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To Governor and Mrs. Stanford,

Founders of the Leland Stanford, Jr., University.

Dear Sir and Madam:-

I beg leave to submit for your consideration the following suggestions touching the success of the great school of learning which your beneficience is about to inaugurate.

As it is designed to be as lasting as the state [insert notation: 3] and [insert notation: 2] and [--the--] national [insert notation: 1] governments, and as the munificence of it its endowment promises a growth of the University commensurate with that of the American population, the extent of its growth and influences will depend largely upon the wisdom of its early directions.

A grateful people hope to see this University fruitful of happy results during the continuance of the natural lives of its honored founders. In order to avoid mistakes, as well as to profit by the experience of other Universities, those having the practical direction of the building and conduct of the Leland Stanford, Jr., University might profitably be possessed of the experiences of centuries to serve as hints for their guidance in adapting this institution to the spirit of the age and to the wants of the American people according to the wishes of its founders.

To this end, I beg respectfully to suggest that inquiry be made into and report made upon the history and present condition of the leading universities and institutions of learning in America and Europe, as to such matters, for instance, as:

First:- The style, size, plans aqnd relative situations of the buildings and their various appurtenances;

Second:- Their libraries, extent, variety and character of books and their modes of administering them;

Third:- The value or extent of their respective funds, incomes and revenues, mode of investments;

Fourth:- The number of professors and teachers, their salaries and compensation;

Fifth:- The branches of learning taught in each and the ones most prominent