Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1884-04-10
The Pennsylvania State College

The following letter from President
Atherton, of thcPennsy ylyania State Col.
lege. in answer to an erroncus state.
ment made in the Harrisburg Patriot Of
March 2Gth, will prove OF interest to
our readers:
The ACTION oF TuE TRUSTEES At TmE
LATE MEETING II REFERENCE To ruE
INSTITUTION.
II tie Ehtor Of the Patriot.
The Patriot of Wednesday morning
March 26, contains an article purPor.
ting to give an account OF the proceed
ing. of the board of trustees of the State
College at its meetingon the evening of
the 25th, which is soeNactly the opposite
of the truth, that am sure you will de
sire TO correct the error into which you
have heeu unwirlingly led.
!. The statement that" the commit.
tee could not work in harmony is un.
true, but if the writer only meant to say
that they could not agree in their con.
clusions, that would state the exact
fact.
=. 1t is not true that "the pros dent
OF the college insisted upon Roaming
the large faculryof sixteen instructors
The number is not too large for the
work required, but it was apparent that
some reduction OF the force would have
to be made, in order to bring eypendi
ture within income, and the president
Of the college, accordingly, long before
the appointment OF this committee was
made. proposed To the executive com.
mittec of the board of trustees the abo.i.
ton of the study OF Greek, and later
when the special committee met hc
proposed a still further reduction
though not 80 great nor Of such kind rs
was proposed by the majority of the
committee.
3. II Is not true that the report of the
majority Of the committee was adopted,
ON the contrary the report of the pres.
dent of the college (thc minority Of the
comnittee), was adopted with only
single modification, viz: Combining
with another chair one that he believed
II better to MAINTAIN separately
4. The real question at Issue, and
one which it is important the people OF
the state should thoroughly understand
was this: Snail the c,ll.ee continue ITS
shall its organization be rccast on n
widely different plan? The scheme Of.
fered by the majority Of the committee
Gas printed in the Pdfriot, was virtually
TO make the college exclusively agriCul.
tural There is no doubt that such q
course would he acceptablto = consider.
able number Of intelligent persons. but
1t was decisively rejected by the trus
tees. First, because It vas regarded A.
direct violation of the law Of congress,
governing the institution ;snd, second
boc"u. u was mo- believed IN be IN &C
cord with the prevailing public opinion
or wish. Inc Jaw OF congress, which
the state Of Pennsylvania has accepted.
with all its provisions and conditions,
defines the SCOPE Of the institution
in these words "The leading object
thsl be, without excluding other
scientific and classical studies, and in.
oluding military tactics, TO teach such
branches OF learning az are related to
agriculture and the mechanic arts. in
such manner as the legislature Of the
state may prescribe, in order,to promote
the liberal and practical education Of
the industrial classes in the several
persuit and professions in life
1t will be seen that this law requires
provision to be made for teaching ia
the" branches Of learning relating TO
mechanic arts as fully "a in those re-.
lating to agriculture. At the same
time, the institution Is TO be college
devoted to liberal az we'll as "pracli
cal education. Accordingly. the
strength Of the institution u devoted
to instruction in the mathematical.
physical, and natural sciences. with a
view 10 giving that broad and deep
foundation OF exact knowledge which
will rrepare the student for sue.
cessful career in any Of the great indus.
trial activities of our time. We are
doing more in the direction of scientific
and progressive agriculture than when
that WAS the exclusive work OF the
institution; but, in addition to that
we are furnishing a sound Pnd liberal
college education, on the basis of
the modern languages and modern
sciences.
The decision Of the trustees was sim.
ply 10. continue in this line of work
which j. meeting with so many crafty
ing evidence of public favor, and which
does justice 70 all interests, with iDjus
ticc TO none.
Yours respectfully,
Ggo. W. ATHERTos.
6ae telieoe, March. IS, 1884.