The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-04-27
By VIII T. sheehan

Auburn, April s26.--(Special C5rre- spondence)-The Alabama Polytechric Institute is splendidly equipped for its work of broadening. widening and pol isEirg, the youths of the State, for ;he efforts and the struggles that await them in the years that lie outside and beyond the college course.
 In all the South there is hardly, a college better fitted in diverse equip ment to give aid and afford illustration to the seeking student. Even in the academic department which one would naturally but enormously suppose to be spbordinated to the technical work of the Institute the tangible aid that can be given by full and complete equipment is all that could be required or asked for at the present time. For example there is splendid library oc-- cupying a suite of three rooms and containing some 10000 volumes. This library. too. has been built I'D since the year of 1887 when the main build ing of the college, the one that came to it from the old East Alabama Col lege, was destroyed by fire and with 1t the library that had been industrious- ly collected from the founding of the college up to that time. This total of 10000 books does not include the great number of pamphlets and unbound publications which have been sysle- matically collected by the college au- thorities.
 A fine museum is an important ad- junct of the college. It is rich in spec imens of the various forms assumed by the mineral riches of Alabama for un- der the law the State Geolosist, al- though a member of the faculty of the State University at Tuscaloosa is re- quired to place In the Auburn a dupli- cate of whatever mineral collections he makes.
 The phase of Auburn life which soonest attracts the attention of the visitor is the military feature. It has been a military school since it's organ fZafinn and the college authorities have no desire to change 1t. They are per suaded as to Its benefits to youth ripening into manhood and are content and satisfied with its results to the college. The student Is required only to take military in his first two years In college. At the end of that time 1t Is considered that he has received sufficient military instructions for Sen eft In the ordinary walks in life. The juniors and the seniors. however, may if 1t pleSses them, have part in the military until the completion of their term at college. From these two classes the officers. of the fine cadet battalion are recruited.
 The commandant of this cadet bat talion Is Colonel B. s. Patrick whose direction and command of the military feature of the school has been satis- factory to a degree. The War Depart ment officials are bringing pressure to bear upon. the land grant colleges to have regular army officers assigned to take charge of the military work. In the past Auburn has had a number of army officers who have later distin- guished themselves and risen to u high place in their profession,I How ever. the officials of he institution are well pleased with the present admIn- istration under a commandant who Is not an army officer. It has been made plain to the land grant colleges by the War Department that the institutions which have army officers can conf1- dently look for more favors than those which are Rot so supplied, but Auburn Is satisfied.
 Experiment Station Work.
 The work of the military, the trans formation of an awkward youth into