378.053 Charles Brockway Gibson. 
 G357S 
 
 State University Ideals: 
 
 An Address . . . UI Alumni Club, 
 
 Chicago, Oct. 28, 1904.
 
 H-llMOlS Hi'STOmCA
 
 State University Ideals 
 
 AN ADDRESS 
 
 Bv CHARLES BROCKWAY GIBSON, President, 
 
 (J 
 
 It. S.. 1'. ol- I.. -TT: M. !».. P. ..S. ^ 
 
 DlCLIVKKKl) HEKOKE 
 
 The UniversUy of Illinois Alumni Club, 
 CHICAGO, OCT. 28, 1904.
 
 EDMUND JANES JAMES, Ph D. LL D 
 President of the University of Illinois, Champaign 
 
 III
 
 ;.• / ■-> 
 
 STATE I'XrXT-.RSITV IDEALS. 
 
 AN ADDRESS 
 BY 
 
 Charles ISrocicwav Ginsox. 
 
 T\vent\- years ago this club was organized on a l)r(iacl and lib- 
 eral basis, for the purpose of not only fostering and keeping alive 
 the friendships formed during our school-days, but to aid and 
 promote the growth and welfare of our Alma Mater. 
 
 At its organization the spirit which pervaded the club and 
 which was uppermost in the hearts and minds of its members. 
 was that of tinity sustained by a firm conviction that in the pro- 
 mulgation of university education, based en modern methods, 
 lay the salvation of the state and the common weal of the republic. 
 To state it more aptly, "The education of the people is the safe- 
 guard of the Xation." 
 
 I believe we may say without boasting that our et¥orts have 
 
 not been in vain, and that our ideas have not clashed materially 
 
 with the giiverning powers of the institution, for our sole aim has 
 
 been to make our Alma Mater what it must and of right ought 
 
 T^o be, as great among the universities of the country, as the state 
 
 is great in wealth and ])opuhition among the states of the I'nion. 
 
 ^' The State L'niversity, by virtue of its origin, is necessarily dif- 
 
 ^^ferent in its aim and scope of instruction from the sectarian or 
 
 "^ privatelv endowed institutinn. The .Act of i8'i2. knuwn as the 
 
 ^' "Land Grant" .\ct, speciallv prijvides that the institutions founded 
 
 -^ upon it shall lie maintained for-the education of the children of the 
 
 ).^ieople : "In agriculture and the .Mechanic .\rts. not excluding 
 
 '5 - scientiiic and classical studies, and includintr militarv tactics." 
 
 By this act was estalilished in this cmnitry the basis of that great 
 democracy of learning and culture, which is in its essence the 
 highest aristocracy. 
 
 I' l
 
 Tlu' idea .if establishing institutions of karninj; where the child 
 .,1 the hun.ldest citizen could better fit himself f.-r tlie battle of 
 life and the pursuit of happiness.— was indeeil s.MiiethuHT novel 
 in the educational history of the world. 
 
 The States first to accept this C.rant of Congress and first to 
 build ui- new institutions, under its provision, were New York 
 and Illinois, but the latter .^tate was the first by a few weeks to 
 open the doors of her infant university to the children of the 
 people of the State. 
 
 The great work of the organization of the institution, the breadth 
 of its scope of instruetiuu. the uniting of the practical illustrative 
 work in laboratorv. shop and field with the didactic and class-room 
 instruction, was fornnilaie.l and developed by that able, untiring 
 and broad minded educator, the late Dr. J..hn Milto,, Gregory, 
 the first president. 
 
 The growth and progress of the State Tniversity during the 
 ])ast ([uarter ol a century, and particularly during the past decade, 
 proves conclusively the wisdom of the act. the practicability of the 
 idea and the far-seeing wisdom of the man. contemi)lating the 
 needs and ])ossibilitics of tliis class of educational institutions. 
 Opening in March. iS(v*<, with 72 students and three instructors. 
 the universitv gradually increased in i)upils and instructors until 
 in 1873 there were in attendance about 416 students. From that 
 time to about 1880 the attendance did not noticeably increase, due 
 largely to one of the greatest financial crises the country has 
 ever known. Since that time the attendance has gradually- at- 
 tained to V/O^"" >" number in all the departments for the present 
 \ear. At this rate of increase it will Ix' but a short time before 
 there will be 5,000 ]iu]iils. and the university iiiiisl be prepared for 
 them. 
 
 Dr. (Iregorv builded better than he knew and to jiis memory 
 let all honor he paid. The University of Illinois is a greater and 
 more fitting monununt to the memory of one of the most ad- 
 vanced and original of .\merica's educators, than mountains of 
 granite or masses of bronze. It is but right that his dreamless
 
 ashes should rest within the shadows of the institution his genius 
 helped to found. This in compliance with h'.s dyino- request. 
 
 What more fitting compliment could be paid to the memory 
 of one who had done so much for the educati^mal interest of the 
 State of his adoption, than that his remains should find sepulcher 
 here. 
 
 ■'And when at last Death's Angel came, 
 
 To summon him away. 
 And left to us but memories 
 
 Around his lifeless clay ; 
 We placed his dreamless dust 
 
 Among the shadows of his joy. 
 Where the blackbird pipes its cheery song 
 
 To his 'loved 'Illinois'." 
 
 That 1)1 iih the letter and the spirit of the Act of Congress, 
 anil the ideal of Dr. Gregory have been realized and lived up to 
 better in Illinois than in any other State, is evidenced by the I'ni- 
 versitv and by the various departments. 
 
 The University of Illinois is building up the greatest and best 
 equipped College of Agriculture in the world, under the leadership 
 of an unusually able Dean. It is accredited with having the great- 
 est and most practical College of Engineering in this or any other 
 country. There is one of the most excellent experimental stations 
 for investigation in sanitation and practical bacteriology to be 
 fnund anywhere. The Natural History and Chemical depart- 
 ments rank with the best in the land in so far as instruction is 
 concerned, and the University is playing not an unimportant part 
 in investigation and research in other branches of science, art, 
 history and letters. Last but nut least, we have the best, the 
 most practical and efifective military department of any of the 
 Universities founded by this Congressional .\ct. This, coupled 
 with the Athletic and ('i)-mnastic work, is building up a class of 
 young men who compare favorably m physical development with 
 the trained men of the Armv and Navy. 
 
 The methods of instruction in this, our University, are such 
 as to best lav the foundation for inspiratior. and endeavor in those 
 branches of learning which shall fit the young man or young 
 woman for good citizenship in our great .State.
 
 These arc iii<l<.\<l j^ual results from small beginnings. ma<le 
 frequently mulir \hv most adverse circumstances: such as want 
 ,.f adequate funds, lack of facilities for publicity and promotion, 
 tile carping and unjust criticism of the iniblic (iress. I'.ul m the 
 face nf all this our Iniversity has attained to a high rank among 
 ilie State I'niversities. 
 
 W liere in the historv of the world's education has there been 
 a parallel of the growth made liy our State Universities during the 
 l)ast ten vears? This speaks well for the inherent desire of the 
 hmuan mind for higher attainments and a fuller, riper growth. 
 
 r.ut It is necessary to make more liberal appropriations than 
 h;i.\e thus far btx-n inaile. 
 
 It is imi)ortant that each deiiartment be so equipped as to give 
 the greatest output of the highest product of human endeavor, 
 n(>t onlv in agriculture, mechanics and engineering, but in science, 
 philosophy, literature and art. To this end ample and adequate 
 provisions must be made to encourage original and research work, 
 such as shall add to the world's wealth of knowledge. In the la.st 
 three score vears original research in all lines has added a thou- 
 .sand times more to the world's material welfare than all the cost 
 of such work in dollars and cents. The benefits derived from in- 
 vestigation in chemistry, electricity, physiology, |)athology and 
 hvgiene are sim])lv incalculable as adding to the world's wealth 
 and in lightening the burdens of human life. 
 
 riuis briellx 1 have endeavored to i)lace before you certain aims 
 and ideals wdiich must l)e lived up to by the i)eoi)le of i>ur State 
 if they wish to enjoy the perfect fruition of the aims and intent 
 ol that wonderful .Act of Congress iit establi.shing a great educa- 
 tional svstcni of the jjcople. for the people and by the people. 
 
 These aims and ideals have been most admirably set forth in 
 that splendid address delivered last .\ugust at the Fiftieth .-Knni- 
 versarv I'f tlu Wisconsin I'niversity, by Dr. C R. \'.\x Hi.sic. the 
 new {'resident. I cannot do better than to tpiote from it:
 
 A state university can only permaiieiitly succeed when its doors are 
 open to all of botli sexes who possess sufficient intellectual endowment, 
 wlien the financial terms are so easy that the industrious poor may find 
 till- way and when the student sentiment is sucli that each stands upon 
 an equal footing with all. This is the state university ideal, and this 
 is a new thing in the world. 
 
 In the university men are trained to regard economic and social ques- 
 tions as problems to be investigated by the inductive metliod and in 
 their solutions to aim at what is best for the whole people rather than 
 at what is favorable to the interests with which they chance to be con- 
 nected. 
 
 Such of these men as are filled with a burning enthusiasm for the 
 advancement of the race are capable of great accomplishments, for they 
 possess the enlightenment upon which wise action may be based. Already 
 men who have studied history, economics, political science and sociology 
 in the universities have achieved large results in the formulation and 
 enforcement of the written law and in the growth of a healthy and pow- 
 erful public sentiment. 
 
 Soon such men will be found in every city and hamlet, leading the 
 fight against corruption and misrule, but even more important and vastly 
 difficult, leading in constructive advance. In these men lies in a large 
 measure the hope of a peaceful solution of the great questions deeply 
 concerning the nation, some of which are scarcely less momentous than 
 was that of slavery. 
 
 The western people were not content with the expansion of pure 
 knowledge; they demanded schools of applied knowledge. Hence the 
 organization of schools of law, medicine, dentistry, etc., subjects whicli 
 closely concern each individual. 
 
 The people of the west even went farther and demanded that language 
 mathematics, political economy and history be taught so as to best serve 
 the man of affairs. 
 
 In recognition of the intellectual power gained in pursuit of applied 
 knowledge and its extreme importance in the development of the nation 
 the state universities of the west have been at least abreast of the eastern 
 institutions. 
 
 In Germany, where the universities devote themselves to class work 
 done in the graduate school, the universities are supported by the govern- 
 ment. The German statesman regards it as a matter of course, that 
 the production of scholars and investigators at the university is a neces- 
 sity to the nation and to them is largely due the position Germany has 
 taken during the last half century. In Germany the scholar is a man of 
 affairs. He is found in all imp<Trtant divisions of administration as
 
 adviser and consultant. This condition is beginning to obtain in this 
 country. 
 
 The college-trained man, and especially the university-trained man, is 
 directly or indirectly to control the destinies of the nation in the future. 
 The discoveries at our universities have added vastly more wealth to the 
 states than the entire cost of nnming the institutions. The advances 
 and improvements made all along the line in chemistry, mechanics and 
 electricity as applied to the arts, manufactures and agriculture during 
 the past decade have added far more to the wealth of the country than 
 the cost of maintaining these various departments. 
 
 Out of the discoveries of Franklin and Faraday and those who followed 
 them has come one of the greatest material advances the world has ever 
 known. 
 
 The practical man of :ill practical men is Ik- who. with his face toward 
 the truth, follows wherever it may lead, with no thought hut to get a 
 deeper insight into the order of the universe in which he lives. 
 
 I therefore hold that the state university which is properly to serve 
 the state must sec to it that the scholarship and research of all kinds, 
 whether or not a possible practical value can be pointed nut, must be 
 sustained. 
 
 The barriniRss nf .Xnierica in the creation and appreciation i>f literature, 
 nuisic and .irt is the point upon which Europe charges us with semi- 
 barbarism. If tlic University does not become the center for the culti- 
 vation of the highest capabilities of the human mind, where is the work 
 to be done? In .America there is no other available agency. This work 
 must be undertaken by the university or remain undone. 
 
 If the American people are to cease being mere money-getters, if they 
 arc to accomplish more tlian material advance, if they are to have pro- 
 portional dcvelopmeiil. tlic university nnist give training in all lines of 
 human endeavor. 
 
 There must be linked togetlicr tlic works of letters, science, arts ami 
 applied knowledge, together with opportunities of research and original 
 work — this to encourage and stimulate the apt student or the graduate 
 to lines of original research and investigation. To give the faculties 
 the opportunity for directing or in carrying forward such work of them- 
 ■selves is an object and aim that our state universities must attain to 
 in order to ameliorate the lot of mankind by new applications of science 
 to life. 
 
 This is the ideal American or state university, and to dttain to this 
 ideal must be the work of our people, our graduates and our citizens, 
 until a imiversity is built as broad as human endeavor, as high as human 
 ambition.
 
 Now, gentlemen, the proposition is up to us ; it is ui) to tlie 
 people of Illinois ; it is up to our representatives in the Legisla- 
 ture. Shall the great State of Illinois have a State University 
 which shall have a rank with the other universities of the country, 
 comparable to the rank the State has among the other States of 
 the Union ? \\'hat shall the answer be ? 
 
 I believe the sentiment is that we shall be second to none in 
 education and (Opportunities for advancement as we are second to 
 none in wealth and national importance. 
 
 The realization of the aims of our ancestors to found a great, 
 free and independent nation, where the opportunities of all shall 
 be equal, and the rights of all shall be vouchsafed, is a con- 
 sumation devoutly to be wished. 
 
 As eternal vigilance is the price of liberty, so eternal and vig- 
 orous efforts along the lines of educational development is the 
 price of intellectual greatness. 
 
 Opportunity knocks at the doors of states as well as at those 
 of individuals, and if the call is not heeded, it comes not again. 
 The opportunity is yours, — people of Illinois, — and it must be 
 grasped and its possibilities fully developed. Then and not till 
 then shall we have a commonwealth worthy the name of great.
 
 CHARLES BROCKWAY GIBSON, 
 AssAVER Chemist fS^ETALLURGiST, Mining Engineer. 
 81 S. Clark St., Chicago.