Repository: UIHistories Project: Book - History of the University (Powell) [PAGE 593]

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History University of Illinois

the legislation of every free state, and in every act of congress providing for the means of education in the several states. The universities and higher schools of Europe, and of the older states of this continent, were founded long before any attempt was made at a thorough system of common schools, and through them, teachers were prepared to descend into and create and instruct all departments below; and if any state ever can secure a good system of common schools for all the people, by any other process, it is quite certain no one ever yet has done it, nor is it easy to see or even imagine how it can be done. In accordance with this view, and in distinct recognition of this great fundamental truth or fact, congress granted to each of the new states of the west, three separate and distinct funds. 1st. A university fund. 2nd. A seminary fund. 3rd. A common school fund. The first to supply the teachers of the second, the second of the last. Well knowing that the experience of the civilized world has as fully demonstrated the mutual necessity of these three departments of education as it has of the three departments of civil government in a free state. It is believed that no state but our own has ever attempted to reverse this decision of law and this necessity of experience and it would seem from the report of our superintendents of public instruction, as well as from all other sources of information, that our success so far in this enterprise is, to say the least, not very flattering. For while the state is utterly destitute of a competent supply of even tolerable common school teachers, it would seem to be utterly impracticable for the people to agree either upon any plan of supplying the defect or of enacting any system of laws which are likely to make the want more endurable or the system more efficient than it is. To supply this radical defect in our whole system, and this great want of our whole people, we understand to be the first aim of the Illinois University and of the committee appointed by the educational convention, whose names appear by their appointmenfc|l* the bill for a charter now before your committee.

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