EDITORIAL. 605 



the departments of agricultural extension constitute the most unique, 

 useful, appreciated, and popular group of institutions in the country." 



The influence of the Morrill Act upon American higher education, 

 as presented by Dr. W. O. Thompson, was especially interesting 

 because of the review it gave of the early efforts to secure federal 

 aid for industrial education, the ideals developed by these institutions, 

 and the scholarly deductions drawn as to the wider influences these 

 colleges have had on education. 



At the present time when these institutions have so abundantly 

 justified themselves and the wisdom of their establishment, it is dif- 

 ficult to realize that the Morrill bill should have been opposed and 

 vetoed on such grounds as its supposed effect on the relation of the 

 federal and state governments, the effect on existing institutions, 

 doubt as to whether it would promote the advancement of agriculture, 

 and the contention that Congress could not appropriate money for 

 education in the States and hence its aid by means of land grant was 

 of doubtful constitutionality. A characteristic feature of the debate 

 of that time, as Dr. Thompson pointed out, was the inconsistency of 

 the position that public land could with propriety be donated for cer- 

 tain types of education (as had already been done in numerous 

 instances), but the doubt as to the propriety of extending this aid 

 to establishing institutions for agricultural education. The land- 

 grant colleges have set at rest this doubt and proved the wisdom of 

 federal aid to education. 



As to the origin of the agitation for industrial education and the 

 support it received. Dr. Thompson developed the interesting fact 

 that " in the great agricultural States this movement was born and 

 cherished among the progressive and prosperous farmers in the 

 several communities." He showed this by many references to the 

 reports of agricultural societies and meetings the country over. 

 There was a widespread movement for a practical type of education 

 which should relate more directly to the everyday life of the common 

 people. " This new educational reform sprang not from the educa- 

 tional philosophers or the professional teachers, but from the rank 

 and file of the people themselves." And having developed out of 

 this desire, the land-grant colleges have taken it as their ideal " to 

 teach all knowledge to all men." 



This marks a sharp contrast between them and the class of insti- 

 tutions which aim to teach the essentials to prepared men. The 

 needs of ihe people have been the guiding spirits for the land-grant 

 institutions. The maintenance of conventional standards is not the 

 central idea, but thejjjber^l_educa^^ Such 



a public-supported institution is to be operated " for the good it can 



