119 



W. .1. Kurr. of I'tali. jn-t'si'iitod tlic rollowiuu' i).iiK'r: 



TlIK KkI.ATIONS ok TIIK LaM)-<;KA.NT ("ol.I.ECiES TO TIIK STATK T' M VKHSITIKS. 



From the time of the establishment of the land-frrant coUejies, the (luestion 

 has been ajritated. in one form or another, as to the «'.\tent and character of the 

 fiehl these institntions should occupy; the rehitions that should exist between 

 them and other colleues and universiti*'s. Durinj; recent years tlu' ]»eople have 

 l>ecome better acquainted with the \vt)rii the a.i,'ricultural and mechanical col- 

 leges are accomplishini,' in iiromotinj: industrial education and the develojjment 

 of the industries and resources of the country: and. consequently, then' is a 

 better understanding; refxardinji the functions and scope of these institutions. 



Even yet. however, there is a diverf^ency of opinion on these questions. In 

 some of "the States there is still an :i;,'itation of the iiuestion as to wlicther the 

 land-jrrant colleges should be primarily or i-xclusively trade si-hools. their object 

 beint; to tr;iin farmers' sons for the i)ractical work on the farm, and tradesmen 

 in blacksmitbin^. carpentering:, and other handicrafts; or whether tluw should 

 be strictly educational institutions of coUeue frrade. If the latter, should they 

 be schools of agriculture only, or should their scoiu- be broadened to include 

 other courses? What jilace should these institutions occupy in the public school 

 system of the <-ountryV What relationship should they bear to the State 

 universities? 



That these important questions are not yet definitely settled, and that there 

 is no general agreement upon them, even among educators, are conclusions 

 justitied by the recent controversies in a large number of States about the dis- 

 tinctive sphei-(>s ( f th(> universities and land-grant colU'ges. and the widt^spread 

 agitation, throughout the :Middle and Western States at least, of the <iuestion as 

 to the policy that should ite i>ursued in the development of the State institutions 

 of higher education. For example: 



In South Dakota, last year, the governor, in his message to the State legisla- 

 ture, reprimandetl the State university for unduly emphasizing, as he thought, 

 the work in engineering: and censured the agricultural college for offering 

 courses in Latin. 



In North Dakota, two years ago. the governor reconnnended to the legislature 

 that unn(>cessai-y duplication of courses in the Statt> university and the agricul- 

 tural college be avoided, and that •"each institution slumld be keiit within its 

 special sphere." 



In Iowa, the legislature appointed conunittees to visit the different State 

 institutions for the imrpose of investigating their needs and reporting on the 

 apjiropriations re(iuired. The committee appointed to visit the university 

 reconnnended in its report that the engint'ering courses ottered in that institu- 

 tion l)e discontinued, and that all engineering work be concentrated in the Col- 

 lege of Agriculture and Mechanic .Vrts. However, the legislature made the 

 usual ap])ro]iriation to the university for the maintenance of the engineering 

 courses, and a special appropriation for an engineering building: but api)ointed 

 a connnission to consider the advisability of putting all State educational 

 institvitions under a general board of control. 



In Colorado a bill was introduced in the legislature providing for the appoint- 

 ment of a connnission to adjust the work of the State I'niversity. the Agricul- 

 tural College, the State School of Mines, and the State Normal School. The 

 introduction of this bill was the result of the agitation that had continued for a 

 number of years regarding the respective fields that these institutions should 

 occupy in the higher educational work of that State. 



In Utah, after a protracted struggle between the university and the agricul- 

 tural college, extending throughout the entire session of he last legislature, 

 over the question of uniting these institutions or of transferring all engineering 

 courses from the college to the university, a bill was finally passed providing for 

 the appointment of a commission to investigate the (luestion of college and uni- 

 versity work, and to report, with reconnnendations. to the next legislature. 



For* a number of years the people of Montana were agitating the (piestion of 

 the advisability of consolidating the university, the mining school, and the 

 agricultural college. In ir»()2. under the authority of the legislative assembly, 

 the State board of education carefully investigated the work of these institu- 

 tions and the conditions relating thereto, and by unanimous vote " declared that 

 it was not feasible to attempt consolidation." The governor in his message to 

 the legislature in 1903 expressed the belief that a further agitation of the ques- 



