CONVENTION OF COLLEGES AND EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 413 



desirable not only that the physical standard of living be raised but 

 also that he be given training which will give him poise and content- 

 ment. The farmer should be a patriotic, high-thinking man, yet con- 

 tented with life on the farm. To be this he must have opportunity 

 for gaining a livelihood and also for society, recreation, and mental 

 activity. This opportunity nuist come largely through a multiplica- 

 tion of educational centers. As against the establishment of one 

 large, strong university or college in a State, democratic policy Avould 

 favor a number of good smaller schools distributed over the State. 



In any school system President Sledd believes that moderate spe- 

 cialization should begin early, but full specialization should not be 

 reached till after the close of the college course. In the high schools 

 the curve of specialization for the student who does not expect to go 

 to college should rise sharply until it covers two-thirds of the course, 

 but for the student who looks forward to a college course it should 

 rise more slowly and cover at the end only about one-third of the 

 course. 



In discussing this paper H. C. "WTiite called attention to the fact that 

 in this country communal environment is not fixed and argued from 

 this that the matter of first importance in education is to provide the 

 fundamentals in character building and mental development. He 

 would also prefer one good institution of learning to ten less good. 

 ^y. O. Thompson believed that education which is not utilitarian has 

 no excuse for being — is not education, and called attention to some of 

 the diiRculties of providing proper instruction in rural schools, chief 

 among which is that of securing competent teachers. 



In the absence of C. C. Thach the discussion of The Value of Gen- 

 eral Culture in Technical Courses in the Land-grant Colleges was 

 opened informally by G. E. Fellows, Avho argued that culture may be 

 obtained from any subject which is so thoroughly taught as to make 

 students efficient. Pie would introduce into the college course only 

 so much of cultural studies as will fit graduates to associate with 

 others and present their ideas effectively. J. K. Patterson argued 

 strongly against cutting loose from traditions concerning the cultural 

 value of classical studies. 



A paper on Administrative Methods in American Colleges was pre- 

 sented by P. H. Mell, Avho outlined briefly four forms of college ad- 

 ministration : (1) That form in which the whole college community 

 takes part in government but which is applicable only to conditions 

 in EuroiDe, (2) government by trustees, (3) government by faculty, 

 and (4) presidential government. He did not believe that the trus- 

 tees should enter actively into the details of college administration 

 but should manage the larger affairs of the college, provide and look 

 after its finances, and fill vacancies, subject to the recommendation 

 of the president. Government by faculty he considered too slow and 



