98 • 



prominent feature, but the late war with Spjiin shows that those officers who 

 came from the land-grant colleges served with distinction and with credit. I 

 believe that the ]>est results that v;e can hope to ol)tain will be by the recogni- 

 tion of these institutions as an integral part of our system of military educa- 

 tion and a proper source from which upon occasion the officers of the United 

 States Army may be recruited. 



C. R. Van Hise, of Wisconsin. The question for us is. What is the minimum 

 to which we can all accede? The irreducible minimum of two hours per week 

 incorporated in the resolutions offered in general session this morning (see 

 p. 0-3) was selected because this is the amount which is the practice of various 

 large institutions at the present time. We in Wisconsin have two hours per 

 week, and we hold that to be a full and fair compliance with the Morrill Act. 

 We require also two hours of athletic work two days per week in the gym- 

 nasium, so students get the setting-up exercises and development work which 

 in other institutions is done in the military department. The resolution does 

 not say that the officers shall not give more than two hours per week during 

 two years. Indeed, at the University of Wisconsin and at other institutions, 

 all officers are selected from the junior and senior classes and are required to 

 give two hours additional work during three or four years in order to make 

 effective their work as drill officers. 



I am sure the resolution expresses the view of a large number of colleges as 

 to the irreducible minimum. I feel that if the association will unite we can 

 get the Secretary of War to give a decision on this point. 



Mr. Thach. It seems to me that taking action as to an irreducible minimum 

 of two hours a week rather puts the colleges that require three or five hours 

 in an improper position with their student bodies. 



Mr. Van Hise. Not at all. If a college does not require much gymnastic 

 work it is proper to require more military work. In Wisconsin we used to 

 require four hours a week in military in the freshman and sophomore classes, 

 but when we got a large body of men we l)elieved it proper to give half the 

 time to military work and half to athletic work. 



A. Scott, of New Jersey. The original Morrill Act intended that the legis- 

 latures of the States should prescribe the curriculum, only conforming to the 

 general statement of the law. The State legislatures have very properly given 

 the matter into the hands of the trustees, and the trustees have intrusted it 

 to the faculty. There is in theory a perfect system of national and local con- 

 trol. I am not behind any of those who have spoken in giving tribute to the 

 excellencies of this form of education up to a certain point, but by virtue of 

 the Morrill Act we are not constituted a set of military colleges, and I think 

 this association should insist upon its right to control the militai\v instruc- 

 tion provided for in the organic law of the land-grant institutions. 



R. W. Stimson, of Connecticut. It seems to me that the relation of the land- 

 grant college to the War Department is one purely of a bargain, and I think 

 the War Department is at perfect lilierty to state terms, provided it states them 

 explicitly and does not mislead. If the War Department says, " If you want so 

 much equipment gratis ; if you want a military officer gratis, and are willing to 

 give five hours' instruction a week on specific subjects, we will close the bargain 

 with you," it seems to me that is perfectly legitimate, right, and proper. 



L. II. Bailey, of New York. It is competent for any of these land-grant col- 

 leges to have its own officers in military instruction. Is not this the solution of 

 the matter? In that case we have no favors to ask. 



E. A. Burnett, of Nebraska. The conditions have become so difficult in our 

 institution that unless some modification can be made within a year or two 

 there is no question that the regents will find it necessary to permit the War 



