308 EXPEEIMENT STATION EECOED. 



meeting, in order to afford opportunity for wider consideration and 

 the presentation of views. Ultimately it is expected the topic will be 

 made one for a future report of the committee on station organization 

 and policy. 



The subject of experiment stations for engineering for mechanic 

 arts came in for an unusual amount of consideration at the Berkeley 

 meetings. The Land Grant College Engineering Association, which 

 met in connection with the convention, held a symposium on engineer- 

 ing experiment stations, devoting two sessions to that subject. In 

 his presidential address. President Bryan advocated the making of 

 provision for such ,a system of stations, to round out the proper 

 development of the educational movement started in the land-grant 

 act of 18G2. 



In connection with a paper on the place of mechanic arts and 

 engineering in the land-gi'ant colleges. President R. A. Pearson ex- 

 pressed the need for investigation in the field of engineering, citing 

 numerous examples of the problems awaiting such study and some 

 results which have already accrued. He urged the desirability of 

 establishing experiment stations for engineering, to do for that 

 subject what the present existing system of stations has done for 

 agriculture. 



At one of the general sessions of the association, Hon. F. G. 

 Newlands, Senator from Nevada, gave an address on the subject of 

 federal aid to engineering experiment stations. In this he urged 

 that the mechanic arts are not of less importance than agriculture, 

 and present the same need for research activities. He faA^ored the 

 provision of appropriations for the purpose by the Federal Govern- 

 ment, and advised that effort be directed to creating an intelligent 

 sentiment and understanding in that direction. 



On this point the association reaffirmed its belief in the desirability . 

 of engineering experiment stations and of securing appropriations 

 therefor ; and it instructed the executive committee to proceed in that 

 direction whenever conditions were deemed advisable. 



It will be apparent that the twenty-ninth convention of the asso- 

 ciation lacked nothing in variety of the topics discussed or in time- 

 liness and importance. To the people of the East the meeting was 

 well worth the trip across the continent; and to those of the West 

 it was an opportunity which has come to them but rarel}^ of meet- 

 ing with their colleagues on their own ground. The interchange of 

 benefit was undoubtedly mutual. 



The trip gave those from the East a clearer insight into the con- 

 ditions surrounding their agricultural colleagues of the West, the 

 great size of the States they are attempting to serve, the diversity 

 of conditions, and the consequent diversity of the problems of teach- 



