Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-03-19
AGITATION FOR
CONCENTRATION.
DR.. Vincent Expresses Hope That
Higher Education Shall be
Unified in the West.
SITUATION IN THIS STATE.
Convinced That Utah Has n Chance TO
Avoid Inevitable Complications and
Dcplorablc Consequences.

In response to AN inquiry concerning
the present agitation for a concentra-
ton OF the higher professional educa-
tlonal work by Utah under the direction
of the state university, Prof. Vincent
said
AS a stranger ! hesitatcd 10 seem
to give unsolicited advice,r Tut from what
] know of the situation In certain states
Of the middle west, | am greatly In
terestcd In the proposed concentration
Of higher educational agencies in this
state, and sincerely hope that the pro-
posal VIII carry. | am convinced that
Utah has chance to avoid inevtable
complications and deplorabe cOnse-
quences by doing the wise aud far
sighted thing before It Is too late.
EVILS or ISOLATION,
"To maintain an agricultural or en-
sineering school an isolation from the
other schools of state university is ir-
rational, wastetul and socially unfortu-
Mate Each professional school gains
immensely from contact and close re-
lations with the academic and literary
department of the university and with
the other specialized schools. The very
fact that II is practically impossible to
define ana limit the scope Of separate
institutions Is significant. Duplication OF
plant and instruction is inevitable Inn
pairing of educational efficiency is the
unavoidable consequence. Again the
existence of rival schools appealing for
state aid is much to be deplored Each
institution has its group Of friends; the
Legislature Is divided into factions on
the question; compromises. log-rolllng,
etc, are sure to follow lll-feelng IS
engendered and instead Of widespread
loyalty to one comprehensive, Well-or-
ganIzed state university there Is con-
slant pickering and misunderstanding
between two or more artinclally sep
erated, and mutually suspicious educa-
tional centers.
VALUE OF CONCENTRATION.
"A state university is the center OF
the whole educational system OF the
commonwealth. and should be In the
closest relations with every part, ele-
mentary and secondary. All the studies
OF the schools should gradually lead
up TO the higher pursuits Of The cen
trial group of academic and professional
courses, Not that all pupls--or even
n large percentage of them--can go on
To them-can go 10 these higher pur-
suits, but the few OF special ability may
be discovered and carried 10 technical
efficiency for the service OF the COM
munity II is Of the utmost Importance
that the few who are being thus trained
for many different forms Of servic,
should be In close social contact and
cultivate feeling Of mutual respect
and good will
THE FORMER TYPE
1T Is especially true that those who
are preparing for scientific agriculture
should come IN contact with their fell
lows IN other departments. The time
has come to give farming "A scientific
basis and a professional standing. So
long as the farmer Is held up to urban
suicide as an uncouth unsophstlcated
rustic, 1t will be hard to draw the best
ability into the important, fundamen-
tai service OF agriculture. Nothing will
do more TO change the popular concep-
ton OF the farmer than to make the
agriculture course a regularly recog-
nized part OF the central university.
Utah has taken this matter up none
too soon. IL is 10 be hoped that locai
interests'-so often the greatest energy
of comprehensive and generously con-
ceiyed public undertakings. will not be-
able 20 thwart purpose which viii pilt
utah IN the van among the few states
which have been wise enough to cen.
tralize their higher academic and pro.
fesslonal schools"