The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, March 16, 1916, Page 5

THE NONPARTISAN LEADER | WHAT ABOUT YOUR COLLEGE: e R A e i e A A S S . (e 4 FIVE Its Purpose Not Just to Train Boys to Farm; Best Cours Prior to 1862 the higher education that pertains to agriculture and the industrial = arts, the application of science to industry, did not exist in the United States. Today it is in the foremost place. Then the only higher education op- en was that which fitted men for the professions—law, theology and medi- cine—and which was for culture only. Now agriculture ‘and mechanical, civil, electrical and chemical engineer- ing and architecture are among the courses which higher education holds open for the young man. - Before 1862 higher edu- cation was practically closed to the industrial and farming classes; today these classes are afforded splendid oppor- tunities. The one -thing above all others which contributed to this fundamental change in the educational world was the Morrill act of congress of 1862, establishing the land grant colleges, of which the State Agricultural college at Fargo is one. 'Senator Mor- rill wished to place higher education where it would be open to the mass of the peo- ple — where it would afford opportunity to young people who from necessity or desire enter the agricultural or in- dustrial field, and the act of congress of 1862 dedicates the land grant colleges to this purpose. 2 In most states as in North Dakota, the land grant col- leges have grown up as great predominating institutions where practical and technical education can be had, as op- - posed to the professional and cultural education to which the universities are dedicated. ; The success of the land grant col- leges aroused the universities, many of which, long after the land grant colleges had installed technical cours- es, added these to their curricula. . There can be no doubt that engin- eering courses are by far the most opular today, and the universities gave realized this. In many states, as_in North Dakota, both the state wiiversity and the state agricultural college give technical courses leading to degrees and elsewhere as here it has resulted in a cry of ‘“duplication.” In North Dakota the charge of dup- lication has resulted in the passage by the legislature of an act requir- ing the state board of regents: to con- duct an: educationa! survey of the state, with the idea of rearranging courses between the state institutions of higher learning “to prevent waste- ful duplication” and “to develop co- operation.” This survey is now g .conducted under the jurisdiction of the United States department of edu- cation. 3 SEEK TO ROB COLLEGES OF TECHNICAL COURSES. In other states the United States department of education has been charged with attempting to bring a- bout a transfer of all technical courses to the university, leaving the agricul- tural college a mere trade and farm school. - What will be its recommend- ation in North Dakota? It is charged that the same attempt will be made here. Whether justly or mnot many friends of the State Agricultural col- lege fear the result of this survey and . the action of the state board of reg- ents based upon it. It has thereforef bectcime a n;osft im- ortant question for the great farm- ?ng pop&lation of North Dakota to consider. Here probably to an extent not existing in any other state agri- culture is the one paramount indus- try. The agricultural college is the one educational institution dedicated to the higher learning that pertains to . that -industry. examination into the courses taught at the agri- cultural college and a brief history of t}llscschool at this time are not out of e. e North Dakota Agricultural . ‘college was founded in 1890 in accord- : ance with the provisions made by the federal government to establish col- = = “leges deggribed‘in.the Morrill ‘act of .- - 1862. ‘The Morrill act’ provides for . ° the establishment in ‘each state of a y teach such branches of . . es Endangered If the The North Dakota Agricultural college is now ruled by a board of regents not one of whom is a farmer. The same board controls other institutions of higher learning in the state. There is now under way a “survey” of the higher ed- ucational institutions of the state which may result in an at- tack on the Agricultural college and an effort to strip it of 'some of its best courses and best work. It is a time for farm- ers of the state te be on the alert to guard their college: e e eececcecccccccccccccccccccccccccccsccccccccccscccccce Ceres Hall at North Dakota Agricultural College, One of the _ Principal Buildings of the Fine School Equipment at Fargo. learning as are related to agriculture and the mechanic arts.” Under the act North Dakota receiv- ed a grant of 130,000 acres of govern- ment land which, when sold, will form a permanent endowment for its main- tenance. In addition the college re- ceives an annual appropriation: from the government, as well as from the state. NORTH DAKOTA A. C. NOT PROPERLY NAMED. Unfortunately in North Dakota this land grant college was given the name “Agricultural college” in the state constitution. Other states call them simply state colleges or colleges of agriculture and mechanic arts. The school is much more than an agricultural college, but its name does not limit its purposes, nor is it any argument for making it something less than it is. The state constitution defines the purpose of the agricultural college as follows: “The object of such college shall be to afford practical in- struction in agriculture and the natural sciences connected there- with and also the sciences which bear directly on all the industrial arts and pursuits. The course of instruction shall embrace - the English language and literature, mathematics, military tactics, chemistry, animal and' vegetable anatomy and physiology, the -vet- erinary art, entomology, geology . and such other natural sciences as may be prescribed * * * * and especially the application of sci- ence and mechanics to agri- culture.” This, as can be seen, lays special stress on “the application of science and mechanics to agriculture.” In this sense, then, “science and mechan- ics” means technical mechanics or technical engineering, which is the same thing. It has reference to till- age, milling, power generation, trans- portation, building construction and the numberless other applications of - mechanics to the industries and every day life. This is not elementary en- gineering work. It has to do with designing and constructive work un- dertaken as technical problems. It is evident that the state law also intends the agricultural college to teach technical engineering for the sake of engineering, the same as to teach agriculture for the sake of agri- culture. 2 LAND GRANT COLLEGES OPENED NEW rIELD. = The agricultural colleges under the land . grants of the Morrill act have developed the former mechanic arts courses into technical engineering courses, and it was natural and logical development. They did this before the universities took up these courses and came to resent the competition and to raise the cry of duplication. Universities were forced to install technical courses after the land grant colleges had made them popular and a present-day necessity. Now they would take them over and exclude the land grant colleges from them. . The relation of agriculture and the mechanic arts and the courses me- chanic arts have developed into is so close and interlocked that each is de- pendent on the other. The fact that in a single year agricultural machin- ery to the value of more than $14,- 000,000 is shipped out of Fargo alone shows the importance of mechanic arts to agriculture. There is no phase of. : engineering that does not directly in- fluence agriculture or its allied indus- tries. Each succeeding year brings new applications of engineering to ag- ricultural problems—gas, traction, ir- rigation, drainage, concrete construc- En ‘Building of the State Agricultural College Seen bl ':gh;_the»snueffl% s ' S s ) People Sleep tion, road making and lighting and the infinite adaptations of mechanical ap- pliances to horticulture, dairying, ag- ronomy, gardening, ete. Upon the founding of the North Da- kota Agricultural college the depart- ment of engineering developed its work coordinately with agriculture. During the first few years the instruc- tion was confined to the simplest shop work. Opportunity was given young men to receive instruction in the oper- ation of traction engines and to learn ordinary blacksmithing during the winter. . The.wisdom of such courses is demonstrated by the fact that at no time since the be- ginning have the facilities for this form of instruction been adequate to meet the de- mands. At the present time the forge shop contains 40 forges and the engine labor- tories cover a floor space 3100 square feet and yet, with the present registration in these subjects, 366 students, they are insufficient to admit of the best instruction. The next step beyond the elementary courses is the semi-technical work of power machinery and the course for draftsmen and builders which covers two school years This work is intended to train young men in the man- agement of power plants and to give instruction suitable for contractors and builders. They are thoroughly practi- cal courses that fill a demand for this particular type of in- struction. The courses ex- tend from October to March . and thus utilize the time most easily spared from work. Beyond these courses are those of technical engineering, which include mechanical, civil, chemical and archi- tectural engineering. These branches lead to the degree of Bachelor of Science and are similar to the courses given in other technical colleges. The right of the agricultural col- lege to present courses of technical engineering has been questioned by some who are unacquainted with its facilities or fail to recognize the de- mand made in the federal and state laws relative to the courses of study the institution must teach. In order that engineering courses of any kind be given in an efficient - manner there is required a force of teachers who are especially fitted for the work. The elementary work of traction engineering, forging, power machinery, etc., ought to be presented during that\part of the year which will permit students most convenient- ly to attend. At the same time econ- omy requires that the faculty be effic- iently employed regularly throughout the year. At the Agricultural college the same faculty conducts all courses. SAME INSTRUCTORS FOR VARIETY OF COURSES. Since much of the work of the shops and laboratories is a part of the technicai courses the same in- structors serve for all. Taking away the engineermg courses would not, then, serve to reduce the faculty and expense. E .In facilities other than those men- tioned, the engineering department of - the North Dakota Agricultural college occupies.two of its principal buildings, Its shops are equipped with modern facilities for work in forging, carpent- ry and machine shop exercises. The testing laboratory affords opportunit- ties for the testing and investigation of building materials, fuels, gauges and all forms’ of technical engineer- ing equipment. The electrical labor- atory is equipped with such facilities as are necessary for instruction re-: quired by the course offered. A ce- ment laboratory is used for the physical analysis and testing of * cement, concrete and the various phases of reinforced concrete con- struction. These laboratories not only furnish . opportunity for student instruction but are at the .service of citizens of the state who require examination, in- vestigation or analysis of material. . Civil ineering. 1s further provid- ° ed with all the usual instruments and gpraratus necessary for conducting e d work in any line of general sur- 5 NI