Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-12-26

brary there consisting OF books which par
ticularly refer to agriculture. II any pro-
fessor OF student there wishes to avail
himself OF a general library, they mus,
Of necessity make q trip to the city campus
which entails a considerable loss OF time
travel and some expensI II the dean or
any professor In the Agricultural college
wishes to consult the chancellor or any
Of the administrative officers Of the uni
verslty. he must make a journey to the
downtown campus to do so. Il is needless
to say that this is a great waste Of time
and expense. The same thing Is true OF the
superintendent OF construction and OF
grounds and buildings and his assistants
much Of their time could be saved by a
consolidation Of the plants.
More buildings Imperative Need.
Thirteenth At the present time there is
great congestion in the Colleges Of Arts
and Sciences on the city campus. and the
same thing is true in the Agricultural
college and the School Of Agriculture at
the state farm II the imperative needs Of
these departments are met and the present
policy Of separation continues, there is alb
sOlutely no escape from duplication OF
buildings and equipment.
Fourteenth: Under present conditions at
farm
all coal and building material. as we'll as
other supplies have to be hauled by team.
The cost to the state last year for hauling
coal alone was nearly $1,000. For every
building which has to be erected or has
recently been erected about So cents per
ton is charged for drayage in getting the
material to the building site. Should the
policy Of moving to the State farm pro.
vail, trackage facilities can be obtained at
a relatively small cost, thus saving many
thousands OF dollars in the erection of new
buildings and greatly reducing the oper-
alive cost Of the institution.
Cost of Moving.
Fifteenth: From careful investigation
we find that by the expenditure OF twice
the amount asked for permanent improve,
ments by the Board of Regents for this
blennium we could move to the State farm
over two-thirds Of the student body Of the
university, leaving behind only the en-
cheering, law and medical students. To
acquire the necessary land in the city for
a moderate-sized campus of thirty acres,
IL this land were acquired east Of r street
would cost nearly as much money as would
build the buildings.
Sixteenth: The superintendent of con-
struction has informed the Board of Re-
gents that additional facilities and equip
ment are imperative for the power and
heating plants, both on the farm and city
campuses. To meet these requirements
more duplication must take place. unless
our present policy is changed.
Seventeenth The state has TO purchase
all Of the 'ater that is used on the down,
touT ,FN, -
the strong, salty character Of the water
underlying the city campus Il is unfit for
drinking laboratory or boiler uses The
cost Of this water aggregates a large and
increasing amount each year This could
be avoided by moving to the State farm,
where tie state owns a splendid water
plant and supply.
Eighteenth 1t is well known that IN
those states where the agricultural col
lege is separated from the main university
by a considerable distance It has been
found to be a very costly thing to main
tain them apart also that it causes con-
siderable friction and public feeling, which
would be unlikely to exist IL they were
consolidated and we believe II our present
policy continues we should invite the same
kind of trouble. The state of Minnesota is
almost identically situated with regard to
campuses, the distance between its agri-
cultural college and main university being
about the same. There Is much duplication
in the two plants, but fortunately for that
state the financial side does not embarrass
It, but they still have their troubles which
would not be likely to exist II the plants
were together.
Present Buildings.
Nineteenth. The present valuation of the
upon the city campus ia about
$500, 600, exclusive of what is known as the
Temple building. One of these buildings
has been condemned by the architect as
being unsafe, two Of the others within
the course Of a few years will have to
be dismantled and replaced, at present
being. entirely out Of accord with modern
hygienic and sanitary Ideals, and it must
be most detrimental TO the students 10 be
compelled to use them. The library IA
cilities are totally inadequate and the ques-
ton OF extending the library building has
only recently been discussed by the board
AS an objection to the consolidation scheme
It has been stated that there would be a
loss to the state II It were called upon
to relinquish the present site and move
h the State farm. We do not believe that
there would be the loss of single dol
lar, but, on the other hand, in the course
Of ten or fifteen years the state would be
many thousands OF dollars into pocket
and, besides, have a magnificent institu-
tion, Ideally located and operated at a
very much less expense than II dual in
situations are built up and have to be
Twentieth; During the last few years
the attendance at the university has rap
idly increased and there is every reason
TO believe that II will continue to do-so,
at the Agricultural college. for,
as 1t is well known, there has been
Wide interest aroused as TO the special
need the state and nation has to develop
this branch OF education, From stalls
tics It has been found that considerably
over 80 per cent OF these graduates return
10 the land, and that there is a great and
dissatisfied demand for teachers in agri-
cultural colleges and high schools The
agricultural colleges in every state have
A rapidly increasing registration and in
BUR state more and more OF the students |
from the School OF Agriculture are pass
ng into the college.
Twenty-first: The question of the earn |
ngs Of needy students has arisen In con-
lection with this discussion. From data
furnished the board, II Is estimated that
these earnings aggregate 8lOOO 900 per an