The Morrill of the story: Public universities in Pennsylvania must be supported
Share with others:
In July, Pennsylvania will observe, with little fanfare, the sesquicentennial of the Morrill Land Grant College Act.
Introduced by Justin Smith Morrill, Republican senator from Vermont, and signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln, the legislation was designed to provide the "sons of toil" with a college education in the practical fields of agriculture, engineering, military science and the classical arts. The creation of public universities, Morrill argued, would facilitate economic prosperity and enhance American life.
Were Lincoln and Morrill alive today, they might marvel at how Pennsylvania's public universities have successfully fulfilled that mission. According to the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems, Pennsylvania's public universities rank among the nation's best. Among all states, Pennsylvania ranks fourth in six-year graduation rates, second in student matriculation from 9th grade to college graduation, fourth in the number of degrees conferred and fifth in college retention rates.
In addition to student success, the positive impact of higher education on Pennsylvania's economy is also cause for celebration. According to Phillip Trostel, professor of economics at the Margaret Chase Smith Center for Economic Policy, a bachelor's degree holder generates, in current dollars, $471,000 more in income over the course of a lifetime than the average non-degree holder. This increase translates into a sizeable return on investment. For every dollar Pennsylvania invests in a student, the state recoups, in inflation-adjusted dollars, nearly six dollars in return.
While the financial advantages of public education are certainly impressive, the intangible benefits are perhaps most commendable. Aside from the obvious financial rewards, people who own college degrees tend to be good citizens. According to the College Board Advisory Center, university alumni live longer, vote more often and demand less from social services.
Well-educated people also possess an enlarged capacity for independent thought. The ability to think, to develop belief systems that heed the higher callings of justice and empathy, serve as bulwarks against corrupt institutions that enforce blind obedience and destroy lives.
First Published February 16, 2012 12:00 am
