Maine State Legislature
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
MAINE STATE LEGISLATURE The following document is provided by the LAW AND LEGISLATIVE DIGITAL LIBRARY at the Maine State Law and Legislative Reference Library http://legislature.maine.gov/lawlib Reproduced from scanned originals with text recognition applied (searchable text may contain some errors and/or omissions) Public Documents of Maine:1, BEING THE ANNUAL REPORTS OF THE VARIO US Public Officers and Institutions FOR THE YEAR 1897. VOLUME II. AUGUSTA KENNEBEC JOURNAL PRINT 1897 ANN1J1\L REPORT OF THE MAINE STATE COLLEGE FOR THE YEA~ 1896 PART I PART I-Reports of Trustees, President, Departments, and Treasurer. PART II-Report of the Director of the Agricultural Experiment Station. AUGUSTA KENNEBEC JOURNAL PRINT 1897 CONTENTS OF PART I. PAGE REPORT OF THE BOARD OJ<' TRCSTEES,,,,, .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 5 REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT, ... - , ·,,,,,,,,, •, • ·,,,,,,, • • • ·, • ·, · ·, • • 8 General Staten1ent, ....... , , . , .......... , , , , . , , , , . , , , . 8 'l'he Faculty, . 12 'l'he Students, ............. , , , .... , . , . , , , , , , , , , , , , · , , . , ...... , , 15 'l'he Buildings, ........................ , . , , ... , .. , , , . 18 The Courses of Study, ..... , , .... , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ......... , 19 Entrance Requirements, ............. , .. , , , , . , , . , , , , . 24 'l'he Co1nmencement, ........ , ............ , , , , , , , , , , , . 25 Prizes, ...................... , ......... , . , , , . , , , , , , , . 27 ~pecial Needs of the College, ......... , . • •.... , . , , . 27 College Finances, . , .. , , , ...... , , ........ , , , , , , . , , , · , , , . , .. , , . , 32 REPORT OF THE 'l'REASURER, · , , • , , , · • • , ·, ·,, • ·, · · , · , • , • •, , , , • , , • • 35 REPORTS OF THE DEPARTl\IENTS, • , , , , , ·, , , • · · • • , , · ·, , , ·, , , •, , , , , ·, 39 English,.. 39 l\lodern I .. anguages, ...................... , ......... , . 40 Logic and Civics, ........... , ....... , , , , , . , , .. , , ..•. ~·.,...... 42 :;)fathematics and Astronomy, ...... , , , ........ , ... , , .. .. .. .. 43 Physics and Electrical Engineering, ...........•.... , . 45 Che1nistry, ............. , . , , , . , .. , . , , · , , , , · · , · , · ·, . · .. , . , .. , , , 49 Natural History, ......... , ........ ,,., ... , ... ·,· .. ··., ... ,.... 55 Agriculture, ............. , , , , ... , , . , , · , , , · , , , · ·, ·, . , . , ..... , , , 58 .A.nimal Industry, ...... , . , . , ...... , .. , , , , , , · , , , , , , , · •... , . 61 Biology, .............. , ... , , ..... , , , . , ... , , , . , , , , . , , .. , , .. , , , , 65 Horticulture, .......... , , , , , , .. , , , , , · · , , , , , ·,, ·,, · , , , . , , , , , , , , 67 Civil Engineering, ..... , .... , ....... , , , , , , , , , , . , , , , , .. , ... , . 70 Mechanical Engineering, ........................ · .. ·.......... 73 l\lilitary Science, ..... ,,,,, ·,,, , , , , , · ·, ·,, · · · · · ·, · ·,,,. , , , , , , , , 74 Library, .................. , ........ , . , , . , , , • , , , , , , ........ , . 76 'l'HE LAWS RELATING TO THE COLLEGE, .... , .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 78 THE CATALOGUE. REPORT OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES. To the Honorable Governor and Executive Council of Maine: The trustees of the Maine State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts respectfully submit their twenty-eighth annual report, with the reports of the president, and treasurer. In the comprehensive report of President Harris, will be found a detailed statement of the resources and needs of the college and reference at length to every department and interest, so that it is unnecessary for the trustees to speak otherwise than in a general way of its affairs. There have been a number of changes in the faculty during the past year. Prof. vV. H. Jordan, who for many years has been one of the ablest and most popular of the faculty, resigned his position in July. His rare ability has been known and appreciated beyond the borders of :Maine. He has been called to the head of the experiment station of the great state of New York, at a salary much above what he received here. His departure was greatly regretted. The trustees believe that the college is fortunate in securing as his successor, a man of the reputation and ability of Prof. Charles D. Woods. Ex-Presi dent M. C. Fernald has been elected emeritus professor of mathematics, and the college again feels the influence of his ability and earnest zeal. Since our last report was submitted, Prof. Geo. H. Hamlin, for years the faithful treasurer of the college, has resigned that office and Col. I. K. Stetson, a nephew and namesake of the first treasurer, has been elected his suc cessor. The college was never so well off as to-day, as regards the number and value of its buildings, the condition of its grounds, 6 MAINE STATE COLLEGE. the equipment of its different departments, the number and ability of its faculty and in the attendance of students; and yet it has urgent needs, that are mostly the result of the increase in the number of students. The facilities that were ample for one hundred and thirty-nine students three years ago, are entirely inadequate for three hundred and sixteen to-day, which number will doubtless be largely increased by the next fresh man class. The most pressing need at the present time, out side of a sufficient appropriation to meet the current expenses, is more room for the students. There are not sufficient recita tion rooms for the present number of students, although all the available space for such purposes, including every cellar room but one, is now in use; and there are no waiting, or study rooms, that can be used between recitations by the one hundred or more students who do not live on the college grounds. There is no dormitory for the young lady students. The need of a drill hall, where the students can be drilled in military tactics during the winter season, in compliance with the requirements of the national government, continues as strong as in past years. The need of at least one new building, that shall supply additional recitation and study rooms, is impera tive.· Such a building would afford relief, or advantage, to every department. The demand for a building for the Mechan ical and Electrical Engineering Departments is the most pressing. The representatives of the college are obliged to urge its financial needs upon the members of the legislature every ses sion. This unpleasant, but necessary duty, would be obviated if a fixed sum for a term of years were appropriated for the maintenance of the college, as is done in the cases of the normal schools and the national guard. The trustees would again renew the recommendation of former years that the St<l:te assess annually a tax of one-tenth of one mill for the support of the college. Sufficient means would thus be provided to meet all its expenses, except what may be required from time to time for such new buildings as shall be necessary to keep up with the increase of students and the growth of the college. REPORT OF TRUSTEES. 7 There can be no question that the college 1s growing in favor with the people of the State. The value of the educa tion it gives is more highly appreciated each succeeding year and the students are coming to its halls in increasing numbers, from every county of the State, and it rests with the legislature to decide to what extent they will provide the necessary facili ties to enable the college to properly do its work. It has become a strong and successful institution of learning, to which every citizen of the State may point with pride and satisfaction. May it receive the care and support which it deserves. HENRY LORD, President of the Board of Trustees. REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT. To the Trustees of the Maine State College: I have the honor to submit my fourth annual report as pres ident of the State College, for the calendar year 1896. I transmit the reports of the heads of the departments, and the catalogue for the college year 1895-6. GENERAL STATEMENT. As this report will eventually reach the Governor and Coun cil, the members of the legislature, and the general public, it may be wise to explain briefly the establishment and character of the College, and its relation to the State. These matters are familiar to yo.u but they are often misunderstood by persons who have not an intimate acquaintance with the College. In 1862 Congress passed a law, known as the Land Grant Act, which gave to the States for each senator and representa tive in Congress, 30,000 acres of public land, the proceeds of which were to be used for the establishment and maintenance of a college. Maine accepted the gift, by act of its legislature, in 1863, and received 210,000 acres of land, which were sold and yielded an endowment of $118,300, which the State now holds, paying the trustees interest thereon at five per cent. In 1887 Congress passed the Hatch Act granting $15,000 a year to each State, to be used, by the institutions which enjoyed the benefits of the preceding act, in making investigations in the biological sciences and their application to agriculture. This money is for the Agricultural Experiment Station, and no part of it can be used for the payment of the expenses of instruction. PRESIDENT'S REPORT. 9 In 1890 the United States provided for the further endow ment of the State colleges by the passage of the Morrill Act, under which the college receives a permanent annuity amount ing to $22,000, for the current year. The use of this gift is limited to instruction in certain branches. The results of