Repository: UIHistories Project: Book - History of the University (Powell) [PAGE 594]

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Bills and Acts to Establish an Educational Institution

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We understand, also, that every convention of practical teachers, held in the state for several years past, however divided on other questions, have given it as their unanimous opinions that the first indispensable step towards the regeneration of our common school system was the institution of a normal school or seminary in some way for the supply of a greater number of more competent teachers, and that without this nothing effectual could be done for our common school system. The second object proposed is to supply a want equally obvious, though perhaps not equally pressing and urgent, the diffusion of practical knowledge among our industrial classes, by the endowment of departments for the use of their professions, and on the same principles as departments are endowed for other professions in our own state. It is believed by many intelligent men, that by the proper diffusion, through such means of knowledge already existing, we might add a saving of from one-fourth to one-half, to the profits of the labor now employed in these pursuits while we might save an equal amount in the materials wasted or misused in all our mechanic arts, and especially in the architecture of houses, bridges, and other structures, where this; present waste of material is rapidly exhausting one of our most scarce and valuable natural resources, the timber of our forests. They believe that the minds of at least a large portion of the youth of our state may be developed and disciplined as well and as fully, while turned towards these important and practical subjects pertaining to agriculture, mechanics, civil engineering, architecture, etc., as when directed to other pursuits, and without interfering with any other interest or institution whatever, except to give additional patronage, success, and power to all alike; and experience proves that no other system of education proposed to our citizens has ever been equally efficient in arousing the attention of those great classes, and concentrating their minds and efforts, with interest and with power around the entire educational interests of the state, which is another great necessity to any efficient system of free schools in a free state. The general plan of this institution, so far as its theory of instruction is concerned, is based upon the same principles as were commended and adopted by President Wayland of Brown