Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-12-30

n ROM the time of the establish
r. ment of the Immigrant colleges
the question has been agltated,
In one form or another, as TO the
extent and character OF the field these
Institutions should occupy, tho rea-
lions that should exist between them
and other colleges and universities
During recent years the people have
become better acquainted with the
work the agricultural and mechanical
colleges are accomplishing In promot-
ing Industrial education and the
development of the industries and
resources of the country; and, conse-
quently. there Is better understand
Ing regarding the functions and scope
OF these institutions
Even yet, however, there Il a diver
gency of opinion on these questions.
In some OF the states there Is still
an agitation of the question as TO
whether the Immigrant colleges should
be primarily or exclusively trade
schools. their object being TO train
farmers sons for the practical work
on the farm, and tradesmen In black
Bmithlng, carpentering and other hands
crafts; or whether they should be strict
~ educational institutions OF college
grade. II the latter, should they be
schools of agriculture only, or should
their scope be broadened to include
other courses? What place should
these institutions occupy In the public
school system of the country? What
relationship should they bear TO the
state universities
That these important questions are
not yet definitely settled. and that there
Is no general agreement upon them.
even among educators, are conclusions
justified by the recent controversies IN
large number of states about the
distinctive spheres CT the universities
and land-grant colleges, and The wide
spread agitation, throughout the middle
and western states at least, of the
question as to the policy that should
be pu'sued IN the development Of the
state institutions OF higher education. For
example:
In South Dakota, last year. the Gov
ernor, IN his message 20 the State Leg
islature, reprimanded the state Uuiyer-
sity for unduly emphasizing, ms he
thought, the work i'm engineering; and
Offering courses in Latin
In North Dakota, two years ago, the
Governor recommended to the Leysla-
fure that unnecessary duplication Of
courses In the State University and
the Agricultural College be avoided
and that each institution should be
kept within its special sphere
LEGISLATIVE INTEREST.
In Iowa, the Legislature appointed
committees to visit the different state
institutions for the purpose of investi-
eating their needs and reporting on
the appropriations required. The COM
mittee appointed TO visit the University
recommended in its report that the en-
gineering courses offered by that insti-
tuition be discontinued. and that all
engineering work be concentrated in
the College Of Agriculture and Me-
chanic Arts. However, the Legsa-
ture made the usual apprt prlation to
the University for the maintenance OF
the engineering courses and special
appropriation for an engineering build
ing; but appointed a commission TO
consider the advisability OF putting all
state educational institutions under a
general board OF control.
In Colorado a bill was introduced in
the legislature providing for the APP
pointment OF a commission 10 adjust
the work Of the state university, the
Agricultural college. the state school
OF mines and the state normal school
The introduction of this bill was the
result Of the agitation that had con-
tinued for a number of years regarding
the respective fields that these ihstltu-
lions should occupy In the higher edu-
cational work OF that state.
THE STRUGGLE IN UTAH.
In Utah, after a protracted struggle
between the University and the Agri-
cultural college. extending throughout
the entire session of the last Legisla-
ture, over the question OF uniting these
institutions, or of transferring all en-
cheering courses from the college 10
the University, bill was finally passed
providing for the appointment OF
commission to investigate the question
OF college and university work, and TO
report, with recommendations, to the
next Legislature.
For number OF years the people OF
Montana were agitatlng the question OF
the ACCESSIBILITY of consolidating the
university. the mining school and the
agricultural college. In 1902, under the
authority OF the legislative assembly,