[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 13]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 17824]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    CONGRATULATING THE COLLEGE OF NEW JERSEY ON ITS SESQUICENTENNIAL

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                           HON. RUSH D. HOLT

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, September 8, 2004

  Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to congratulate The College of 
New Jersey on its Sesquicentennial. The College of New Jersey's 
academic tradition reaches back to 1855 when it was established by the 
state legislature as the New Jersey State Normal School. It was the 
first teacher training school in the state and the ninth in the nation. 
Governor Rodman Price, sometimes called the founder of the New Jersey 
Normal School, promoted the idea of a training institute for New 
Jersey's teachers and mobilized support among influential state 
leaders.
  Originally located on Clinton Avenue in Trenton, the Normal School 
flourished in the latter 1800s, expanding both its academic offerings 
and physical facilities. In 1925, the first four-year baccalaureate 
degree program was established. This change marked the beginning of The 
College of New Jersey's transition from a normal school to a teachers' 
college and was accompanied by a change in physical surroundings. In 
1928, a beautiful 210-acre tract of land in Ewing Township was 
purchased as a new site for The College.
  Today, education--and higher education in particular--is more 
important than ever to solving the most pressing problems of our 
communities and the country. Access to an affordable, quality education 
is inseparable from our economic prosperity, national security, and 
civic health.
  I believe that The College of New Jersey is part of the solution to 
our pressing problems. In a world where other nations are investing far 
more of their resources in education and research, and are producing 
graduates who rival our own in many areas of manufacturing and 
development, a high quality education is essential to our future 
success.
  But higher education is more than just the means to achieve higher 
earning potential or to raise revenue; it is also a life-enriching 
experience. A key component of the university mission is to foster the 
academic and personal development of students civic engagement and 
community service, where students learn how to be active participants 
in democracy, as well as team athletics and student government, where 
students gain valuable leadership experience.
  The policies that we craft to enhance and advance education must 
close the achievement gap between the rich and the poor, and minority 
and non-minority students. They must help to recruit and retain top 
young college graduates into teaching, nursing, and other high priority 
fields to meet the country's needs. Our policies must also make a 
quality college education accessible and affordable for all Americans, 
and harness the power of higher education to move this country forward.
  The College of New Jersey is leading the way in accessibility and 
affordability. The College of New Jersey emphasizes the undergraduate 
experience. Academic programs are designed to provide students with an 
undergraduate education of exceptional quality. More than fifty liberal 
arts and professional programs are now offered through The College's 
seven schools; Art, Music and Media; Business; Culture and Society; 
Education; Engineering, Nursing; and Science.
  Today, The College provides academically prepared student with a 
challenging undergraduate education and a rewarding residential 
experience, small classes, and a prestigious faculty. Once again, I 
congratulate The College of New Jersey on its Sesquicentennial and I 
look forward to another one hundred and fifty years.

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