32 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



of the junior year students are given the opportunity to elect their 

 work either in mechanical, civil or electrical engineering, or under 

 certain limitations they may elect subjects in any of these courses. 



The faculty has discussed very thoroughly during the year our 

 courses for agricultural and women students. The opinion of the 

 faculty is practicall}' unanimous that this college should retain in its 

 courses certain general culture studies, such as English, history, politi- 

 cal econom}', etc. It does not look Avith favor upon the free elective 

 system adopted by some distinguished agricultural schools, which 

 makes it possible for a student to gain the bachelor's degree without 

 mathematics beyond the rudiments of arithmetic, or without pursuing 

 even to a limited, extent those culture studies which give to the student 

 a degree of ease in expressing his own thoughts, and a fair apprecia- 

 tion of the great fields of knowledge that lie outside his own narrow 

 profession. 



This does not mean that our courses will not be changed. They have 

 undergone many changes in the past few years, and will be changed 

 to an even greater extent in the near future. As the field of knowledge 

 in agriculture and home economics broadens our courses must keep 

 pace with the trend of development in these lines. Much that was con- 

 sidered essential a few years ago has already, or will soon, give way 

 to something better; but the preparation of young men and women 

 for their places as members of society, as responsible citizens, as future 

 leaders in their own communities, will not be lost sight of in the effort 

 to make them exceptionally capable in their chosen lines of work. 



IMPROVEMENTS. 



t 



The physical equipment of the college during the past decade has 

 been very much enlarged and improved. The following may be noted: 



The Women's Building, 1899-1900, costing $95,000 



Dairv building, 1900 15,000 



Barn, 1900 .*! 4,000 



Bacteriological laboratory, 1902 27,000 



Waiting room and postoffice, 1902 1,700 



Bath house. 1903 17,000 



Athletic field and improvements 2,500 



Right of way for railroad 1,000 



Street car track on campus 3G0 



Three new wells 1,800 



Central heating and lighting plant 140,000 



Wells hall 55,000 



Barns 11,000 



Poultry plan! 2,000 



Engineering building 100,000 



Total 1473,300 



