The Greeley tribune., 1908-07-22
Purpose of the Ag1i-
cultural College
Pueblo Chie:tan.

The unfortunate controversy 'ha'
has ARISEN over the afaiirs OF the
Colorado Agricultural college, and
that threatens to interrupt tempo
rarily AT least the valuable services
which that institution is rendering
to the people of the state. has re-
yealed two very different ideas as
to the purpose for which that school
is established.
Some of the persons connected Win
the college are of the opinion that IL
should be made college for tarm-
ers' boys and girls, and that IT'S
course should be planned IN sucn
way as to give broad and lioerai
education and culture with special
reference TO the needs and circuM-
stances of those students who ex-
pect to pass their lives on the farms
Another class of persons consider
the agricultural college to be rather
technical school. where farmers
may study farming in scientific
manner. and where farmers daugh-
ters may learn 10 perform their dut-
les in accordance with the most mod
ern ideas upon such subjects
II is evident that these two theor-
les differ considerably from each 9th
er. and they are IN some respects
Inconsistent.
II the agricultural college is TO be
made q general college for farmers
BOYS, then its courses should be
made as numerous and extensive as
possible. and there will be more or
less duplication of the courses that
are being gwen at the State univer-
sity at Boulder. and the Normal
school at Greeley, and the School OF
Mines al Golden
On the other hand if the agricul-
tural college is TO be made purely
technical school. its range and its
patronage will be considerably re-
duoed, and those farmers sons and
daughters who desire a liberal edu-
cation rather than technical train
ing. will be forced TO seek ii else
where.
The Chieftain is decided in favor
of making the Agricultural college
a technical school. and We do not
believe in the duplication OF courses
in the state educational schools,
which is leading 10 greatly increased
expenditures, without any compen-
satiug advantages
At the same time. there is no
doubt tha, the policy of limiting the
Agricultural college TO agriculture.
the School of Mines TO mining, and
the Normal school TO pedagogy, and
cutting out OF the State university
all courses in agriculture, mining
and teaching, has very important
disadvantages.
The fact OF the matter is that the
policy of dividing what ought to be
one big and strong state university
among four or more cities is a great
mistake. which ought never 10 have
been made, and which will always
be productive of evil results
The students al Greeley, at Fort
Collins, at Golden and at Boulder.
could do their work far better if
they we're all enrolled as students
of one great Colorado university.
with its buildings. equipment and
teaching force all located within
one city.
Probably the political system
that makes il necessary TO divide up
the departments OF higher educa-
tion among the cities of northeast
ern Colorado will always be strong
of these four schools. and so long as
this divisiop is necessary. it seems
10 b. much better TO require that
each institution shall keep strictly
within the lines of the purpose 70.
which il is established. rather than
10 multiply expense and to diminish
efficiency and lower the standards of
education in Colorado by trying TO
make four weak universities with
wide range of general education.