STATE COLLEGE OF KENTUCKY. 7
The collegiate year of I88I—l82 closes with a larger ma-
trieulation than any year which has preceded. The increase
over the matriculation list of the year 1880—'81 is no less
I than thirty—six per cent. Since the severance ofthe con-
nection with Kentucky University, which took place four
years ago, the growth of the College in patronage and
public confidence has been uninterrupted, as the following
_ figures will show: °
l   Total number of inatriculates 1S77—`S (last year of connection with
Kentucky University) . ..... . . ............. 78
Total number of matriculates IS7S—lQ. .............. IIS
Total number of mzttricnlates 1S79—’8o .............. 137
_ Total number of inatriculates 18So—’1. .............. 234
Total number of matriculates 1S81—’2. .............. 321
The effect of the unprovoked assault made last winter
upon the State College before the Legislature by the vari-
ous denominational colleges of the State was to increase,
rather than to diminish its attendance. The plea which the
aggrieved colleges made, that education was made too
cheap, too many advantages offered, and too wide a range
_' of instruction provided, failed to convince the Legislature
K that State aid should be withdrawn from an institution to
which, by accepting the trust from the General Government·
the Commonwealth had pledged her support. Should the
State College be let alone and allowed to devote itself to its
i own work and to operate on its own lines, work which in no
proper sense interferes with that of the denominational col-
leges, and in no proper sense traverses the lines on which
they are laid down, five years will not elapse until it has six
hundred students within its walls. Then we may hope that
the reproach which has hitherto attached to Kentucky, that
/_ she had no institution worthy of her, may in some degree
" 4 be removed.
5