The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-06-04
PRESIDENTS REPORT SHOWS
 WONDERFUL GROWTH AT AUBURN

1 throughout the year has been entirely sat | isfactory All students attend military I formations in two general roll calls and the military organization forms valuable I system for oversight and control. The l corps is now organized as regiment, eight companies. two battalions and two majors.
 | Improvements
 | According to the resolutions of the board of trustees at it's meeting in June, certain Improvements have been carried out during the year. It was absolutely Imperative that the engineering hall and the agricultural hall should be placed In condition that would fit them for use. About 425 students in the engineering col lege and about 400 students in the agri- cultural college needed the accommodate ticns immediately. To meet the demands of this large mass of students 1t was nec- essary CD to heat, light and furnish the engineering hall and to light the agricu1- tural hall An appropriation of $16,00O for these purposes was approved at the meet ing in June, but I take pleasure in stating that the work has been accomp- lished in partial manner that fitted them for immediate use during the past winter at an expense of a little over one-half or the sum authorized.
 Owing to the large increase in the department of mathematics 1t was found necessary to overhaul thorough ly the section rooms of this large de- partment. and by removing partitions and by general encouragement, there are now four most excellent and well lighted rooms adequately furnished and conveniently situated. This improve ment has been needed by the college for the last 20 years
 Needs of the College
 T beg to restate the urgent and inn mediate needs of the college which were set forth in my last report As stated. we have the buildings and the students, but as yet only bare equip ment. The imperative needs are as fol- lows
 CD 1nfirmary ..............s...S SIP 900 CD Equipment for Broun en-
 gineering hall .....4 4......... 5000 (3) Building for boiler house and
 machinery ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 10,0o0 (D Equipment of power plant. 1e,OOo (5) Equipment for electrical and
 mechanical engineering ...... 4,000 (6) Farm machinery building -. 5000 CD Equipment agricultural hall,
 six lecture rooms, laboratories 5000
 Total ................... s51 900
 Detailed estimates have been pre- pared for the expenditure of these sums. As previously stated in this report, Broun hall has been heated with an excellent vacuum system which utilizes our exhaust system. and the building has also been In part lighted. The agri- cultural building has also been lighted.
 Changes in Faculty
 "In November, 1911, Dr. F. A. Woolf reported for duty as plant pathologist of the aXnarfmaOf station He Is engaged Tn an important investigation on plant diseases, especially those af- fecting cotton and fruits. Dr. Woolf is an A. B. of the University of Ne braska and doctor of philosophy from Cornell university. He has done ex tensive work at the experiment. sta ton of Texas and also in cooperation with the United States department of agriculture. He comes highly recom mended.
 College Departments
 It may be of interest and value from time to time to refresh our minds upon the precise aim of our college. As you know, the land grant colleges of the United States were founded upon an act of Congress July ?, 1862, donating public lands to the several states. which may provide colleges for the benefit of the agricultural and mechanical sciences, or.
 
 for the endowment. support and mainten- ance of at least one college where the leading object shall be, without exelud- ing other scientific and classical studies and including military military tactics, to teach such branches of learning as are re- lated to agriculture and mechanic arts; for the liberal and practical education of the industrial classes in the several pur- suits and professions of life"
 Tn the original organization of the college on March 20. 1872 the board of directors keeping in view the terms of the above charter established the depart ments: CD Scientific agriculture, animal husbandry, rural agriculture. etc: @ civil and mining engineering. including rail- road engineering, road engineering, sur veying, assaying. treatment of ores and metallurgy; (3) chemistry. agricultural chemistry, analytical chemistry; the in stitution thus taking the lead of all the southern states in the establishment of these practical departments. (D In 1885, with increase of income the first depart inent of manual training and mechanic arts of the south was established. (5) In 1889 was established one of the first de- partments of biology. the first professor being now head of the great department of botany of Cornell university 60 In 1891 the first department of electrical engineering, and CD in 1907 the first de- partment of architecture.
 This Is a noteworthy record. (S.) In 1884 the college, in order to still fur ther limit It's activities more strictly and technically to the leading object of It's creation and to exclude itself abso- lutely from any province of educational work given in the state, abandoned the time honored course and degree of bachelir of arts. since which time it has conferred only one baccalaureate de- gree, that of bachelor of science. The remuneration was a great one. and was a supreme break with the old exclusive classical curriculum.
 70 C. TEACH. President"