EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Vol. 37. December, 1917. No. 8. 



The beginning of the new academic year this fall was awaited by 

 most institutions devoted to higher education with unusual uncer- 

 tainty and apprehension. The declaration of a state of war in April 

 had profoundly affected these institutions almost immediately. At- 

 tendance, which in most colleges and universities had been steadily 

 rising from year to year, was suddenly depleted as the call came for 

 one form or another of National service, in some places the campus 

 emptying almost over night. Some institutions closed their doors 

 early in May, and in others work went on under greatly altered con- 

 ditions. Commencements were quite generally omitted or curtailed, 

 and July 1 found the undergraduates nearly as widely scattered as 

 the alumni, with every indication that a considerable percentage 

 would never return and that entering classes might also be much 

 smaller than for many years. 



The seriousness of such an outcome, not merely to the institutions 

 but to the ultimate welfare of the Nation, was quite generally fore- 

 seen, but there was also more or less uncertainty as to the duty of the 

 institutions and the individual students under the emergency condi- 

 tions. It was apparent that the Nation had immediate need of thou- 

 sands of its young men, many for military service and many along 

 other lines; that the shortage of labor on the farms, in the factories, 

 and elsewhere was enormous ; and it was inevitable that such factors 

 would influence many a boy against beginning or continuing a col- 

 lege course which would even temporarily keep him from active par- 

 ticipation in the strenuous work of the conflict itself. On the other 

 hand it was also seen that the war had vastly increased the need for 

 trained men and that the supply of these men could not safely be 

 allowed to fail. 



In response to an inquiry from the Secretary of the Interior as to 

 the duty of the colleges and technical schools during the war, the 

 situation was admirably stated by President Wilson in a letter of 

 July 20, 1917, as follows: "The question which you have brought to 

 my attention is of the very greatest moment. It would, as you sug- 

 gest, seriously impair America's prospects of success in this war if 

 the supply of highly trained men were unnecessarily diminished. 



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