The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-01-19


be duplicated at the agricultural col
lege."
Would Deprive None.
I would be the last to ask that any
other institution of the state be de-
prived of any of the work that it has
attempted to do. That is not for us
to say. 1t is enough that we be given
an opportunity to offer the courses
whicH shall be needed to educate the
farmers and Industrial workers Of the
state. The statement is implied in
the foregoing that the agricultural
college offers no courses in civil and
mechanical engineering, which is far
from true. Our sister institution was
established and in existence nearly ten
years before the A. G. was opened, and
1t had no courses in engineering. The
agricultural college offered courses in
engineering for seven years after 1t
was established before any engineer
ing work was undertaken in our sister
said that the agricultural college
should not duplicate courses offered at
the university?
Why Not At A. c.?
Again, want to ask why teachers
intended for the agricultural high
schools, for the SCHOOLS in the rural
sections in general. should not as well
be prepared at the agricultural col
lege as at any other institution in the
state? Would not the teacher of his
tory or mathematics or language be
as we'll qualified to teach in the pub
lie schools Of the state, from the A.
c., and would not their sympathies be
more likely to tend towards agricul-
tural requirements than those who are
educated. in institutions not sympa'
thetic to the needs of agriculture? Ano
yet, under the provisions Of the sur
vey the A. c. Is deprived Of furnishing
teachers of this type, although the
wording of the report is somewhat
ingeniously arranged.
Survey curtaiIs Work.
Again, the survey says: mo de-
grees to be given in the sciences? 1t
should be given here."-Referring to
the A. C. ,....,-.,.
What does this mean? Are no de-
grees to be given in the sciences 1t
does not say in liberal arts and
science, but in the sciences. Does this
mean that our course in chemistry,
our course in biology, our course in
general science, intended for the train
ing Of workers are to be eliminated
and taken away from the A. c.? If so,
is that the wish and desire Of the
farmers of North Dakota. and Of the
citizens of the state in general.-that
the A. c. shall be deprived of the OPP
portunity to give courses which are
intended to fit men for research work
in the science of chemistry? If so,
who are to train the men for our ex-
pertinent stations and for all lines Of
research work that. is to be carried
on? Certainly, the wording Of the re-
port is far from clear.
Act of Legislature Needed.
I beg to say, therefore, in a humble
way, that 1t is my belief that the mat
ter has now reached such a condition
that there can be no settlement of the
question without an act Of the legis-
lature that shall fix once for all what
shall be taught in connection with the
agricultural college. And while 1T
may be said that have gone out Of
my way in making a public statement
at this time, yet I feel so keenly and
deeply the interests Of the agricultural
college that believe it is my privilege
and duty to call your attention to its
needs, and to say that If the legisla
ture were to enact a law something
like the following, it would for all
time. or until the legislature chose to
again change the law, determine what
are the rights of the agricultural col
lege.
Outlines Act.
An act defining the educational work
to be undertaken at the North Dakota
Agricultural college and to provide for
the future development of the same.
Be 1t enacted by the legislative as
sembly of the state of North Dakota:
Section 1. It is hereby made the duty
Dakota Agricultural college to provide
for and carry out the full educational
policy as contemplated in the federal
act of 1862, known as the Morrill, act,
"a pn1laRAq
and as guaranteed by the state Of
North Dakota in the act accepting the
conditions of the national grant and of
all subsequent federal acts extending
and charging the duties of the land
grant colleges and of their relation to
the vocational education of the state,
and in the providing of financial sup
Engineering Included.
To this end there shall be offered at
the North Dakota Agricultural college
degree courses, as now provided for, In
agriculture, in home economics, in edu-
Science, in general and applied science,
and in mechanic arts, including me-
chanical engineering; civil engineering,
architecture, chemical engneering,
automobile engineering and in electric
al engineering as required to serve the
needs in agriculture and the industries,
and degree and non-degree courses in
all lines of agricultural and industrial
contemplated in the federal act, at least
one college where the leading object
shall be, without excluding other scien-|
tific and classical studies and including
military tactics, to teach such branches
of learning as are related to agriculture
and mechanic arts in such manner as
the legislature of the state may pre-
scribe in order to promote a liberal
and practical education of the indus
trial classes in the several pursuits and
professions of life.
With a law as above outlined, we
have taken nothing away from any
other institution; we have not en-
croached upon their work or determin-
ed what they shall offer. We are only
asking to be protected in what the
agricultural college is already offering
and what 1t has a right to" continue to
offer for the benefit of the agricultural
and industrial classes of this state. AS
to whether such a course shall be fol-
lowed or not remains for you as citi-
Gems of the state to determine. If it is
your wish and will that the A. G. shall
offer only those courses in agricultural
in oin nTin hot