By Art. IX, sections 12, 13, and 14, of the Constitution, 'the number of regents is fixed at six, to be elected by the people. The State has provided liberally for the education of youth, and the young institution is maintained by the constant support of the State. The treasurer's report of 1886 shows that the total receipts of the university for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1886, amount to $74,432, of which $1,047 was from a balance of the preceding year, $50,212.62 from the general fund, and $22,996.85 from the special fund.1 STATE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. Colorado supports three State institutions for higher education, the State university already referred to, the Agricultural College at Fort Collins, and the School of Mines at Golden. The Agricultural College at Fort Collins was established by an act of the Assembly, February 11, 1870, in accordance with the conditions of the Congressional land grant of 1862, but the institution was not formally organized until 1877. The State Legislature levies an annual tax of one-fifth of a mill on the assessed valuation of the property in the State for its support.2 Prior to this, in 1881, five thousand dollars was appropriated for a new dormitory and for furnishing the laboratory. In the same year a tax of one-fifth of one mill was voted for two years, 1881 and 1882.* 3 STATE SCHOOL OF MINES. The State School of Mines, located at Golden, was organized by and réceives its support chiefly from the State. Like the State university and the Agricultural College, it receives one-fifth of a mill on each dollar of the assessed value of the property in the State. This makes the permanent support of higher education by the State, to be three-fifths of a mill on each dollar of taxable property.5 By the treasurer's report of 1885-86 the value of the property is estimated to be $50,717, and the total receipts for the year to be $43,674.73. Of this latter sum $40,798.30 was received from State taxation." SUMMARY OF GRANTS. The following is a statement pertaining to the financial history of the Agricultural College at Fort Collins." 5 State Superintendent's Report, 1885-86, 15. 6 Report Superintendent Public Instruction, 1885–86, 104. 'This statement was furnished by the courtesy of the president, Mr. Charles L. Ingersoll. Tabular statement of the State expenditures for higher education by the Colorado Legislature. From interest on land-grant fund approximately to January 1, 1890 . $217, 221.35 33,000.00 Less delinquent tax, $2,000, approximately each year twelve years..... 287,221.35 $24,000.00 Less inventory December 1, 1888.. Less money on permanent improvements in 1889 98,778.86 25,000.00 147,778.86 Total cost of school from February, 1877, to January 1, 1890, less invoice 139, 442. 49 Average cost of school for ten years, $13,944.25 annually, and experiment station two and one half years. FOUNDING OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA. Nevada made ample provision in the first Constitution, adopted in 1864, for a complete system of State schools, and has followed up the declaration of the Constitution by legislative enactments as far as circumstances would permit. The first section under education asserts that "The Legislature shall encourage by all suitable means the promotion of intellectual, literary, scientific, mining, mechanical, agricultural, and moral improvement." 1 Under this broad declaration the Constitution proceeds to provide for 66 a uniform system of common schools," the establishment of normal schools, and a "State university which shall embrace departments. for agriculture, mechanic arts, and mining." It also authorized the establishment of a school fund by devoting all the public lands granted by Congress by the acts of 1787, 1862, and 1841,2 together with all escheats of land, to purposes of education. The first Legislature3 passed an act, approved March 9, 1865, entitled "An act to establish an agricultural and mechanical college in Washoe County in this State." This college became an integral part of the public school system which was organized on the 20th of March, 1865.5 However, no funds were given into the hands of the regents, and the university was not located according to the provisions of the Constitution until March 7, 1873. At this date an act was approved locating the university at the town of Elko, provided that the people in that town convey within one year to the board of regents of the State university the title of not less than twenty thousand acres, with buildings for a preparatory department costing at least ten thousand dollars. The Central Pacific Railroad Company donated a site, and the citizens of Elko more than fulfilled their part by erecting a building costing over eighteen thousand dollars. 1 Art. IX, sec. 1, Constitution, 1864. 2 U. S. Statutes at Large, V, p. 455; 500,000-acre grant. 3 The first Territorial Legislature in 1861 passed an act to establish a seminary of learning at Carson City, but nothing came of it. * Laws of 1864-65, 349. 6 Laws of Nevada. II, 253. In 1875 a building was erected for a dormitory costing, furnished, $7,397, for the purpose of boarding students from abroad; but not over five scholars patronized it at any one time. The university preparatory department was opened in 1874 with seven students. The University of Nevada, at Elko, "did not realize the anticipa tions of the board of regents;" in other words, it was a failure. While during the eleven years of its existence at Elko, classes were maintained in algebra, geometry, chemistry, physiology, history, and the common English branches, it would scarcely bear the name of a modern high school. The regents' reported in 1883-84 that a change was desirable. A bill was proposed for the removal of the university to Carson City, but it failed to pass. Another bill, approved by the Governor March 7, 1885, authorized the removal to Reno (Washoe County), on the conditions that the board of commissioners of Washoe County pay into the treasury of Elko twenty thousand dollars, and to the board of regents five thousand dollars; provided further, that ten thousand dollars be appropriated by the Legislature, and this with the five thousand dollars be expended in the erection of a building not to cost over twenty thousand dollars.2 The board of regents proceeded at once to carry out the provisions of the act. They purchased a site of ten acres for $1,250. On June 1, 1885, the board of commissioners to carry out the stipulations of the said act issued bonds to the amount of twenty-five thousand dollars. FUNDS AND ENDOWMENTS. The Constitution provided in section six, article nine, that there should be levied "a special tax of one-half mill on the dollar, on all taxable property in the State, in addition to the other means provided, for the support and maintenance of said university and common schools." The permanent funds are derived from the sale of the Congressional grant of 1862 of ninety thousand acres, nearly all of which have been sold. In 1866 Congress granted to the State the customary two townships of public lands for "seminary" purposes. From a statement rendered December 31, 1885, the following facts are gleaned: 3 Amount of permanent fund derived from sale of lands of the agricultural The amount of money expended for university purposes since its opening up to the date (1887) of the last report of the regents was $57,138.28; only $17,760.20 being derived from the income on permanent funds, the remainder, $39,378.08, having been appropriated by the State Legislature.1 CALIFORNIA. FIRST ORGANIZED EFFORTS FOR EDUCATION. The first organized efforts toward higher education in California were made by the various religious denominations in their establishment of Christian schools. And these institutions wrought a noble work in thus breaking the fallow-ground and laying the foundation of that great system of advanced learning which is to-day the pride of the State. Usually without necessary means, and ofttimes with the meagre products of self-denial, these colleges and seminaries raised the standard of liberal education. During the first twenty years of existence, California was indebted to private institutions for the entire benefits received from higher education; and if these institutions could not be favorably compared with older Eastern colleges, possessing many superior advantages; if they professed to give but a limited education and often failed to fulfil what they professed, still they supplied the demand for higher education in pioneer days, and hundreds of men who received their early training and culture in such schools have since risen to positions of honor and usefulness throughout the State. But it is not our purpose to describe the work of these institutions; suffice it to say that whereas a number have succumbed to the rude shocks of fortune or to injudicious management, the majority have developed with the rapid growth of California and fill their own mission in supplying the needs of the times. EARLY LEGISLATION. The first Legislature of 1849–50 made no provision for education, the few schools then established being carried on by private enterprise or through the agency of town councils, but the Constitution adopted in 1849 provided for a system of education. It states that "the Legislature shall encourage by suitable means the promotion of intellectual, scientific, moral, and agricultural improvement."" It further provides for the appropriation of the proceeds of five hundred thousand acres of land toward a permanent school fund, and the protection and preserva tion of the United States seminary grant for a university. No school law was formed until 1851, and this law, following the provisions of the Constitution, stipulates that the schools shall be of primary, intermediate, grammar, and high school grades, but says nothing Regents' Report, 1883-84, 8. Sec. 2, Art. IX. |