The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1897-02-12
FARMERS AND MECHANICS.
Practical Education at the Ore
gon Agricultural College.


very large majority of Orego.
mans are ignorant of the magni-
tude and scope of the work being
accomplished by the Oregon Ag
ricultural College. Corvallisites,
even, hardly realize the greatness
of the national institution in their
midst.
Hardly visitor views the ex-
tensive apparatus of the college
and watches the hundreds of stu
dents at work in the various de-
partments, under the direction of
able and careful instructors, with
out expressing astonishment. Peo-
pie know Ill general way that
there is an Agricultural College
located here, that it is we'll at
tended, has number of profes
sors, and they suppose that some
thing is being done with Uncle
Sans splendid endowment. There
their impressions end. The ex
pertinent station, through its bul
leiins and farmers institutes is
better known.
The college is, in fact, worthy of
the princely aid extended by the
general government. Vigorous
complaints against certain Iea-
lures of the management that
have warmed local papers recently
should not be construed as criti-
cism of the real college work.
IT'S EQUIPMENT AND FUNDS.
The college has 165 acres of
land Immediately adjoining Cor
Wallis. The campus contains 35
acres. This property is easily
worth 100000. The main college
bii..,Iing was erected by citizens
OF Benton county at a cost of
$4,000. This building, the chem
zeal laboratory and conservatory
are in the campus proper. The
mechanical hall, ladies' boarding
hall and dairy building are in the
plaza adjoining. At some distance
from these are the barn buildings,
and still further stands Cauthorn
hall, the young mems club house.
These buildings, with the appa-
ratus they contain, represent an
outlay of over 100000.
The college receives from the
interest on its school land fund
about $4,000 per year. The Nor
rill act provides this year $4,000
from the general government and
the experiment station receives
$15, 900 a year from the provisions
of the Hatch act.
The teaching force is % strong,
beside number of assistants.
AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL.
The institution is a mechanical
college as well as an agricultural
college. There are two courses of
study offered, the mechanical and
agricultural. Both courses include
thorough instruction in the useful
sciences. Beside, there is course
in household. economy for young
ladies. These courses demand
practical application, as well as
study, and the object is to fit the
student for real life work.
MECHANICAL COURSE.
Mechanical hall is very large
building. The original brick build
ing, containing the engine room,
heavier machinery and black
smith shop is two stories and the
new addition is three stories.
1t has 4O-horse power engine,
50-horse- power boiler, wood and
iron working machinery, black
smith shop, dynamo, etc.
The students taking the mechan
ical course include nine Seniors,
fourteen Juniors, thirty Sopho-
mores and about As Freshmen.
The Freshmen are instructed III
wood work, Mr.. w. D. Pritchard,
a irst-class mechanic, having
charge of this branch of the work.
The chief idea is to teach the stu
dents the use of tools by having
them make various articles from
exercise drawings. Turning lathe,
band saw, palmer and jig saw are
the machines used here. Students
are also taught the use of hand
tools.
The second year class takes up
blacksmithing and the study OF
mechanical drawing. The stu
dents make tools from exercise
drawings, learn to temper steel,
etc. Clyde Phillips, a practical
blacksmith, has charge of this de |
partment.
The third year students are oc-
cupied in the machine shop, work.
ing in iron and steel. They learn
the use of the turning lathe, drill
press and hand tools. They work |
from exercise drawings. ~
The Seniors continue their Ju-
nior year work. Usually the fourth
year class build some machine.
The class of 1898 built dynamo.
The following year the Seniors
build an S-horse- powers engine
and last year the class made two
wood turning lathes, which are
now in use.
Il. q. Emmett, graduate of
the college instructs. the third and |