| |
| |
Caption: Book - History of the University (Powell)
This is a reduced-resolution page image for fast online browsing.
EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:
386 History University of Illinois The whole history of education, both in Protestant and Catholic countries, shows that we must begin with the higher institutions, or we can never succeed with the lower; for the plain reason, that neither knowledge nor water will run up hill. No people ever had, or ever can have, any system of common schools and lower seminaries worth anything, until they first founded their higher institutions and fountains of knowledge from which they could draw supplies of teachers, &c, for the lower. We would begin, therefore, where all experience and common sense hhow that we must begin, if we would effect anything worthy of an effort. In this view of the case, the first thing wanted in this process, is a NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE, to operate as the great central luminary of the national mind, from which all minor institutions should derive light and heat, and toward which they should, also, reflect back their own. This primary want is already, I trust, supplied by the Smithsonian Institute, endowed by James Smithson, and incorporated by the U. S. Congress, at Washington, D. O. To co-operate with this noble Institute, and enable the Industrial classes to realize its benefits in practical life, we need a University for tlte Industrial Classes in each of the States, with their consequent subordinate institutes, lyceums, and high schools, in each of the counties and towns. The objects of these institutes should be to apply existing knowledge directly and efficiently to all practical pursuits and professions in life, and to extend the boundaries of our present knowledge in all possible practical directions. PLAN FOR THE STATE UNIVERSITY. There should be connected with such an institution, in this State, a sufficient quantity of land of variable soil and aspect, for all its needful annual experiments and processes in the great interests of Agriculture and Horticulture. Buildings of appropriate size and construction for all its ordinary and special uses; a complete philosophical, chemical,
| |
