EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Vol. 38. March, 1918. No. L 



Although more than half a century has now elapsed since the pas- 

 sage of the first Morrill Act, the question is still occasionally agitated 

 of the purpose and optimum development of the institutions estab- 

 lished under its provisions. Criticism sometimes takes the form of 

 assertion that the act itself is vague and prescribes no definite type 

 of education. More frequently it is argued that a kind of high-grade 

 vocational training was contemplated by the act, but that the agri- 

 cultural colleges or individual institutions of the group are not ful- 

 filling their appointed mission in that direction. In still other in- 

 stances the relations of these colleges to other educational institutions 

 or to the State system of education, the efficiency of their adminis- 

 tration, or the formulation of a broad constructive policy for their 

 future development have been the subjects of inquiry from various 

 points of view. 



The report of a special commission which has been studying some 

 of these matters in Massachusetts has recently been issued, and ap- 

 pears to be of considerable general interest. This commission was 

 authorized by the Massachusetts Legislature in 1916 for the purpose 

 of investigating " the subject of agricultural education as conducted 

 at the Massachusetts Agricultural College and the development of 

 the agricultural resources of the Commonwealth." For some time 

 there had been, in connection with the granting of appropriations to 

 the college, more or less agitation as to the type of instruction it 

 should give, its policies, and similar matters. While specific lines of 

 inquiry were prescribed to the commission which had special refer- 

 ence to local conditions, most of the questions raised are common to 

 the agricultural colleges as a group, and many of the findings of 

 the commission are of much more than State- wide application. 



The commission consisted of the State supervisor of administra- 

 tion and the State commissioner of education, together with three 

 members designated by the governor. One of these, Dr. L. Clark 

 Seelye, president emeritus of Smith College and wieiely known in 

 educational circles throughout the country, was made chairman. The 

 remaining members were selected respectively from the agricultural 

 and business interests. 



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