(2) an Industrial College, embracing agriculture, practical science, civil engineering, and the mechanic arts; (3) a College of Medicine; (4) a College of Law; and (5) a College of the Fine Arts. The organi zation of these colleges was delegated to the board of regents consti tuted by the Governor, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the chancellor of the university, as ex-officio members, and nine others appointed by the Governor.1 Only three of these colleges have been organized, viz, literature, industrial, and medicine. The last named was organized in 1882 and was suspended in 1887. Steps have been taken toward instituting a college of fine arts. In accepting the national grant for agricultural colleges, Nebraska joined it with the seminary lands heretofore mentioned, thus consolidating the entire endowment fund. It was enacted that "the State university and the agricultural college shall be united as one educational institution and shall be located upon a reservation selected by the commissioners in said Lincoln." 2 The buildings were to be erected at Lincoln as soon as funds could be procured from the proceeds of the sales of land donated to the State for that purpose. MANAGEMENT OF SCHOOL LANDS. 6 Commissioners were appointed in 1867 to select the university and agricultural college lands. The lands were to be appraised in tracts of forty acres each, with the exception of wooded lands, which were to be appraised in lots of ten acres each. These lands were to be sold at public auction to the highest bidder, provided that they should not be sold for less than the appraised value.5 Unsold lands were to be leased for not less than six per cent. of their appraised value, and the proceeds of sales and rentals were to be invested in United States securities bearing not less than six per cent. per annum on the investment. The above rules were slightly modified by subsequent acts. "An act to provide for the registry, sale, leasing, and management of all public lands, and funds set apart for educational purposes and for the investment of funds arising from the sale of such funds," approved February 15, 1877, renewed and enlarged the former conditions. The lands were to be sold as before, and those not sold were to be leased for a period of twentyfive years at not less than six per cent. on the appraised value, being subject to reappraisal every year. The lands could be called in prior ד 1 In 1875 this number was reduced to six. Revised Statutes of Nebraska, chap. 82, sec. 11, p. 484. 3 Laws of Nebraska, 1867, House, third session. * Act of Assembly, 1867 (House, third session), 60. 5 Chapter 80, Revised Statutes, secs. 4 and 7, 479; Laws, 1867, 37, "Laws of 1877, 174. to the expiration of the twenty-five years if so determined by the board of commissioners.1 The value of long leases, with frequent appraisals, and opportunities for sales represent the best method of dealing with public lands. In this way the "unearned increment" and the increasing rent will accrue to the holder. The proceeds of the sales were to be invested in United States securities, as under prior enactment, while rents were to pass into a separate fund. There are two funds created, the endowment fund and the regent's fund. The former is composed of the permanent investments of the proceeds of the sales of the lands granted to the State by Congress. This fund is kept by the financier in two separate accounts, the university and the agricultural college account. The second is the available fund arising from rent, interest, taxes, etc.2 Nearly the whole body of public university lands are held by the institution, though the sales are progressing and there are a considerable number of leases. The following statement is taken from a report made in 1882.3 Agricultural college lands. Number of acres belonging to the State November 30, 1880. Number of acres leased from November 30, 1880, to December 1, 1882...... University lands. 89, 452.78 17, 522.78 3,877.61 45,039.93 Number of acres belonging to the State December 1, 1880.... Number of acres leased from November 30, 1880, to December 1, 1882..... 6,024.33 Number of acres sold on time from November 30, 1880, to December 1, 1882 2 358.53 The aggregate number of acres granted to the State by Congress was 136,080. It appears from the above statement that at this date (December 1, 1882) patents had been granted on less than 2,367.39 acres, while the remainder, 134,492.61 acres were still in the hands of the State. Two sections were set apart for a model and experimental farm. REVENUES. The first permanent tax was voted for the benefit of the university in 1869, when a tax of one mill on each dollar of taxable property was levied for the year 1869 and annually thereafter.1 This rate was changed in 1870-71 to one-fourth of a mill, and subsequently into three-eighths of a mill on a dollar of the grand valuation of the State.5 1 Revised Statutes, chap. 80, secs. 17 and 19; Laws, 1879, p. 110. 2 Revised Statutes, chap. 80, p. 513. 3 Report of the public officers of Nebraska, 1881-82; Public lands, 15. 'Laws 1869, p. 126. Laws 1870-71, p. 118. The present revenues of the university are derived from three sources, of which the principal one is the tax of three-eighths of a mill on a dollar just alluded to. The next in importance is the revenue on the United States land endowment. Although the income from taxation is gaining each year, the latter source will, doubtless, in time, be by far the more productive. The third source of revenue is very small as compared with the other two sources, that is the matriculation and term fees. The financial statement in the biennial report of the board of regents shows a total biennial income of $81,924, seven-eighths of this arising from the State tax, nearly one-eighth from the income on land endowment, and the remainder from fees. The regents' report of 1886 shows a biennial income for the two years ending with 1886, of $155,709.85. Nearly three-fifths of this is yielded by the State tax, two-fifths from the income on land, and a small amount paid by students for matriculation, etc., forming the remainder. Although the income has nearly doubled in four years, the income on land has gained rapidly on the State tax. SPECIAL APPROPRIATIONS BY THE STATE. The Legislature of Nebraska has from time to time made appropriations for university buildings and improvements. The following are the principal items of expense: In addition to this the sum of $554,195.49 has been appropriated for the support of the university through the tax of three-eighths of a mill on each dollar of the grand assessment roll. The following statement has been furnished me through the courtesy of Prof. H. W. Caldwell, of the University of Nebraska: 1 History and Resources of the University of Nebraska, 1884. 2 Regents' Report 18-6, 16. 3 The biennial really is from December 1, 1868, to December 1, 1870, and from December 1, 1870, to December 1, 1872, etc. COLORADO. In the historical development of education in the United States it is surprising to observe the rapidity with which the communities and States of the far West have established systems of education. Following the example of the early colonists of the Atlantic coast, the settlers of the West have scarcely provided shelter and food for their families before plans were made for schools and education. The chief attractions of Colorado being those of mining and stockraising, the elements that made up its early population differ somewhat from those of the great farming States of the Mississippi Valley. In the latter States the settlers were seeking homes for their families; in Colorado they were mostly adventurers without families, seeking wealth. Nevertheless these adventurers were of the sturdy sort, coming from the older States, where they were familiar with the best systems of education, and their sentiments in favor of schools developed at an early date in the history of the Territory. FIRST LEGISLATION. At the first Legislative Assembly held at Denver, in 1861, a school law was framed, patterned largely after that then in existence in the State of Illinois,1 and at the same session a university was incorporated, to be located at Boulder. The act providing for a university remained a dead letter on the statute-books until 1870.2 At the second session of the Legislature a novel method was adopted to raise the ordinary school revenues. A part of the act reads as follows: "That hereafter when any new mineral lode of either gold bearing quartz, silver, or other valuable metal shall be discovered in this Territory, one claim of one hundred feet in length on such lode shall be set apart and held in perpetuity for the use and benefit of schools in this Territory, subject to the control of the Legislative Assembly."3 This seemed to promise an ample support for the schools, but the actual results were insignificant. "Not one per cent. of the thousands of claims so located ever contributed a dollar to the school fund."4 In the year 1865 the inhabitants of the Territory elected delegates to a constitutional convention, and a State Constitution was framed with the following proviso in favor of higher education: "The Legislative Assembly shall encourage the promotion of intellectual, moral, scientific, and agricultural improvement by establishing a uniform system of public schools of a higher grade, embracing normal, preparatory, and university departments; but no religious institution of a strictly secta. rian character shall receive the aid of the State."5 1 Education in Colorado, 12. "Report, of the Commissioner of Education, 1876, 39. ▲ Ibid., 13. 5 Art. XIII, sec. 3, Circular of Education, No. 7, 99. |