The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-12
FACULTY NOW IN THE FIGHT.
REPLY TO THE BLALOCK REPORT
SENT TO THE HOUSE.

The University Professors Deny That
They Are UnfriendIy to the AgrI-
cultural COIIege-Facts Cited to
show Their Efforts to Make 1t a
suecess-ChanceIIor Beggs AddreSS-
es the Legislature mt Night-An Ad-
verse Report of "a Drastic Nature
Expected From Pope Brown.
Atlanta, Ca, Nov. 1.-THE faculty of
the state university takes strong excep-
tons to the statement in the BIalock COM
mittee report that the general DISPOSE
ton of the university faculty is unfrlend-
ly to the agricultural college because they
say it is unnecessary, and, therefore, it
does not receive their support"
The exceptions were put in writing by
the faculty and went to the legislature to-
day. In this communication. which was
read to the House, the faculty says:
THE faculty has always realized the
great possibilities for good of the chair of
agriculture, both in the work ofsthe uni
versty and its influence upon the state
In support of this opinion We beg to pre-
sent the following facts:
4 A course of. study is provided for
students in agriculture, leading to the de-
gree Of bachelor of agricultural which was
shaped in accordance with the wishes of
the professor of agriculture.
'2. The requirements for entrance into
the course are such as, in the judgment
of the faculty, best conform to the edu-
cational status of the state, and yet,
inasmuch, as applicants have been found
whose attachments were not sufficient to
enable them to meet these requirements,
extra classes have been formed, entailing
extra labor upon regular officers of the
university, in order to fit these applicants
for the regular studies of the class. But
further, as the faculty found that there
were students who were unable to spend
a year in college, or whose attachments
were too small to admit them to this reg
ular course. the board of trustees. at the
suggestion of the faculty, established a
short course for farmers sons, including
the months of January, February and
March, at which time they could best be
spared from the farm. For these students
there are no entrance requirements, and
they are exempt from all the usual fees.
Special classes are formed to meet the
lack of preparation in such students.
-. During the session of 1928 the fac
ulty, in order to stimulate interest in ag-
riculture among the students, suspended
exercises for one hour, requiring the entire
body of students to attend such lectures
as might be presented by the professor of
agriculture. These lectures are appointed
to be delivered twice week for six weeks,
the individual members of the faculty
readily relinquishing their regular APP
polntments and attending the same.
''The university faculty expresses its
hearty approval of the educational policy
for the state college of agriculture and
the mechanical arts outlined in the report
of its president"
This part of the Blalock committee re-
port, according to ex-Gov. Boynton, who
was ON that committee was based upon
a statement made by Prof. Hunnicutt,
who fills the agricultural chair In the
university, the professor making the i'm
preston on the committee that the uni
versity faculty was dead against the de-
partment of agriculture.
To-day Mr.. Oliver of Burke introduced
bill in the House, taking the $4,000 of the
land script fund and the Morrill, fund
away from the university and applying it
to a separate college of agriculture, in ac-
cordance with the Blalock report.
Tonight Chancellor Boggs of the univer-
sity delivered his annual address to the
legislature, defending the institution in an
able manner and replying to all the criti-
cisms that have been levelled against 1t
both by the Blalock committee and from
other directions.
The university is a critical issue with
the legislature. A most determined fight
Is being made upon it. and 1t would not be
surprising if it should receive death blow
before the present body of statesmen is
through with it,
Another adverse report of a very drastic
nature is expected to be made any day by
Pope Brown, chairman of the special COM
mittee, that was sent over to investigate
it. The report Is now made up, but eff
forts are being made TO modify il. May or
Mcldrim, a member of the committee, will
not subscribe to the harsh criticisms of
the university contained in it, and unless
it can be modified he win make a minority
report, and in part may do so anyway
Il.