THE A. & M. G. OF TEXAS, f#
An Address Delivered on A. & M. C. Day at the San Antonio and Inter
national Fair.
n S HAS just been said by our Mayor
in his welcome to you, higher ed
ucation was early thought of and pro
vided for by the Texas pioneers. Re
turning victors with independence won,
they had scarcely put off their swords
and set down their muskets before they
began to discuss an educational system
for the splendid territory their courage
had just won.
The great republic at their north,
from wkich many of them came, had
given renown to constitutional govern
ment, the chief cornerstone of which
was the intelligence of its people, and
had already, by private and public
means, given much attention to educa
tion. This discussion soon led to leg
islation by our Texas forefathers, of
the broadest view and of infinite fore
sight, and looking to a general system.
Dealing not alone with the present, but
reaching into the purple rim of the fu
ture and planning the greatness of days
to come. Interwoven with the history
of the Republic and the state, sharing
adversity as well as prosperity, is the
story of the founding of our education
al fabric. It to-day reaches to all class
es, and to all corners of the state. The
widow, residing upon our furtherest
frontier, can find a public school near
her door for the curly headed boy play
ing around her. When he is grown old
er, if he is energetic and ambitious, al
though poor, he may walk the ways of
higher education at one of our State
institutions, and from there perchance
ascend the mountains of fame and gath
er its very cliff flowers. Our Mayor has
well called attention to the landed dona
tion for the University. This is a grat
ifying fact to all. The whole educa
tional system is alike endowed. It
comprises an area larger than many
of the pretentious kingdoms and prin
cipalities of the earth*. It has furnish
ed, and still is furnishing, at small cost
homes to thousands of Texans. The
purchase money constitutes a perman
ent and available fund to educate the
purchaser’s children, and the children
of his neighbor. Munificent as is this
endowment, the people of Texas have
not been satisfied with it, and a small
tax is cheerfully paid in further main
tenance and support. No state in the
Union can present a more consistent
*%nd splendid advocacy and support of
public education. There may be differ
ences in details, but there is not and
cannot be any difference as to prin
ciple. With the history of our school
system, its landed endowment, not pur
chased with gold, its organization and
its achievements in the higher line, as
well as in the public free schools, may
we not well claim that it is to the glory
of our state, and to the renown of
Constitutional government.
We have with us to-day representa
tives of two of the component parts of
our educational system. The Fair Man
agement names this day in their honor,
and in doing so does courtesy to tile
entire people of this State; for there