10 COLLEGES OF AGRICULTURE AND MECHANIC ARTS. 



Rulings and Instructions Relative to the Acts of 

 Congress of August 30, 1890, and March 4, 1907, 

 in Aid of Colleges of Agriculture and Mechanic 

 Arts. 



The attention of presidents, treasurers, and boards of control of 

 State colleges of agriculture and mechanic arts, and of institutions of 

 like character for colored students, is respectfully called to the 

 requirements of the acts of Congress, approved August SfO, 1890 (26 

 Stat. L., p. 417), and March 4, 1907 (34 Stat. L., p. 1281), in aid of 

 colleges of agricidture and mechanic arts respecting the annual 

 reports of the presidents and treasurers of said institutions to the 

 Secretary of the Interior and the Secretaiy of Agriculture, and to 

 certain decisions respecting the disbursement of the funds authorized 

 by the said act. 



1. The annual reports of treasurers are required to be made on or 

 before September 1 of each year (sec. 2). 



2. The reports of presidents must be received before the States can 

 be certified for the annual installments of this fund, and it is respect- 

 full}^ requested that they be forwarded to this office not later than 

 September 1 of each year. 



3. The funds annuaUy appropriated by the act of August 30, 1890, 

 must be expended durmg the 3'ear for which they are appropriated 

 and for the purposes specified in the said act, and can not be allow^ed 

 to accumulate in the form of an unexpended balance or be invested 

 as a permanent interest-bearing fund (decision of the Assistant 

 Attorney General, June 20, 1899). The department will insist on 

 the expenditure amiually of substantially the entire amount appro- 

 priated by the act of xUigust 30, 1890, and the act of March 4, 1907, 

 and boards of control of agricultural and mechanical colleges are 

 requested to make provision for such expenditures. It is under- 

 stood, of course, that contracts may be entered into for machinery or 

 other educational material which, for good reasons, may not be 

 ready and paid for until the foUowmg year. In such cases it is suffi- 

 cient to explahi, by a note m the report, that the balance is held for 

 the purpose of liquidatmg bills already incurred, and stating the 

 nature of the outstanding contracts. 



4. The funds are ''to be applied only to instruction in agriculture, 

 the mechanic arts, the English language, and the various branches of 

 mathematical, physical, natural and economic science, with special 

 reference to their applications in the industries of life, and to the 

 facilities for such instruction" and "for providing courses for the 

 special preparation of instructors for teaching the elements of agin- 

 culture and mechanic arts." It is held that this language authorizes 



