The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1905-01-16

Lack of proper buildings and class
rooms is the greatest handicap of the
North Dakota Agricultural College.
A Forum representative recently visit
ed the college and must acknowledge
that he was both favorably and unfavor-
ably impressed. This excellent institu-
ton is literally congested with bright,
gentlemanly and ladylike lot of students,
generally from the farming districts,
and all seemingly intent upon improving
their minds and obtaining. knowledge
and training specially adapted to their
home environment A finer looking
bunch of young people cannot be found
in any other institution of the country,
nor a lot of students more intent upon
getting the most there is. out of their
opportunity.
President Worst and his excellent
corps of teachers are doing everything
within their power and consistent with
the space and other facilities the state
kas provided them with, to educate these
young people in the way they should 60.
But the facilities of the agricultural coll
Elege are not equal to the demands made
upon the institution. Right here, visit
|ors are not favorably impressed.
The new science building. it is true,
affords very fair laboratory facilities for
botany and zoology and for geology, and
the special equipment for these two
departments is good, though Profess
sor Bolley should have a greenhouse
erected at once to carry on his expert
mental work, winter as well as summer,
with wheat rust, fax-sick soil and other
plant diseases, as we'll as to furnish ma
.terial for his classes. Such a green
house would not cost to exceed $4,000,
and would be worth everything to the
grain growers of the state.
@ The academic departments, though
|overcrowded, are fairly we'll equipped,
and are presided over by most thorough
and enthusiastic educators.
The new heat and power plant is giv-
ing excellent satisfaction. 1t is modern
sin every part, and works admirably.
What the agricultural college lacks
most is buildings and other facilities to
illustrate and emphasize the special edi-
acational features the institution repre-
Eseiits Take, for instance, chemistry.
The work of this important science is
carried on iii d little brick building about
the size Of an ordinary dining room,
with every nook crowded and literally
piled up with apparatus and other
things usually found III such a depart
tnent. There is scarcely room to turn
around. Ii seems almost Incredible that
Professor Ladd should be able, in adj.
Editioi to his regular college and station
work, to do so much in the way Of driv-
ing adulterated food from the state and
Justly discrediting the dishonest manu-
factnrers Of counterfeit provisions be-
fore the whole country, iii such a hole
and with only $500 per year to do the
pure food work with. A new chemical
laboratory is one Of the imperative me-
Ecessities of the institution, and lie leg
stature should provide for It this
winter. There are many other interests
Iin the state that can afford to wait in
order to build and equip a modern
chemical laboratory at tlfe A. Gs Al new,
Ecfcrnical laboratory, fully equipped with.
modern apparatus, will cost in the
of 10000
Al visit to the horticultural depart
lfncnt revealed the fact that this import
ant branch of agriculture IS located iii a
room I'M the basement Of science hall,
Il I. ! -
a small library, II has no visible facili-
ties for illustrating the subject. Horti-
culture means much To North Dakota
farmers, and III the very least 4 suitable
building. with greenhouse attachment,
should be provided, where the subject
can be properly taught and the work
practically dcnaoslstr rated for tie benefit
|of students Professor Naldron thinks
that for fIic sum Of $4,000 he could
make this department mean something