The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1913-01-22


science at Ames, for the work is not
only discontinued at the university,
but it is "centered" at Ames, in the
words of the resolution of the board.
There is, then, not only bubble up
on the word establish" but upon the
word it, for when the committee
says that the board does not estab-
fish it at Ames, the word may mean
two things; 'it' may refer to the en-
gineering work of the university, or
it may refer to engineering work
in general, or as distinguished from
other subjects. We repeat, the board
by "centering" engineering at Ames
does there establish the engineering
work formerly done by the univer-
sity; in other words, it dismantles
pro tanto' the university; it strips"
the university of so much that right
fully belongs to it; it removes" this
department from the university, ALL,
as claimed by the alumni and Mr..
Lehman. Let it be remembered that
to "centralize' certain work at
Ames 1t is necessary to remove
something from another place; en-
cheering is not merely to be contin-
ued at Ames, it is to be Centralized"
there.
After thus enormously stating the
claims OF the alumni and Mr. Lehman
to the effect that the board has no
power to discontinue the college of
applied science, the committee proceed
to discuss the sections of the consti-
tuition and the statutes applicable.
The first argument to be noticed Ca
| rival 0nc irinnIl hot 4,
definition of a word does not suit the
legislature, it (the legislature) may
change the definition and farther on
in the committees argument, it is
commended that the legislature did in
the code of 1897, exclude the college
of applied science from being neces-
sarily part of university, by reas-
on of the fact that it is not specially
named therein. Now let it be con-
ceded to the committee, that words of
doubtful meaning may be defined by
the legislature; it does not follow that
word the meaning of which is plain
and unquestionable for forty years
can be defined by a legislature, so as
to nullify the organic law of the state.
Engineering has been recognized as
part of the university since 1879
II the argument of the committee is
sound, what would prevent the legis-
lature's enacting that the university
shall include nothing but college
OF dentistry and then allowing the
state board of education to discon-
tlnue mote we'll, not remove) all 9TH
er colleges at the university and
center" them at Ames and at Cedar
Falls, or distribute them among 9TH
er towns of the state.
But even if the above argument of
the committee in all its novelty was
valid, still the board has no way out.
TO show this it will not be necessary
to consider all of the statutes cited
and quoted by the committee, for it is
upon section 2640 of the code of 1897,
that they make their stand. 1t is this
statute which, it is claimed, redefines
university and places with the board
the power to discontinue engineering
at the university and center it at
Ames. The pertinent part of the law
is as follows: 1T (the university
shall include collegiate, law and
such other departments, with such
courses of instruction and elective
studies as the board of regents may
determine! What conclusions are
drawn by the committee? That ut
| is nowhere said that the university
shall include instruction or course
in engineering or an applied science
college,"
The answer is brief: In 1897, the
year of the said code, there was no
applied science college," and of course
thoro onl1H "a 70
already existing; and as yet, engin-
eering was not usually. if indeed any
where in the United States, organized
into college, it was not likely that
the law would refer to a college of ap-
piled science; but the complete an
swer is that in 1897 and for forty
years prior thereto. the study of en-
cheering was part of the collegiate
department and the collegiate depart
ment is specifically mentioned as be-
ing included in q university, by the
1897 CODE section 264O. So, by the
committees own argument, the board
cannot even discontinue engineering
at the university. to say nothing of
also centering it at Ames, for says
the committee, "Te legislature by it's
enactments has. with the exception of
naming the collegiate and law depart
ments, conferred on the board of ed
ucation the power to determine what
departments and courses of instruc.
ton and elective studies shall be
maintained at the university" BY
this statement the board admits that
it cannot even discontinue engineer
ing, for as we have shown. at the time
of the law in question, engineering
was part of the collegiate depart
ment. If my argument upon this
branch of the case is not sound, think
of the result of the boards power.
Suppose the subject of education
should be organized into college
(already it has been made school"
just as engineering was first made a
school and afterwards a "collegeO |
the subject of mathematics likewise,
also geology, botany and zoology into
a college of science" and indeed
most of the other collegiate studies;
then the board could discontinue
them; and if it wished center" them
at other places so that as net re-
suit of the boards action the only col
lege that could remain would be the |
law college, because, says the board, |
only the collegiate and law depart
mentS are mentioned in the code of |