The Spirit of Education at Mines by:  Melville F. Coolbaugh When man first began to realize that by developing his power of thought he could make his life more comfortable and satisfying, then and not until then did he begin to be distinguished from the lower forms of animals and to become master over them.  That was the beginning of the education of the human race. A study of history throughout the ages shows that education, like other phases of human interests, has had its periods of depression or stagnation, and its periods of prosperity or advancement, but the general curve has always been upward.  Today there is an almost universal demand that each individual should have, through education, the opportunity to express himself fully and to live more harmoniously and understandingly with his fellow man.  The father of a prospective student called my office a few days ago and expressed himself somewhat as follows:  “I want my son to have the advantages of an education, so that he can think his way more logically through his personal problems; so that he can work out for himself a philosophy which will give him stability during the crises which he will have to meet in his lifetime; so that he may be able to evaluate the opinions of others and to respect them even though he disagrees with them; and above all things, to enable him to become a better man than his dad has been.” These expressions seem to me to be quite typical of the spirit of true education today.  If such ideals could become the goal striven for by parents throughout the world, then education could look forward to a period of great advancement. However, this article is not to be of education or the spirit of education in general, but rather the education and spirit represented by the Colorado School of Mines. The School of Mines is one of the oldest of the State institutions of higher learning in Colorado.  It was conceived by the pioneers who came to Colorado in the early gold rush days.  They arranged that a certain fund should be set aside at the filing of each mining claim for the establishment of a School of Mines.  The Reverend George M. Randall, Missionary Bishop of the Episcopal Church of Colorado, gave reality to the ambitions of the pioneers and started the first mining school.  Besides Bishop Randall, the names of the pioneers W. A. H. Loveland, E. L. Berthoud, Charles C. Welch, Nathaniel P. Hill, and many others will always be associated with the beginnings of the school.  They gave it, through their determination and their foresight, a character and a spirit which have been an inspiration to all those who have ever been connected with the institution. The parent of the prospective student mentioned above had ambitions that his son should be a better man than his dad.  With the same idea in mind, the question confronting us is:  Are we making the School of Mines better than it was in the past?  Are we laying foundations which will make this institution in the future represent the true spirit of education?  The Colorado School of Mines is the second oldest mining school in the United States.  (The School of Mines, Columbia University, New York City, is the first.)  The Colorado institution has the distinction of being the only School of Mines in the United States which is devoting its entire efforts to the training of young men in mineral industry engineering.  Other schools of mines are either small branches of large universities, or if separate institutions, their scholastic activities include general science courses given for general college credit, or courses leading to degrees in mechanical, civil, electrical, and chemical engineering. The enrollment at Mines is decidedly the largest of any mining school in the world.  In 1935, the number was slightly over 600, a record-high mark for the institution.   The School’s financial support comes from an annual mill levy, which has been approximately reduced by one-third during the depression period, and from special appropriations from Legislature.  These were supplemented, a number of years ago, by gifts from private individuals, the largest being from Winfield Scott Stratton and Simon Guggenheim, who donated funds for buildings which bear their names.  There have also been many contributions to the library and mineral collection.   The latter contributions have been received quite largely from Alumni, who in their travels remember their Alma Mater and send to us characteristic mineral specimens from foreign countries as well as from our own mineralized districts. During the period 1917 – 1927, the Colorado Legislature provided a special mill levy for building purposes at the Colorado State institutions of higher learning.  At the beginning of the period, the Colorado School of Mines was decidedly small, due to what was then believed to be a declining interest in mining.  All income from this special building levy was therefore allocated to other State institutions, nothing coming to the School of Mines.  The result was that there were no new buildings for 29 years. Foreign countries and all of the States of the union are sending more and more students to the Colorado School of Mines, as the outstanding institution for training mining engineers,  Notices about the courses of study offered here are carried in newspaper and magazine articles published all over the world.  An Australian daily carried an article setting forth the advantages to be derived by study at Mines.  Ambassadors in Washington are familiar with what this famous mining school has to offer, an they make frequent inquiries regarding courses of study and arrange for the enrollment of students from their countries.  Truly, the spirit of Mines stretches across the world. Mines Magazine September 1936