The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-01-13
THE FARMERS COLLEGE.
NUMBER OF STUDENTS A LITTLE
LESS THAN LAST YEAR.

. | The Board OF Trustees Argue for Cont1n
uancs of the Appropriation of the Priv
iIege Tax-President Craighead's Re
!, port of Operations.
Clemson College is one of the insti
tutions OF the State in which the far
mers especially are interested and i
J will be gratifying to them as we'll as
Jall of the people of the State to know
that the institution is hourishing anC
from the reports of tho officers seems
to be accomplishing much good.
President Craighead, in the course
of his report, gives the following fig
ures to show the number of students
by classes, which is slightly less thar
last year:
Seniors, mechanical. al..D........... 81
Seniors, agricultural. al............. Ii
Juniors, mechanical. .............. IL
Juniors, agricultural. al............. IL
Sophomores, mechanical ........ Il
Sophomores, agricultural. ......... %
Fitting school. .166
Special students. !
Summary by counties: Abbeville, ,25
Aiken, 5; Anderson, 80; Barnwell, 1S;
Berkeley, 2; Beaufort, /; Charleston,
%; Chester, 5; Chesterfield, 4; Claren'
don, 4; Colleton, z; Darlington, 9;
Edge6eld, Is; Fairfield, Z; Florence,
5; Greeuville, 13; Ham pton, 1; Ker.
shaw, E; Lancaster, 1; Laurens, 13;
Lexington, II; Marion, 8; Marlboro,
IL; Newberry, Z; Oconee. 16; Orange
burg, 1S; Pickens. 81; Richland, 6;
Saluda, s; Spartanburp. 16; Sumter,
s.; Williamsburg, 4; York, s. total
By States: Washington. D. g.. /;
Pennsylvania, N. G, Q; Fulton, Ga,
1; Steuben, N. Y, 1; Colquitt, Ga.,
1; Fa5e No., 1; Rome, Italy, 1;
total, not counting student twice $50.
FITTING SCHOOL.
About half of our students, as will
be seen, are in the fitting school. Ex.
perience shows that, of the boys who
come to us, an average of only about
one in twenty is prepared for college,
It is true that our entrance require.
ments, owing to the excellent work
done in the fitting school. have been
somewhat raised. I need not stress
the importance of thorough elementa.
ry instruction, and, until the district
schools fit boys for college, preparato-
ry classes here will remain a necessi.
ty. Six years is rather long time for
boy to remain at college, and it is to
be regretted that boys cannot obtain
at home good preparatory education.
If this cannot be done, each county
or each congressional district should
have at least one school where boys
and girls could be fitted for college at
a cost not exceeding that at Clemson.
Major Edgeworth lythe, who, since
February, 1894, has done faithful and
efficient work in the fitting school,
will sever his connection with the col.
lege at the close of the year and begin
the practice of law. Major Blythe car
ries with him the respect and esteem
of both faculty and students.
| There are men in our senior class
able to do his work well, and I, there
fore, recommend that one of our OWN
graduates be appointed to fill the va
cancy. Prof. Morrison, the head mas
ter of the school has been from time to
time assisted by the professors in the
college department.
deem it unnecessary to make more
than brief summary OF the work of
the various departments during the
year. Ths reports of the professors
heretofore attached will give correct
idea of the work done, the text books
used, the money expended, and such
other information as the board may
care to know.
AGRICULTURAL Departments.
The agricultural department has
sustained a great loss in the death of
Prof. w. L. McGee, who, on October
20, while instructing the senior class
at the college barn, V7ss caught in our
corn shredding machine and fatally
injured, dying after all illness of four
hours. His untimel y death cast q
gloom over the whole college.
At your last meeting it was decided
to elect at this time botanist and an
etymologist. Out of large number
of applicants for these positions have
selected two whom feel justified in
recommending to you,
CHEMICAL DEPARTMENT.
The work of the chemical depart.
ment, which from year to year has
grown in Importance, is fully set forth
in Prof. Hardin's report. The number
of analyses of waters. made at the re-
quest of parties living in nearly every
part of the State, shows that our peo-
pie are at last realizing the necessity
for good pure drinking water. No
State, perhaps, is doing more than
South Carolina to protect the farmers,
not only against fraudulent fertilizers
and other impos;tions, but also against
impure water, the fruitful source OF
msny ills, both to man and beast.
Prof. Hardin recommends that the
salary of MIR. Mcdonnell. graduate
of the Maryland Agricultural College,
who has been employed in the fertil.
izer department since July 2, be raised
to $500. Mr.. McDonnell's excellent
work fully entities him to this amount.
The mechanical department is at
last fairly we'll equipped. With the
excellent instruction given here and
the creditable equipment already had
I see no reason why students seeking
courses in electrical engineering and
mechanical engineering should 60 to
other States for instruction. The ex-
hibit recently made by this department
at our State Fair was pronounced by