The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-09-29

4
Capitalization, while the training OF
the schools in the past, the leglsla-
ton and the organization of society,
have been distinctly individualistic.
| Here is a situation requiring a new
point of view, new type of training
and the one place to which we can
turn for help is the college and the
university.
In view of the great Importance Of
such an institution, it Is with some
trepidation that approach the formal
! definition of the term university"
| fearing that / shall understate rather
than exaggerate its larger meaning
:, A university is an association OF men
! and women brought together to study
! truth AS a place, 1t furnishes facili-
| ties and offers encouragement TO
| grapple with the problems Of life and
| thought; 1t is medium through
which people, either on its campus or
| in the commonwealth, may receive an
! uplift in right thinking; ii is an
agency for resolving the problems OF
| civilization into their parts and offer
ing some solution. More specifically,
| 1t works to develop the reasoning
| powers OF youth, to enlarge their
minds and instill virtue and order: TO
| enlighten men regarding the sciences
and comforts Of life; to inculcate hab-
its of reflection and correct action; to
| expound principles of government, to
study the principles of political econ
omy; to create leaders, statesmen,
Legislators, judges and to afford with
1t all the highest institutional train
4 in1 for ha nR ha
| wealth in the various callines for
which scientific training based upon
liberal preparation is desirable and
wise. 1t is, therefore to be distinguish
| ed from the technical and training
schools which receive their students
at the end of the intermediate period
| of the public school course AS the
years go on, the work of the univer-
| sity outside the College of Liberal
Arts becomes increasingly profession
| al and even in that college, where the
| attitude is cultural and liberal the
| tendency is toward a marked increase
| in scientific spirit and professional
point of view. The university now has
| colleges ready to prepare men and
| women for law, engineering, medicine,
| teaching and in some measure bust
ness. AS larger openings for women
make themselves apparent, training
will be provided in nursing, library
and domestic sciences. The institu-
ton will meet its duty to the people
of the state by preparing thoroughly
the young people who come to its
doors for service in specific callings
| after they have had adequate prelim-
| mary preparation.
Recognition of the need of broad
education for the professions is sure
to result in the requirement of more
study and preparation for admission
1t should be the avowed intention of
the university, so far as the high
schools, academies and colleges can
| meet the demand, to give over the
work of the first two college years.
In new community like that of North
Dakota many years will undoubtedly
pass before this result can be brought
| about, but already the medical col
lege requires two years Of academic
training before entrance upon the
medical course as such, while the law
school has before it similar standard
to be attained as quickly as conditions
make it possible. ~
Educational System of North Dakota
We forget sometimes that a state
university is a part of the educational
system of the commonwealth which
founded it, The effect should be to
affiliate it in every possible way to
the system. The makers of the consti-
tuition of North Dakota provided for a
| state university at Grand Forks, an
| agricultural college at Fargo, two
normal schools, one at Valley City and
one at Mayville, a school Of science
at Wahpeton, and Industrial school al
Glendale and a school Of forestry al
Bottineau. Such an array of institu-
tons creates a difficult problem OF
cooperation and CO. ordination the
first in the work of general education
and the second in specific courses OF
i study. 1t is desirable that there should
be full understanding and cordial feel
ing between these sister institutions
Such, / think, is the case at the pres
ent time. The farmers of the consti-
tuition and the legislature have had
clearly before them a differentiation
of function in the work of these insti-
tutions. Duplication Of courses and eff
fort are, on the whole, almost ut a
minimum as things stand today.
Praise for A. C.
/ The Agricultural college has the
magnificent field Of the industry OF
agriculture, not only as a great teach.
ing subject, but in its boundless op.
portunities for investigation, where
the larger force of its influence should
be placed. The normal schools are
confronted with the important dutS
of furnishing teachers for the elemen.
tary schools, duty which they are
well filling. To the school of science
and the manual training and industrial
school are given the work of tradt
schools in the manual and domestic
arts. Conflict in the courses Of these
institutions will arise only when the,
go beyond the natural work laid dowr
by the constitution and the legislature
Much comment has been heard on al
sides of the competition between the
university and the agricultural col
lege; but there is only one possibility
of conflict, and that Is in the field o.
engineering. If the agricultural col.
lege devotes its time to the teaching
! and investigation of agricultural sub
jects, the instruction In that investi.
cation of agricultural subjects, the in.
struction in that Institution will un.
doubtedly take the form Of courses II
such mechanical subjects only as ar,
closely related to agriculture leaving
engineering as professional subjec
to the university Secretary Wilson
In an address recently, stated: Mos
of our colleges today are strenuousls
4 at work turning out lawyers, doctors