NOVEMBER 131 



Iowa City, November 28, 1900. 



In the classrooms of the University here, one 

 may learn, presumably, not only the history of 

 Greece and Rome, the itinerary of Ulysses, the 

 site of early London theatres with reference to the 

 Thames, and the relations of Guelf and Ghibel- 

 line, but also much which lies closer to the student 

 in time and place — the government and the ideals, 

 the natural and the social history of Iowa. It is 

 nearly twenty years since Professor Jesse Macy 

 jjuhlished his CivU GovenDnent in loiva, recog- 

 nized as a pioneer book in its field by a competent 

 scholar. Local government, including careful con- 

 sideration of the state constitution, was an im- 

 portant subject of study at the State Normal 

 School a decade or more ago. Our geological, 

 botanical, and zoological treasures of course re- 

 ceived scientific attention even before statehood. 



Yet some whose education in this state was not 

 chiefly of scientific nature, whose life-work has 

 not been concerned with local politics or history, 

 must confess to ignorance of many Iowa matters 

 they might be supposed to know. Here today, in 

 the presence of the old capitol building, dignified, 

 presenting a stately front to the street that seems 

 made as an approach to it ; in the town named for 

 the state, beside the river named for the state ; we 

 may realize that while w^e have lived none too much 

 in far countries and distant times, we have liardlv 



