Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-01-20
STATE COLLEGE.
Report Of Investigation Ordered
by Previous Legislature.
The Council Committee Thinks Tut
ton Should Be Charged.
=" Ao's and Vigorous Document for tie
6sth Legislature TO Consider.

tboy ~ iaot Legislature it was ordered
committee. TO consist of three members
~ me council. to examine the affairs ct
ne Maine State college and the doings OF
AVA :. tn uslSes, ana to inspect the records
ra ,he buildings and premises, and to
report 10 this Legislature. with such
recommendations as the committee might
deem advisable, 9 ~
This special committee yaS n,.da nm =,
r. Dudley Freeman. O. b. Clason. ana
j. T. Holman, and it has done the duty
aassigned 1t and it's full report was sub
IL ,, 10 the Legislature yesterday. It
Is an exhaustive document. filing Q,
pages OF typewriter legal cap, and its
e1iiIents Will make a decided sensation
an over the State. An extended abstract
OF the report is given below
The committee in addition to visiting
anu inspecting the Maine State college.
nave VISITED for comparison and inspec.
i idoil the massachusetts Agricultural col.
ieSe, the Massachusetts Institute OF
lecnnoi0gy. and the University of Yer
mont. The committee has thoroughly ac-
quainted itself with the history of the
coiiege, the doings of the trustees. the
course of study. and other matters. They
put on record their belief in unselfish de
votion OF the president the trustees ano
III me ~, ooard OF instruction to the welfare
affairs with integrity and fidelity. The
committee believe the quality of instruc
tlon at the present time to be of a high
order, While the positions of honor and
graduates have attained attest the char
acter of the instruction in the past The
building buildings are for the most part well
Gent for the 800 and more students now
there. and hopelessly inadequate to the
accommodation of the number which
may reasonably be expected in the Mex
two years. The same is true of the an
pIlances and apparatus in every depart
ment, excepting the agricultural
me committee speaks of the growth o.
manly bearing and creditable appearance,
OF the young men in attendance. and say;
that in excellence of instruction. orderl.
behavior of students, and all the infiu
character the college will take high
rank. But the work of the committee in
volved other considerations than tn
merits of the college as an institution o.
learning. 1t was required to report it
reasonable wants. and answer the ques
ton, what can the State be reasonabl,
asked to do for the college? The com
mittee endeavors to determine. in iustic
alike to the college and the people. i
there is any obligation on the part of tn
State to the college. or if the. support o
the college is purely question of edu
cational policy.
The committee takes a COMPREHENSIVE,
survey of the early years of college edu
cation in New England, the first agrcul
tural colleges. and the foundation. unde'
the agricultural college land grant bill
1862, of the Maine State college a few
years later. The college owes it's exist
ence to a belief that scientific farmin,
would be promoted by the education o
farmers sons. Z
1t is a matter of common knowledg
that this expectation has been far from
realized, and the occupations of it's grad
yates fully sustain the contention that i
cannot justly be considered an agricul
tural college: In 1892 the 3iS liyinf
graduates of the Maine State college
were employed as follows:
Farmers, 1
In industries allied to agriculture.
Civil engineers,
Mechanical engineers and allied in
duStries, z
Teachers. 9
Professors. instructors and superin-
tendents. II
Lawyers,
Physicians,
Clergymen,
Business.
Miscellaneous employment, 7
Total, "a
While the college may draw most CT it
students from the ranks of laboring lf'
it returns few or none there. The colleg
today in all practical workings is aschoo
courses are now open to all, without re
gard to residence, free-of tuition, and on
of these is an agricultural course
which is treated, according to the las
catalogue, as Il branch of technology.
BY accepting the national grant tn,
State assumed to supply suitable build
ines and appliances: 1t was not expected
that the State would be called upon foI
large and continuous appropriations.
The intent to commit the State to a larg'
annual outlay was distinctly disciaimed
by those most urgent for the acceptance ,spt
of the grant. But from 1867 to 1886, in
elusive. the State has appropriated fol
the college, 1888. 1880.
The following table shows the rapid ex
pansion of the college. and its present
condition relative to the other Maine col
leges: