DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 



REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT. 



To the Honorable State Board of Agriculture: 



Gentlemen — I have the honor to submit herewith my report as presi- 

 dent of the Michigan State Agrciultural College for the year ending June 

 30th, 1898. 



As my two previous reports have been necessarily very brief, I shall in 

 this report endeavor to give a more extended account of the work of the 

 College since I took charge as president. 



The College since it organization in 1S57 has had six presidents: Pres. 

 J. R. Williams served from '57 to '59. There was then an interregnum of 

 three years, during the greater part of which time Prof. L. R. Fiske was 

 acting president. Dr T. C. Abbot was president from 1862 until 1885. 

 He was followed by Dr. Edwin Willets from '85 to '89— Dr O. Clute from 

 '89 to '93— Prof. Lewis G. Gorton from '93 to '95. The present incumbent 

 was elected Feb. 11, '96. He was present at the opening of the spring 

 term Feb. 24th, but did not take full charge until March 20th. At this 

 time the long vacation occurred from November to February, and a term 

 was held during the summer months. It will be seen from this that he 

 has had charge now eight terms, or two and one-third years. 



At the first meeting of the State Board during the present administra- 

 tion it was decided to change the long vacation from winter to summer 

 and during the winter in connection with the regular College work to 

 offer special six-weeks courses in dairying, live stock husbandry, fruit 

 culture, floriculture and winter vegatable gardening. 



At the next meeting of the Board a resolution was passed providing for 

 the addition to the College of a women's department. A four-year course 

 of study for women was outlined and Abbot Hall was set apart for their 

 exclusive use. 



All these changes had been under discussion for some time by the 

 Faculty, State Board and other friends of the College, and it was the 

 almost unanimous opinion of those concerned that the proper time had 

 come to make these inportant changes. The two years' experience 

 unrW the new order of things vindicates the wisdom of the Board's ac- 

 tion. 



CHANGE OF LONG VACATION. 



Conditions in Michigan have changed very much during the last forty 

 years. When the College was opened the long vacation was placed in the 



