lying sciences. Agriculture, engineering, and home economics are the most conspicuous of these technical subjects. Most of the discussion of this study is devoted to the institutions classified under the first two groups, since these institutions resemble more closely the land-grant type than do those of the third group. Such statistical information as is given, however, relates to the total of 69 land-grant institutions, and includes the aggregates or totals for the land-grant universities instead of merely those for the technical colleges that are organized within them under the Morrill Act. This treatment has been necessary because the desired data were not available for the technical colleges separately. In general, the land-grant colleges are concerned not only with instruction of students in residence, but are also conspicuous for the work of their experiment stations (especially their researches in agriculture) and for their extension service in agriculture and home economics. A typical organization of a land-grant college includes the following three divisions: Resident instruction, research or the experiment station, and the extension service. For this reason, and also because there is specific Federal legislation relating to each of these phases of the work, they are considered separately in this study, although general statements regarding the program as a whole are also made. The relation of the land-grant colleges to the total pattern of public higher education varies from State to State, since public higher education is organized differently in the different States. These differences are to be found even among institutions belonging to the same general class. In some States in which land-grant colleges are maintained separately from the State university, definite steps have been taken to secure coordination of the two institutions, with the practical result that there is one university even though it is located in two or more centers. In other States the land-grant colleges are quite independent of the State universities, and there may be considerable duplication of effort. In some cases in which they are separately maintained, the land-grant institutions have become essentially universities in themselves. The wide variation in functions performed and relationships sustained makes it difficult to discuss the land-grant institutions briefly without the danger of confusion. This should be borne in mind in reading this study, which attempts to outline the main features of the land-grant institutions with particular reference to the relationships to them of the Federal Government and of the States in which they are located. 127403°-392 CHAPTER II FEDERAL AID FOR RESIDENT INSTRUCTION During the first half of the nineteenth century there was a widespread interest in agricultural education in the United States, and prior to action by the Federal Government several States had established colleges of agriculture. Federal action came in 1862 in the Morrill Act. Legislation First Morrill Act.-Justin S. Morrill, then a Representative, and later a Senator, from Vermont, first introduced a bill in Congress in 1857 for the establishment of an agricultural and mechanical college in each State.' The bill finally passed both Houses, but was vetoed by President Buchanan on February 26, 1859.2 Late in 1861, Morrill reintroduced the bill. It was again passed by both Houses, and became law with President Lincoln's signature in 1862.3 Although the Morrill Act became the foundation of a national system of education in agriculture and mechanic arts, it was in part the outgrowth of steps that had been taken prior to its enactment by several States to establish colleges for instruction in agriculture. It seems clear that, although the Act and the supplementary legislation stimulated the development of these institutions, they would probably have developed in time through State efforts. There has been much discussion since the passage of the First Morrill Act as to its true intent. In the Act the purpose is stated in the following words: the endowment, support, and maintenance of at least one college where the leading object shall be, without excluding other scientific and classical studies, and including military tactics, to teach 1 Alfred C. True, A History of Agricultural Education in the United States: 1785-1925, U. S. Department of Agriculture Miscellaneous Publication No. 36 (Washington: U. S. Government Printing Office, 1929), pp. 95-104. 2 Ibid., p. 103. Ibid., pp. 104-6. 8 such branches of learning as are related to agriculture and the mechanic arts, in such manner as the legislatures of the States may respectively prescribe, in order to promote the liberal and practical education of the industrial classes in the several pursuits and professions in life.* In 1867 Mr. Morrill was invited to discuss his views regarding the purpose of the legislation with several faculty members of the Sheffield Scientific School, which was at that time the land-grant college for Connecticut. Professor Brewer of the group reported that Mr. Morrill said he— wished the bill to be broad enough so that the several States might use it to the best advantage. For this a wide latitude of use was necessary. The general wants and local conditions were very different in the different States and for the best use of this fund there must be much variety allowed in the details, although all the colleges should be the same in spirit and essentially of the same grade, that is-colleges, in which science and not classics should be the leading idea. He expected the schools to be schools of science rather than classical colleges; that the schools be, in fact, colleges and not institutions of lower grade. But in all he wished as a prominent feature the "useful sciences” be taught and that where the natural influences of the studies might have less tendency to draw the students into purely literary and professional pursuits and away from business pursuits.5 Speaking at the Massachusetts Agricultural College in 1887 Mr. Morrill set forth his views on the general purposes of the Morrill Act in the following words: The Land-Grant Colleges were founded on the idea that a higher and broader education should be placed in every state within the reach of those whose destiny assigns them to, or who may have the courage to choose industrial vocations where the wealth of nations is produced; where advanced civilization unfolds its comforts, and where a much larger number of the people need wider educational advantages, and impatiently await their possession. The design was to open the door to a liberal education for this large class at a cheaper cost from being close at hand, and to tempt them by offering not only sound literary instruction, but something more applicable to the productive employments of life. It would be a mistake to suppose it was intended that every student should become either a farmer or a mechanic when the design comprehended not only instruction for those who may hold the plow or follow a trade, but such instruction as any person might need—with "the world all before them where to choose”—and 4 Sec. 4. ¿ Quoted from original manuscript by True, op. cit., pp. 107-8. without the exclusion of those who might prefer to adhere to the classics. Milton in his famous discourse on education, gives a definition of what an education ought to be, which would seem to very completely cover all that was proposed by the Land-Grant Colleges; and Milton lacked nothing of ancient learning, nor did he suffer his culture to hide his stalwart republicanism." Speaking before the Vermont Legislature a year later Mr. Morrill expressed himself as follows: Only the interest from the land grant fund can be expended, and that must be expended, first-without excluding other scientific and classical studies-for teaching such branches of learning as are related to agriculture and the mechanic arts—the latter as absolutely as the former. Obviously not manual, but intellectual instruction was the paramount object. It was not provided that agricultural labor in the field should be practically taught, any more than that the mechanical trade of a carpenter or blacksmith should be taught. Secondly, it was a liberal education that was proposed. Classical studies were not to be excluded, and, therefore, must be included. The Act of 1862 proposed a system of broad education by colleges, not limited to a superficial and dwarfed training, such as might be had at an industrial school, nor a mere manual training, such as might be supplied by a foreman of a workshop, or by a foreman of an experimental farm. If any would have only a school with equal scraps of labor and of instruction, or something other than a college, they would not obey the national law. ... Whatever else might be done under the national law of 1862, scientific and classical studies, as already stated, were not to be excluded, were, therefore, to be preserved, and this is set forth at the very starting point, but the national bounty act brought to the front "branches of learning related to agriculture and the mechanic arts"learning in the broad fields of the practical sciences, and none are broader than those related to agriculture. The useful was to have greater prominence in the eyes of students, as it will have in all their after-life, and not stand unequal and shame-faced even in the presence of ancient literature. . . The fundamental idea was to offer an opportunity in every State for a liberal and larger education to larger numbers, not merely to those destined to sedentary professions, but to those much needing higher instruction for the world's business, for the industrial pursuits and professions of life." • Justin S. Morrill, Address, Massachusetts Agricultural College, Addresses Delivered June 21st, 1887 . (Amherst, Mass.: J. E. Williams, 1887), p. 20. ... 7 Justin S. Morrill, An Address in Behalf of the University of Vermont and State Agricultural College (Burlington, Vt.: Free Press Association, 1888), pp. 6, 10-1. |