Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-08-02
VERMONT AND VOCATIONAL
IRRIGATION.

! EDUCATION.
| The way in which the achievements OF
| the late and lamented u. S. Senator
Justin s. Morrill, In the educational held
figures in connection with the tentn
annual bulletin Of the Carnegie Founda-
ton for the Advancement Of Teaching
affords every patriotic Vermonter rea-
son for justificable pride in the extent to
which the Green Mountain State has been
glorifed by its distinguished sons, Morriii
and Page. in this sphere.
The tenth Bulletin, which is entitled
study Of federal aid for vocational edu-
cation, and which Is the work OF DR.. l. Il.
Handel Of the Foundation STAFF, traces IN
Part I the legislative history Of federal
aid for education and presents detailed
analysis Of the debates in Congress on the
numerous bills introduced at various times
between 1857 and 1890 by Senator Justin
s. Morrill, for the establishment OF land
grant colleges. as we'll as the bills for
agricultural experiment station appro-
priations and increased grants for land
grant colleges and experiment stations.
Such an analysis brings out prominently
the fact that the educational aspect OF the
problem received but the scantiest at
|tention. The chief interest Of Congress-
linen, indeed, was in the constitutional
Questions involved: first. whether the fed
eral authority had the right to make the
lErants proposed. and secondly. whether
such grants would not ultimately involve
Ysome interference with State rights. The
fears that were expressed in the earlier
debates that such grants would prove to
be the entering wedge for further de-
mands on the federal treasury were soon
realized.
Senator Morrill, began to introduce bills
for additional grant to land grant col
leges in 1872, ten years after the passage
of the First Morrill, Act. and was him.
self responsible for no fewer than seven
such bills between 1872 and 1890. when his
efforts were finally crowned with success.
The study throws some light on the vexed
mechanic arts" Nothing is clearer. says
the Bulletin, than the fact that Senator
Morrill, had originally no intention of es-
tablishing engineering colleges by the
blanket provision for mechanic arts. His
main purpose in 1857 and 1862 was clearly
to help the farmer The precedent estab-
lished by the Morrill, Act facilitated the
appropriation of grants for agricultural
experiment stations in 1887 and their in
crease in 1905.
The second part of the Bulletin is de-
voted to a study Of many Of the questions
to which the preceding analysis gave
rise,-the Constitutional and Educational
Presidents Of the movement for federal
aid for education. After tracing what had
already been done for education by the
federal government. the constitutionality
Of grants Of public lands for education
and the consequent position of the federal
government in its relations with the
states in the matter Of supervision and
control are considered.
The Bulletin attempts to throw some
light on Senator MorriNs relation to
the movement for federal aid, and indi-
Gates that the movement was we'll under
way before the Senator undertook its ad-
vocacy. Reports on European agricul-
tural schools were in circulation at the
time and numerous petitions had already
been made to Congress for grants OF
public lands for educational purposes. and
a clearer conception Of the particular
function Of agricultural and mechanic
arts colleges had been formulated by
predecessors of Senator Morrill,. A Sec
Of military training in land grant colleges.
The third part gives an account of the
Subsequent Developments Of the Morrill,
Act, and discusses the influence Of this
precedent on the recent movement for
the extension Of the principle Of federal
grants to the whole field Of vocational
education. The conclusion is reached that
the recently passed Smith-Hughes Act Is
reproducing the history Of the Morrill,
Act in involving the federal government
in great expenditures Of money before a
sound educational policy and system of
supervision and control have been FORM
'ulated. The Bulletin says: There is a
danger that this important defect may
lead to a repetition of the development of
the. land grant colleges which for more
than thirty years failed to make any
great contribution to education. as is
shown by the small number Of students
and the inadequacy of the curricula which
are compared at intervals of about
twenty-five years The success OF the
land grant colleges was not assured until
each state recognized the need Of them
and began to make contributions which
have far outstripped the contributions of
the federal government. State genera
sity is not stimulated merely by federal
bounty but by a recognition OF the edu-
cational need. The greatest contribution
that the federal government can make
at the present time is to establish strong
and influential Department OF Education
for the purpose Of conducting educational
inquiries and of serving as clearing
house for the best educational information
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