itself, is doomed unless it is provided. The stage for this was set many
years ago when the founding fathers of this Republic sought measures
to counter the doctrine of despots that democracy was destined to
failure—that people were incapable of governing themselves.

Thomas Jefferson, in a letter to a friend, wrote:

"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free in a state of civilization,
it expects what never was and never will be. " The concept of universal
education is contained in this statement, Jefferson here was admitting
that the doctrine of the despots was sound if the people in a democracy
remained unenlightened. He was saying that the people could not hope
to preserve their freedom if they remained in a state of ignorance. But
Jefferson, and the others who stood with him in that belief, had great
faith that democracy itself contained the germ of its own self-preserva-
tion—that democracy would provide an education for all the people and
thus retain its integrity. Out of this concept of universal education, we
know, emerged our system of public education, including state univer-
sities and other state institutions of higher learning.

Some of our state universities are nearly as old as the Republic itself,
but those earlier institutions were unlike the public-supported colleges
and universities of today. They were characterized by a narrow cur-
riculum and an aristocratic attitude. The belief persisted for many
decades to come that education, particularly at the university level, was
for the few. State colleges and universities as we know them now
evolved gradually out of the demands of the masses of people for
equality of opportunity, for greater recognition in the affairs of govern-
ment and for a fuller share of the benefits from a growing economy.

Under the pressure of these demands, the Jeffersonian idea of uni-
versal education was expanded into a philosophy that the state has
the obligation to provide the opportunities for all who seek to improve
themselves through education. It was a doctrine which called for the
support by all of the people of institutions to provide higher education
in accordance with ability and interest, with as little regard as possible
to the financial condition of the individual. This idea, which is widely
accepted today, has created many problems for the State and for the
people who are engaged in the operation of our institutions of higher
learning. This ideal that every individual, regardless of the number
involved, should be given the opportunity to develop his talents through
education is difficult to attain. A danger lies in the belief that all should
share, and share alike, in the benefits of a free society, regardless of
capacity, effort, initiative and ambition. It could lead, for example, to a

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