Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-03-01

backs upon these young men and say
to them: you can have the y. >
course, you can have the civil engineer
ing course and the other engineering
courses, but the 3. A. degree is left
alone to the three other institutions IN
this State" / wish you knew these boys
I know some OF them. 1t has been my
privilege to know many of the boys
who have attended that institution dur
ing the last 30 years. I have known
them to be poor boys. going there with
nothing but their hands with which to
work, going there with a healthy mind
a strong and sound constitution and a
determination to accomplish In this
world all that any young men can ac-
complish. And what has been the re-
suit? Look at the young men who have
graduated from here and have gone
gone forth and made useful citizens not
only in this State, but in every State
Of the Union. Look at those young men
who have been captains of industry,
who have pointed the way of connect
ing this New England with the great
West. One l have in mind who was
chief of the engineers of construction
on the Great Northern; others who
have been chief engineers of the great
roads of the West; one of the c., Il. &
O.; and three others I think OF ut this
time who have had charge of the en-
tire system of the Sante Fe-those great
roads which connect the Atlantic with
the Pacific ocean, and Maine has sent
the engineers to have charge of them.
What was the intention of this act
1t was in order to promote the liberal
and practical education of the indus
trial classes in the several pursuits and
professions of life. Is it not doing that ?
Is it not educating the industrial
classes today? And l claim that young
man can be better educated there
where the various branches are taught
than be can at an institution where
they take but one particular line. for
her must absorb more or less of the
other branches. A young man is like a
sponge, it will necessarily, when it is
dropped into the water, absorb that
water and so it is as they mingle witt.
each other. They obtain not only in
struction in one department, but enc
from the other; they obtain instruc-
ton in all the departments.
There is another question which has
arisen in some of your minds L think.
as to whether there is room in this
State for the four institutions that now
exist, as to whether there should not be
cut off one department of this institu-
ton 50 as to leave the others q monop-
oily of the r. a. degree. Have you ever
stopped to think. gentlemen, that in
this State that there are more than 210,-
OCO children? More than 100000 who are
seeking to obtain an education. And in
the High schools and academies we
have more than $4,000 children prepar-
ing it may be, very many of them 10Y
a higher education. From those 16,OO0
cannot all four institutions live, and
have they not each a mission? Let US
see a moment. In 1870 the three col
leges. Bates. Bowdoin and Colby. had
only 800 students. In 1895 those three
colleges had Go students, and in 1soo
they had go students. showing grad
ual increase as well as the CnlVerslt?
Of Maine made an increase. Today those
three colleges have about as many stu
dents as they can accommodate. Is
there not room for another? j say TO
YOU, gentlemen, were another collese
incorporated today, in five years III TINS
Srate it would have a sufficient number
of students. There need be no Jealousy
in regard to this. 1t is for the educa-
ton of the boys and girls of our State.
We arc not throwing our money away
when we are seeking to give them the
best education that is possible. We send
them out into the world as products of
this state and we are proud of them.
We don't want to send them half htted,
hut VIC want to send them with the best
we can give them, we want TO compare
fayorably with other states. Now L
ask of you in the name OF these stu
dents, 700 of them, who are there at
Orono, and 1 ask of you in the name or
the 10000 other students that are at
tending the High schools and acade-
mics of the State, to give this question
a careful consideration and let that
course for. the B. A. degree remain.
(Applause)
Mr.. SLOWER of Brunswick-Mr. Speak
er, this question is one so important to
the interest of the State and especially
to farmers Of the State, that 1 cannot
refrain from saying a few words on this
most modest request of the University Of
Maine. l was in the Legislature at the
time that the agricultural college was
discussed and its status established. AT
that time Waterville College came here
and made application to have the asrl-
cultural college attached to that institu-
ton. Prof. Smith of Bowdoin College
came here to oppose that measure and
arguing before the Legislature at an
evening session held in this House, that
the college should be distinct from any
other college, and should be strictly an
agricultural college, such as the Nor
rill Act contemplated. But if the State
should decide to add it to any other coll
lege Bowdoin was in line for the honor.
This recommendation was accepted and
such college was supposed to have
been established.
Who sold the land, who it was sold to,
and for how much, 1 do not know; bus
1 have always believed that this land
was not sold to the best advantage and
the matter was one that should have
been thoroughly Investigated long before
this.
I have always believed that the grant