Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-01-16
technical training of any kind has
been introduced.
Fifty Years AGO

been introduced.
Fifty Years Ago
Fifty years ago the University Of
Maine originated in exactly the OPP
posite emphasis to supply an evident
deficiency in the educational facili-
ties of our State on practical lines
and twenty-five years ago that en-
phasis was still predominant.
In 1907 the name of the Institution
was changed to the University of
Maine and the College of Arts and
Sciences was instituted although 1t
was the. intention of those in charge
of the institution at that time, as
publicly expressed. that the major
emphasis should still continue upon
the Colleges of Agriculture and
Mechanic Arts. The enrolment and
the distribution of the appropriation
among the several colleges today
would indicate that purpose to have
failed.
After a half century of experience
it would seem possible to chart
something of the future by the his
tory of our past. 1t is well that in
telligent and unprecedented citizens
of Maine should give careful thought
to the relation of the University to
the State.
Preoccupied with the remarkable
growth of the College of Arts and
Sciences and as a result of the ire
mendous interest in the last two
decades in the Industrial and Me-
chanic Arts as evidenced by the
swing of our population away from
the farm the College Of Agriculture
has suffered seriously from neglect
The curriculum in the two years
course in agriculture has remained
practically without change for near
ly twenty years. The keenest stu
dents of economics in our country
today are agreed that agriculture is
about to migrate back east to serve
the teeming industrial centers that
are SO near at hand. In the next
twenty-five years the addition OF
twenty-five million to our population
will require the maximum utilization
of the resources of our New England
farms. Self-interest and national
obligation alike require that our
State and our University should be
pioneers in exploring the possibilities
of this new economic day.
OF Tremendous Service
The College of Agriculture and the
Agricultural Experiment Station can
be of tremendous service in the
proper development of our State and
must not be hampered in any way,
for any reason, in the cultivation of
our children and our farms.
Five thousand boys and girls en-
listed in our Agricultural Clubs under
the splendid leadership of our County
Agents are an impressive indication
of the virility of our agricultural
life and a guarantee Of the future
of our New England farms. They
are a tribute to the Agricultural Ex-
tension work. They will soon be
knocking for admission to the
technical education which 1t Is so
important they shall receive in order
to be of the maximum service to the
State here at home.
4 dozen leaders in each agricul-
tural community in our State pro-
perly trained in modern production
with the labor-saving devices that
must necessarily be used and trained
also in the proper utilization of their
various soils and in intelligent mar
ketng of their products can revival
lie the agricultural life in every
section of our State.
No state or nation has ever reared
pei pioobCiOuo PCOPiO S-A
cept upon the foundation of a sound
agricultural life.
Certain of our ma or industries are
likely also to find increasing use for
the technical training of our boys
and girls. Engineering problems
within our State particularly in con-
nection with our highways will also
furnish limited field that will
somewhat steadily expand.
How Far Shall We Go
Beyond this unitarian point we
face sGuarely the question of how far
the citizens Of the State shall deem
it wise to go. In 1905 in the three
Maine colleges devoted solely to So
called liberal education and support
ed almost entirely by private contri-
button there were enrolled 919 stu
dents of whom 745 came from the
State of Maine. Today there al 1745
students enrolled in these three
Maine colleges and If the same pro-
portion held 1405 of their number
would come from the State of Maine.
Instead of this we find an enrolment
of 1926 students from the State. of
Maine and the remainder from out
side. Meanwhile six hundred and
seventy-five of our boys and girls
have turned for their liberal educa-
ton to the University of Maine.
The Maine colleges. although sup
ported by private contributions have