Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-06-24
NO ACTUAL SHORTAGE AT
STATE COLLEGE; REGENTS
REPLY TO CHARGES MADE

We found the approach to the
college a mass of cactus, sagebrush
and soapweed. This was cleaned
up and approximately 10 acres
painted to grasses, grains and
| shrubbery. with water to maintain
them. This approach was a dis
grace to such an institution, and
yet its eradication was made al
little cost. Now it is worthy of the
college.
Near the front of the college
buildings was a tract of college
land of one hundred acres which
was not producing. and much OF
! which was not broken out. This
was all improved and now is on
income producing asset,
We found the valuable library of
the college in building which is
almost a fire-trap. In case of fire
1.-THE library would undoubtedly
have been a total loss, while much
Of 1t could never have been re-
placed unless at great expense.
We moved 1t to part Of the engl-
neering building which is the most
nearly fireproof of all the build
ings on the campus.
We found no sewer system on
, the campus. The ground was al
most honeycombed with cesspools,
and many Of the closets were In
an exceedingly unsanitary condi-
ton. This condition was liable to
cause an epidemic at any time.
For this reason and because we
would not be allowed to receive
the army training schools herein
after described otherwise, We were
compelled to put in a sewer sys-
tenn which we believe has already
saved its cost many times over to
the people OF the state. 1t cost APP
proximately nine thousand dollars
We passed through two epidem
| les of influenza. We had no nos
pital facilities whatever, and none
! were available at a reasonable dis
lance. You have commented upon
| this condition yourself in CONVEX
sation. with members of the board
| We bought a small tract of land In
the middle Of the college tract
which should have been acquired
long ago. and remodeled the house
| located thereon for use as hospi-
| tai 1t is not large enough, but II
| was the best we could do with the
means at our command. Yet, dur
| ing three years, not one student
| has died at the college. ..
We found practically no animals
on the college farm fit for the pur-
poses Of such an institution, re-
| gardless of the fact that stock
| raising is one of the very most i'm
portant industries of our state
| With the aid of federal funds we
| purchased enough good animals OF
various breeds to enable effective
/ teaching and demonstration at low
prices. These animals are nov
worth much more than we paid
for them, in the opinion of COM
petent judges among whom are
members Of the college faculty
who know values of livestock. The
gift of splendid thoroughbred
horse, valued at $4,000, to the col,
lege, was secured through the eff.
| forts Of one of the members Of the
| board of regents.
There was no suitable place t
| keep or demonstrate these animals
We were compelled to build suit
able barns and pens to keep them
| and in which to teach students anc
| farmers how they should be kept
! This is as much the work of a col
lege of agriculture as any Other
work. The livestock association.
of the state, and their members
| have visited the college and have
approved enthusiastically the worl
done in this direction. For thu
first time in the history of the in
stitution these associations have
worked in close accord with it. anf
during the three years past man.
ations were held at the college. A
oe of these held on November II
1919, the officers OF the Cattle
mems association, without division
approved the work of the college
and pledged their support to Sc
cure more funds to enable 1t to d.
Its work more effectively. Never
has the college reached and assist
| ed so many people of our state a,
| during the past three years.
| The world war brought greatly
| increased demands upon the col
| lege. We were asked by the wal
| department to take over the teach
| ing Of a part of the student army
training corps, and what was
known as the Fighting Mechan.
les" We could not lag behind oul
sister states in this patriotic duty
| and we ought to have been de.
prived Of our citizenship If we had
| not responded. The willing fac.
ulty was ready to do its part oil
the increased work. We needed
quarters for an automobile school
additional engineering space. and
barracks to accommodate these
students, most of whom were from
our own state, though some were
detailed from other states. The war
department would not approve our
facilities without the sewer system
which we have described above. A
part Of the engineering buildings
constructed o. adobe had crumbled
down and we were compelled 10
replace it. With the aid of the
state council of defense all this
was accomplished and we can now
say that our state and our institu-
tons (for the State university and
the Military school also shared in
this work) did their part when the
government of the United States
called upon them. Two Of these
barracks afterwards burned, but
they were insured, as required by
law, and while we did not receive
their full cost or value, we did get
the nercentage of value required