f unusual caliber and were interested vitally in the
affairs of the territory, particularly educational questions. Many are
the discussions these two must have held, to which a stray copy of a
translation of M. Victor Cousin's report on "The State of Public
Instruction in Prussia," made to the French ministry of Public
Instruction, which fell into the hands of Pierce, certainly contributed
not a little. Here was the account of a state system of public
instruction which was under successful operation. These men were
familiar with the previous experiments in the Michigan of territorial
days and with the efforts in other states in this direction, but nowhere
could they find the practical help they needed. The few colleges in the
country were practically all privately endowed institutions, having no
organic connection with the secondary schools, to say nothing of the
rare public high schools. Thus the orderly and consistent development of
a state school system in Prussia had a peculiar appeal to these pioneers
who were already considering the outline of the educational system in
the State of Michigan to be.

[Illustration: FOUR FOUNDERS OF THE UNIVERSITY
(From paintings)
Stevens T. Mason (1812-1843)
John D. Pierce (1797-1882)
Zina Pitcher (1797-1872)
Samuel Denton (1803-1860)]

General Crary became the chairman of the Committee on Education in the
Constitutional Convention and upon him devolved the immediate task of
drafting the educational article. He had, no doubt, Cousin's report at
hand as well as the advantage of the advice of Pierce. The result was
the most progressive and far-seeing provision for public instruction in
any state constitution up to that time; yet a measure that appealed to
the good sense and practical wisdom of the people of the State. In brief
it provided that the Governor, with the Legislature, should "encourage,
by all suitable means, the promotion of intellectual, scientifical, and
agricultural improvement" and that, in particular, there should be
appointed a Superintendent of Public Instruction, an officer then
unknown to any of the states; that there should be created a perpetual
and inviolable public fund from the sale of lands for the support of
public schools; and that provision should be made for libraries as well,
one at least in each township, to be supported from money paid for
exemption from military service and from fines collected for any breach
of the penal law. The secti