THE STATE AND HIGHER EDUCATION. 709 



each of the several States and by the Federal Goverument, throughout 

 our entire history. There is not a practical edncator, college president, 

 or trustee in the land who will not appreciate the importance and util- 

 ity of such a Huaucial history of higher education in America. 



(4) The monograph further shows the progress, development, and 

 present tendencies of higher education in these (Jnited States. The 

 history is given of West Point Military Academy, of the Naval Acad- 

 emy at Annapolis, of the Congressional Library, of the Smithsonian 

 Institution, the National Museum, and of the United States Bureau of 

 Education, together with all the financial relations of the General Gov- 

 ernment towards science and education since the beginning of our life 

 as a nation. 



These matters are here communicated to the assembled superintend- 

 ents of education from all parts of the Union because it is important 

 that you should appreciate their scope and significance, and because 

 you are in a position to strengthen and uphohl the highest work of the 

 Bureau of Education. The bureau was originally founded, in the year 

 18G7, "for the purpose of collecting such statistics and facts as shall 

 show the condition and progress of education in the several States and 

 Territories" (Barnard's First annual Eepori, ISGT-'OS, p. 63. Garfield's 

 speech). What better method could there possibly be of showing the 

 condition or [)rogress of education in these United States than by an 

 historical review of the origin, growth, development, and present ten- 

 dencies of American institutions of learning, beginning with the high- 

 est, as did our forefathers, with colleges and universities, and gradually 

 enlarging the horizon of inquiry until the whole field of secondary anil 

 common school education is embraced in the retrospect ? The broaden- 

 ing plains are best seen from the hill-tops. Unless American educators 

 see to it that the higher education is properly recognized in our State 

 and National reports, our whole system of educational inquiry will 

 degenerate into common school statistics and essays on pedagogical 

 methods. The Bureau of Education ought to take a commanding place 

 in the educational work of the country. By the highest kind of original 

 investigations, at home and abroad, it ought to win the respect and 

 confidence of the bestmeu engaged in educational work, whether college 

 presidents or superiidendents of schools. Why is it tliat the interests 

 of labor and agriculture can be raised to the dignity of Departments 

 in the United States Government, with a Secretary of Agriculture hold- 

 ing a Cabinet office, while the educational interests of the Kepublic are 

 allowed to remain ui)on a lower level ? Simply because the educa- 

 tors of the country are content with that level, because they do not 

 exert one-half tlie conqielling energy of either the farmers or the labor- 

 unions. The Bureau of Education ought to become a ministry of pub- 

 lic instruction, with a recognized place in the Cabinet, and with a con- 

 stantly energizing influence proceeding from the cajiital of this country 

 throughout the length and breadth of the land, stinnilating the colleges 

 and the universities, as well as the school systems of the whole country, 



