The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-12-18
HERE AND THERE.
The Agricultural College and School OF
Science Visited.

HERE AND THERE.
The Agricultural College and School OF
Science Visited.
Some years ago heard lady temperance lee
tursr delivering an address to a workingmen's
organization wherein she advanced a unique,
and, in my judgment. an unanswerable argu-
ment in favor of temperance. She stated that
the advance OF science and the general use OF
machinery supplants the common mechanic.
that Is, that the saw and Ratchet carpenter, or
tho sledge hammer swinging blacksmith can no
longer consider himself q mechanic: his trade
being equally as well performed by the ma
chine; that modern mechanic wishing TO cope
with the world must have a scientific knowl-
edge of the uso Of machinery and must, there
fore, be . sober man.
That she was right is proven by the fact that
since then congress, realizing that industrial
training must be accompanied by scientific
knowledge OF chemics aud mechanics, makes
liberal annual appropriations to the several
states for the purpose OF properly maintaining
agricultural colleges, schools OF science and ex-
perimental farms. By an act OF congress passed
in 1887, known as the Hatch act, $4,000 is appro-
priated annually which can be used only for an
experimental farm. to-wit: For the purchase OF
seed. plants, stock, poultry, tools. implements,
incubators. and. In fact, all that may DO found
necessary for experimental purposes.
A short quotation from tho Hatch act will
best demonstrate Its broadness OF spirit After
reciting in detail the various purposes for
which the money can be used the act concludes,
''aud such other researches and experiments
bearing directly on tho agricultural industry Of
the United States az may in each case be deemed
advisable, having due regard to the varying
conditions and needs OF the respective states or
territories"
In 1890 another oct OF congress, known as the
Morril act, was passed. The act commences
with an appropriation OF $4,000 annually 70
each state having an agricultural college, The
appropriation increases 1900 annually until it
reaches $4,000. when 1t remains permanent.
This money can be applied only ito instruc.
ton in agriculture, the mechanical arts,
the English language, the various branches
OF mathematical, physical. natural and eco
nomic sciences, with special reference to their
application to the industries of life and to the
facilities for such instruction"
II Is so seldom that we find anything practical
In acts OF congress- that it is gratifying to be able
to quote from two acts whose sole object is to
aid young people to become men and women in
the true sense OF these terms, rather than poets
and piano thumpers.
Nor was the Legislature OF this state behind in
fully realizng that our children must receive a
practical education in order to become useful
citizens. On May 9, 1891, the legislature appro-
priated 1000 with which to procure the neces-
sary land, erect buildings and furnish them for
the proper maintenance of an agricultural col
lege and school OF science and an experimental
farm.
There are few people who would not gladly
tear out some pages from their history OF life.
30 also with the college. Its origin. location,
legal controversy, sQuabble between trustee and
trustee, and trustee and professor in charge, are
all matters that are best buried under . mantle
OF charity. This much Is certain, that to COM
pare the board OF trustees, their aims and pur-
poses a. now constituted, with those a. orig
inally constituted, would be doing violence to
contrast And since all changes have been
made for the best. believe it best to proceed
and review the grounds and buildings as We
find them, looking to honesty OF purpose aud
earnest zeal (both of which. am sure, can
safely be expected from the new president, Prof.
Heston) for such Improvements as the college
Is indeed capable of.
The institution 10 located on . hill not over
half mile west of the town Of Pullman, in
Whitman county. on pa acres OF good farming
land, 1888 acres OF which are taken up and at
present almost wholly under cultivation with
tho experimental farm. and thirty-six acres are
devoted to college grounds, buildings and parks,
mostly prospective.
There are at present four buildings practically
completed and in use. The first, and the main
one, is the dormitory, fve-story brick, length
entrances and two staircases The stairs are
extremely narrow for public building, and are
wood cased. Thus making q practical fretrsp
on each side of the building The lower story
is taken up entirely with kitchen. dining room
and psntries. The next four stories are
divided in the middle broadwise, thus
making eight floors for lodging purposes;
plan, each floor 10 divided into four suites, each
suite having two bedrooms and one sitting
room, intended to accommodate four pupils,
though some of the suites are now occupied by
six pupils. Thus, while the building is in
{ ended to accommodate 12S pupils, it il now
filled with about leo pupils. The ceilings are
very low, not over nine feet six inches in height
There are no modern ventilators in the build
ing that could see. The light is very poor
naturally 20, since the building is narrow; two
sides that could be utilized for lighting pur.
poses are thus lost. The halls being narrow,
there 10 no room for light and air shafts, and
consequently no possibility of utilizing sky.
lights, and there are none in the building.
There perhaps are buildings in cities where
space is worth 5000 per front foot, where such
meanness and stinginess Is necessary as we
see practiced in this dofmitory in the
spacing of OF closets, rooms and halls,
but where an architect has thirty-six
acres OF land at his disposal on which to
spread himself there can be no valid reason
1Or 'aKy-Scraper. Inc Dcllul1g Is neateC Dy
steam, but the radiators are very poorly placed.
In many rooms they are right in front of the
windows. An electric dynamo is now being
put in and the buildings will all be lighted by
electricity. Before leaving this building it is
well to state that the newly elected president
and the trustees that were instrumental in
bringing about the reformation are fully cog
infant of the errors herein pointed out. and are
now doing all they can 10 remedy them as far
as such plumbers can be remedied. This re-
mark practically applies to all the other build
iugs that we are about to inspect, yet think il
best to point ont errors as / find them, If only
for the purpose of acQuainting the public with
actual existing conditions and apprising them
of the problem that corfroQts the new man
agement
The next building 10 the college hall This is
a three-story frame. size ~ by IL, heated by
steam and to be lighted by incandeseent lights
This building 10 q little more liberal; being
nearer square, II has more light, broader halls
and stair cases, and on entering it one is less
impressed with the gloom of a prison cell than
is the case with its more pretentious associate.
the dormitorY. On the second floor are the
offices of the college and large assembly room,
with folding doors leading into two class rooms,
thus giving the room . combined seating Ca
pacity OF about 500 On the third floor are some
class rooms and q library. size - by-35, with a
very good supply OF current literature, mostly
agricultural and scientific, and q fair start OF
standard works.
Such as this building is, there is not much to
be said against it, but 1t is far from being en-
titled to the dignity of the name of College hall
Surely we cannot point TO it with pride.