The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-14
President Denny Points to Proofs of Excellence at
 The University
CITES THE COURSE
 IN ENGINEERING
Says That Even Alabamians Are Not Familiar With the Phenomenal Development of the Past
 Few Years
To the Editor of the Age-Herald:

To the Ed1tOr or the ABe-f1eia4us
 Thave read with interest your editorial In today's issue entitled 'iThe Demand Tor Educated Men" You are to be con- graduated in view of your interest in the progress and development of higher edu- cation in this commonwealth
 Your editorial, however, does not show that you have fully realized the extent to which the University of Alabama has already developed it's courses in engineer ing and mining It has been surprising to me to find that many intelligent citi- zens of Alabama really do not know what has been done at the University of Alabama in recent years to develop high grade college of engineering.
 This lack of information is perhaps not surprising when it is considered that the phenomenal development along these lines has taken place only in recent years. For a long period there was no adequate provision made for the teaching of en- gineering at the University of Alabama. Five years ago, however, the legislature provided for the erection of an engineer ing building that is considered by many expert critics the finest building of the kind in the south. The equipment of this building, its laboratories and shops. is likewise regarded as in every way first class The work in technology at the University of Alabama has made won- derful strides within the past three or four years. find that even the alumni of the University of Alabama of former years have no adequate conception of the present facilities for technological work now available at this institution. It is surely to the interest of this state that these facts shall be known.
 It is true that only modest numbers are availing themselves of these greaf opportunities. This is largely due to the admission standards and to the fact thai some people have not yet gotten accurate information concerning the standard ad vantages offered. These facts, however have proved a great advantage to tht young men who are taking the course here since they are not working side by side with crudely prepared men and un' der cramped conditions. while on the oth' CT hand they have direct touch with tho head of each department and are as SoCldleu Wltll yOunS bltll ANeAhy AANNNN hs study engineering. Here let me remari that engineering is a difficult study, anc not one young man in five who undertake. to study it is fitted for the task.
 The great expert standardizine agencies of this country have recently made critical examination of the stand ards and of the equipment of the insti- tutions of higher learning throughout the nation. This examination included the schools and departments of tech nology It ought to be gratifying tc all the citizens of Alabama to know that these two agencies have declared that the University of Alabama is, in every department, standard institu- tion of learning. This great fact has meant much to the standing of Ala bama in other sections of the country.
 It is easy for partisan friends to as- sert that the particular college 1T which they are especially interested is a standard institution and to compare it with other institutions to its ad- vantage. Such testimony, however, is of little or no value. It Is partisan testimony. To whom shall we appeal to give impartial and expert judgment in such matter? There are, as l have explained, only two such agencies at work in higher education in this coun- try One is the national bureau of edu- cation at Washington, and the other is the Carnegie foundation for the ad- vancement of teaching at New York.
 During the past year the national bureau of education at Washington has issued a report in which the University of Alabama. in all its departments, is given high rating. This expert judg- ment has given great satisfaction, not merely to the alumni and friends o the University of Alabama, but also tt all sincere minded citizens of this com monwealth, who are willing to regar' educational progress in general as of greater importance to the civilization of our people than mere partisan in- terest in any single institution of learning.
 In addition to this impartial expert testimony by the department of higher education of the national bureau oi education al Washington, we have the impartial expert testimony of Presi- tion, the second great impartial eX- pert standardizing agency in this coun- try. President Pritchett, in his last report in speaking of the academic department of the University of Ala bama, declares that this institution is doing "college work of the first grade Gsncerning the college of engineering