MINUTES OF THE SECTIONS. 
SECTION ON COLLEGE WORK AND ADMINJSTRATION. 
Afternoon Session, Tuesday, November 1, 1004. 
The section was called to order nt 2 p. in. by the chairman, W. E. Stone, of 
Indiana. 
The following paper was presented by W. O. Thompson, of Ohio: 
How Far Should or May Land-Grant Colleges Engage in Teaching Ele- 
mentary Subjects Not Generally Recognized as Belonging to the Col- 
lege Curriculum? 
The discussion of this topic involves an interpretation of the Morrill Act 
I shall first give some attention to that phase of the discussion, and here let ine 
remark : 
I. The word "college" at the time of the Morrill Act signified an institution 
of higher, learning for which certain prescribed academic studies were required 
as a condition of entrance and in which institutions there were certain studies 
chiefly prescribed which were pursued as a condition of a baccalaureate degree. 
From a practical point of view the word "college" was clear and distinct. 
"We recognize that historical and traditional idea. When we come, however, to 
make application of this term, we are compelled to recognize also that a 
standard for entrance or basis on which the college was built was far from uni- 
form. This variation was so great that the degrees of some colleges would 
require a little more than the entrance requirements of to-day. I make mention 
of this condition in order to make one other remark, namely, that the dis- 
cussions in Congress could not, therefore, be interpreted as signifying an insti- 
tution of such standard as would be beyond the prevailing conditions of the 
college at that time. It is true that this prevailing idea did not imply very 
much as to the grade of teaching or as to the method of teaching. It would be 
safe to assume that neither the method nor the standard would be regarded as 
satisfactory in the college of to-day. This leads me to say. Therefore, that very 
little can be drawn from the word " college " as occurring in the statute. 
So far as the discussion in Congress might be regarded as influencing this 
decision, I should say that the word "'college*' could be interchanged with the 
word "school" and do no great violence to the conception prevalent at the 
time the Morrill Act was passed. 
II. A further interpretation lies in the modifying phrase. " to teach such 
branches of learning as are related to agriculture and the mechanic arts.'* 
It would seem from this statement that Congress made no effort to define the 
term "college," but rather to indicate in a general way the lines of work that 
were to be pursued and to be given special emphasis. The term "branches of 
learning as are related to agriculture and the mechanic arts" is a very broad 
and indefinite statement It is noticeable that these branches are not even 
named. It is doubtful whether many in Congress could have named the sub- 
jects, even, or could have recognized them if they had been named. It is true 
that the discussions in Congress did emphasize the importance of maintaining 
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