The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1905-05-26

OF the Buchanan educational Dill, which
passed the House of Representatives
last Saturday by vote Of IS to q, will
be known.
No measure presented for the con-
sideratiOn Of this Legislature has ex-
cited such widespread interest and
comment, and its passage through the
House was marked by an extended,
earnest and exhaustive debate.
One Of the strongest arguments, per-
haps, in favor Of the changes contem-
plated in the bill was afforded in the re-
port Of the joint committee appointed
10 investigate and report upon the Uni
versity Of Florida, which was submit
on the 18th inst.
The committee began its report by
noting a loss Of something like 75
students since the beginning Of the
year, "sOme on account of sickness and
others left because of irregularities and
failure to keep their work" OF the
lao students attending, u, or more
than 81 per cent, are residents Of Co
lumbia, the county in which the Uni
versity is situated. OF the entire num-
Der, 1913, or more than SO per cent, are
IN preparatory and commercial classes"
studying branches properly belonging
TO public county high schools and private
commercial colleges, thus depriving the
young people of the State, in a meas
ure, Of the facilities for education the
institution was intended to provide"
For these lao students there are 20
instructors, or one TO every seven stu
dents, receiving salaries ranging from
81, 900 to 81, 800, the president receiving
So, $50.
OF the buildings and equipment, the
committee reports that the chapel hall
Is in "a frightfully diIapidated condi-
ton, absolutely filthy, walls falling
down" etc; and that "many country
schools are much better equipped and
more decently kept" The new dormi-
tory we found built on up-to-date
plans, well equipped, large, airy and
cOmmodious" but the other two, lin !
bad condition, entirely unwholesome,
except the dining room and culinary
department, which was found in excel
lent condition" The mechanical build |
ing, erected when the college was es-
tablished more than IL years ago, is
completely worn out" and requires
replacement The gymnasium, "a very
beautiful building" with every equip
ment, Is already in a dilapidated con-
dition, showing serious defective con-
struction"
The space used For parade ground
Is entirely inadequate even for the
small enrollment;' the science hall,
costing $4,000, and intended for use as
a laboratory, etc, is chiefly devoted
to the use OF classes in preparatory
and other work"
1--WE learn that the trustees of the
university who have control of the ex-
penditure of the United States Govern
ment funds for supporting the Expert
ment Station have been accustomed to
use these funds for purposes contrary
to law Asa result OF this practice
the agricultural interests of the State
have suffered and the State will be
deprived Of part Of the Sl5,OO ap-
preparation to which ii will be entitled
for the next fiscal year. the United
States Department of Agriculture hav-
ing recently ruled to that effect"
Concerning the farm property the
committees report is very full, and
only meaRre extracts are possible.
The "model farm" Is declared by the
committee to be "a model only of what
should be avoided; that 1t is not adapted
to the purposes intended by the Legis-
lature; that II has not been used in the
manner specified by the act of appro-
priatiOn, and shows incOntestable inef-
fcienCy of management. On the
experiment farm" conducted under
the. act Of Congress. the committee
found almost no crops of experimental
value now grown" and found but one
student, resident Of Columbia county,
agriculture.
Considering the fact that the board
Of trustees Of this institution is com.
posed Of such citizens as j. ID. Gallo.
way and l., Harrison, of Lake City;