purpose, however important, to absorb the energies of the association ; but I want it to gather within its compass all the important topics that must occupy the attention of men who have these institutions in their charge. Mr. Denison—The remarks made by President Welch, in reference to representing the Institution of Iowa—the fact that the faculty of that Institution, and probably that that Board of Eegents, will approve what is here done—will also apply to the Institutions that we represent. The Secretary of our Board is present, and I presume that any determination of this Assembly, in reference to any permanent organization, will be approved by them. I wish, however, to say that while the objects which we aim at are distinct and separate from the objects at which the National Teachers' Association aim, it is true that we hold a relation to that Association. W e are American citizens. I believe that it is true that an officer of the government to which we stand related, is recognized as one of the important officers in that Institution. I refer to Mr. Eaton, the Commissioner of the Bureau of Education, and who, by direction of the government, has special oversight of the endowment granted to us, and of what we are doing in relation to that endowment. I do not know but it may be best for us at first to be distinct from them until we require an organization that shall be an individuality; until we to some extent initiate a progress more or less in the working out of the special problems, committed to our trust. But I believe the day may come, and perhaps will, when this organization will be considered a section of the National Teachers' Association; that association allowing us the utmost freedom in the expression of our opinions, and in the working out of the special problems committed to our care. Mr. Murtfeldt—The call issued for this Convention is sufficiently broad to admit a person of my standing, to this Convention, I believe. I hope that when an organization of this kind is completed that the lines will be very clearly defined. Now we have a particular Institution in the State of Missouri that is a little different from most of the States by which it is surrounded ; and a very few minutes will suffice to explain just how that is. Our industrial university, or the University of the State of Missouri, has twenty-two curators ; and the State Board of Agriculture is composed of twelve persons that are self-per-