<rsw '9IL a  ©.  <R eccr i 

VOLUME  I. 

LANSING,  MICHIGAN,  TUESDAY,  AUGUST  18,  1896. 

NUMBER  31 

CLASS  OF 

'J 

THE  GRADUATING  CLASS. 

COMMENCEMENT  WEEK  AT  M. A. C. 

The  class  of  '_!)<>  numbers  28  members,  of  whom  only 

one  is  of  the  gentler  sex.  There  are  representatives 
from  17 counties  in  Michigan,  one  from  Utah  ami  one 
from  Japan.  A  rather  poor  photograph  of  the  class 
resulted  in  an  indifferent  cut  which  appears  al>ove. 
Two  or  three  faces  are  not  shown  in  the  picture;  those 
of  AY.  K.  Clute.  AVahey  Matsura  and  J.  II.  Steele.  The 
names  of  the  g r a d u a t es  following  are  arranged  by 
courses  for  convenience  of  reference.  Those  receiving 
the  B.  S.  degree  in  agriculture  are  W.  T.  Barnum.  J. 
T.  Berry.  C.  II.  Briggs.  J.  II.  Briloy,  R.  B.  A.  Buck.  K. 
L.  (Tide.  W.  K.  ('lute.  B.  E.  Doolittle,  L.  P.  Fimple.  A. 
F.  Hughes.  L.  J.  Hughes.  F.  X.  Jaques,  C.  A.  Jewell. 
L.  R.  Love.  W.  J.  McGee.  X.  M.  Morse.  L.  I).  Sees,  J. 
E  W.  Tracy,  S. W.  Tracy.  Miss Bertha  M.  Well man.  O. 
P.  West  and  S.  B.  Young;  in  mechanical  engineering, 
Wahey  Matsura,  C.  E.  Meyers,  E.  D.  Partridge,  H.  E. 
Smith,  J.  H.  Steele  and  (J.  W.  Williams.  The  names 
of  the  literary  officers  of  the  class  will  be  found  in  an 
account  of  the  class-day  exercises. 

HIS  "FINAL  EXAMINATION." 

Last  Sunday  evening,  at  the  residence  of  the  bride's 
parents  in  Lansing,  Ernest  I>.  Partridge,  of  the  pres 
ent  graduating  class,  was  married  to  Miss  Elizabeth 
M.  Truman,  the  Rev.  II.  S.  Jordan  officiating. 

The  ceremony  took  place  in  the  front  parlor  under  a 
canopy  of  green  mingled  wifh  flowers,  and  was  wit 
nessed  by  about  sixty  invited  guests.  The  bride,  in 
pale  blue  silk  and  carrying  a  bouquet  of  Marechal 
Niel  roses,  was  charming;  and  the  groom—well,  he 
was  just  plain,  honest,  brilliant  "Pat,"  just  as  we  all 
love  him  best.  The  presents  were  numerous,  nice, 
* 
and  useful. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Partridge  leave  tomorrow  morning  for 
their  future  home.  Prove  City.  Utah,  where  Mr.  Part 
ridge  has  been  elected  professor  of  mathematics 
in 
the Brigham  Young  Academy.  Their  many  friends  unite 
in  wishing  them  God-speed. 

Work  of  a  Successful  Year  Closed  by  a  P l e a s a nt 
Week  F u ll  of  A p p r o p r i a te  Exercises—Many 
Old  S t u d e n ts  Yisit  T h e ir  Alma  M a t e r. 

Thi>  memory  of  the  class  of  'DO goes  not  back  to  the 

time  when  Nature  has  made  such  a  strenuous  and  suc 
cessful  effort  to  please  as  she  has  this  year.  Not  in-
many  years  have  the  lawns  been  so  green,  the 
flowers 
so  bright;  never  have  the  walks  and  drives,  the  gar 
dens,  orchards,  and  fields  been  in  such  good  shape,  or 
refreshing  rains  fallen  so  bountifully  at  Commence 
ment  time  as  in  this  year  of  our  Lord  1SD0. 

BACCALAUREATE  SERVICES. 

The  exercises  of  the  week  began  with  the  Baccalau 
reate  Services  on  Sunday  afternoon.  The  armory  had 
been  appropriately  decorated  for 
the  occasion  with 
plants  from  the  greenhouses,  and  flags  and  bunting; 
and  the  fierce  heat  of  the  morning  was  slightly  modi-
tied  by  a  cooling  breeze.  Nevertheless,  those  who  at 
tended  the  exercises  dressed  as  cooly  as  possible,  and 
fans  played  an  active  p a rt  in  the  exercises. 

While  the  organist.  Mr.  Stone,  played  the  "March 
Romaine,"  the  Seniors  marched  to  seats  reserved  for 
them  immediately  in  front  of  the  platform.  The  sing 
ing  of  the  Doxology  was  followed  by  an  invocation  by 
the  Central  M.  E. 
the  Rev.  F a y e t te  Thompson,  of 
Church.  Lansing,  and  music  by 
choir. 
the  College 
Bible  reading,  the  fifty-third  chapter  of  Isaiah,  by  Rev. 
Thomas  Chalmers,  was  followed  by  music  by  the  First 
Presbyterian  Quartet;  prayer  by  R e v / H.  S.  Jordan,  of 
the  First  Presbyterian  Church.  Lansing,  and  music  by 
the  College  choir;  after  which 
the  Ninetieth  Psalm 
was  read  responsively.  the  Rev,  O'Dell,  of  the  Baptist 
Church.  Lansing,  leading.  Following  an  an  anthem. 
"Will  Praise  Thee."  by 
the  choir.  President  Snyder 
gave  the  announcements  for  the  week;  and  the  congre_ 
gation  united  in  singing  "Praise  to  God." 

The  Rev.  Thomas  Chalmers,  of  Port  Huron,  deliv 
ered  the  Baccalaureate  address,  taking  for  his  subject 

"The  American  Problem." 
It  w as  a  magnificent  ef 
fort,  full  of  earnest  thought  and  valuable  suggestion; 
and  the  large  audience  listened  attentively  as 
the 
young  orator  proceeded  in  a  clear,  ringing  voice  to 
send  every  word  of  his  address  home  to  their  hearts. 
We  give  portions  of  t he  address  in  another  column, 
and  only  regret  that  we  have  not  space  for  all  of  it. 

After  music  by  the  First  Presbyterian  Quartet,  a nd 
"America"  by j/he  congregation,  the  Rev.  Zimmerman, 
of  North  Lansing  Presbyterian  Church,  closed  the  ser 
vice  with  a  benediction. 

JOINT  CELEBRATION  OF  SOCIETIES  AND 
FRATERNITIES. 

Owing  to  the  heavy  rain  which  came  about  8  o'clock 
Tusday  evening,  many  Lansing  people  who  would 
have  attended  the  medal  contest  were  obliged  to  re 
main  at  home.  The  program  consisted  of  three  con 
tests,  interspersed  with  music.  P a rt  first  w as  a  de-
claimer's  contest  for  a  silver  medal  and  included  two 
declamations:  "The  Boat  Race,"  by  Miss  Sadie  Cham 
pion,  Feroniau  Socity,  and  "The  Diver,"  by  C.  D. 
Butterfield,  Eclectic  Society.  T a rt  second  w as  an 
oratorical  contest  for  a  gold  medal.  The  subjects  a nd 
contestants  were,  "Our  Politics,"  N.  M.  Morse,  Olym 
pic  Society;  "The  Abolition  of  W a r ,"  O.  I'.  West.  Col 
umbian  Society;  "The  Universal  Brotherhood,"  L.  I). 
Sees.  Hesperian  Society.  P a rt  third  was  a  debate  for 
a  gold  medal,  subject.  "Resolved:  T h at  U.  S.  Senators 
Should  be  Elected  by  Direct  Popular  Vote."  B.  A. 
Bowditch  of  the  Phi  Delta  Theta  Fraternity*  had  the 
affirmative,  and  L.  S.  Munson,  of  the  Unionj  Literary 
Society,  the  negative.  With  one  exception  the  contest 
was  good  - f o ur  of  the  contestants  had  to  be  prompted. 
This  should  not  be.  The  sooner  young  men  a re  made 
to  depend  on  themselves  the  better  for  themv 

REVIEW  OF  THE  BATTALION. 

the 
From  3  to  4:30  o'clock  Wednesday,  occurred 
annual  inspection  of  the  Cadets  Corps.  Before 
the 
hour  for  inspection  had  arrived,  several  hundred  vis-

itors  had  assembled,  iu  carriages  and  in  groups  where 
shade  could  be  found,  around  the  p a r a de  ground,  to 
witness  the  exercises. 

Promptly  on  the  hour  the  four  companies  marched 
out  and  formed  in  battalion.  Colonel  P.  D.  Yroom, 
Inspector  General  of 
t he  United  States  Army,  ac 
companied  by  Colonels  Cook  and  Shiebel  and  Major 
Sanford  of  the  Michigan  National  Guards,  took  posi 
tions  on  the  east  side  of  the  parade  ground.  Then 
the 
the  battalion  marched 
inspected. 
various  companies"  and 
Next  followed*  battalion  and  company  drill,  and 
the 
publishing  of  orders.  The  officers  and  non-commis 
sioned  officers  for  next  year  are  as  follows: 

in  review,  after  Which 
the  band  were 

Captains  Amos,  Van  Norman.  Simmons,  H a r t;  First 
Lieutenant  and  Adjutant.  Chittenden;  First  Lieuten 
ant  and  Quartermaster,  Shaw;  Lieutenants,  Herr 
mann.  Goodwin,  Hagadorn,  Patriarche.  McLouth. 
Munson,  Elliott.  Lowry,  Redl'ern.  KigTerink.  Fxiltoij": 
Lieutenant  and  Chief  of  Artillery.  Parker:  Lieutenant 
and  Signal  Officer.  85-  A.  Robinson;  Lieutenant  and 
Chief  Musician,  McElroy:  Sergeant  Major,  Morrow: 
Color  Sergeant.  Kobb:  Drum  Major.  E.  A.  Calkins; 
First  Sergeants.  "Warren,  E.  R.  Austin,  Nichols,  F.  T. 
Williams.  H.  A.  Eldridge,  Marsh.  Gunnison,  Lapham, 
Kedzie,  Robison,  Kling.  Hose.  Sanderson:  Corporals, 
A.  S.  Eldridge.  K.  W.  Clark.  Bolt.  Hoag.  Osborne, 
Wallace,  Chrislensen.  Barthlomew,  Boye.r,  Flynn, 
Libby,  Winegar,  Gagnier.  YV.  Green 

.After  reading  the  promotions,  Adjutant  Buek,  in  a 
few  well  chosen  words,  presented  Lieut.  lie wis  with 
a  handsome  sword—a  present  from  the  Cadets,  as  a 
m a rk  of  the  esteem  in  which  he  is  held  .by  the  stu 
dents,  and  as  a  souvenir  of  the  four  years  spent  by 
the  lieutenant  .-it  M.  A. C.  Lieutenant  Lewis  was  tak 
en  entirely  by  surprise,  and  responded  feelingly  in  a 
few  words  of  thanks.  Both  sword  and  scabbard  are 
handsomely  mounted  in  gold  and  silver.  On 
the 
scabbard  pinto  is  engraved.  "Presented  to-Lieut.  E.  A. 
Lewis  by  the  Students  of  M.  A.  C.  1890,"  and  on  the 
Made  of  the  sword.  "E.  A.  Lewis." 

Lieut.  Lewis  was  not  himself  again  until  drill  was 
resumed.  After  maneuvering  the  companies  a  short 
time,  he  gave  them  skirmish  drill..the  squads  firing 
as  they  advanced  across  the  parade  ground 
toward 
Use  president's  house.  At  the  top  of  the  hill  they  fixed 
bayonets,  and.  with  a  yell  that  could  mean  nothing 
but  victory,  charged  in  the  direction  of  the  pear  or 
chard.  The  yells  and  the  noise  of  both  soon  died 
out,  and  it  was  not  long  before  the  tired  "vets"  came 
marching  back  without  the  loss  of  one,  to  be  mustered 
out  for  the  year—for  the  last  time  by  their  beloved 
Commandant,  Edson  A.  Lewis. 

SOCIETY  REUNIONS. 

devoted 

Wednesday  evening  w as 

to  Society  re 
unions.  This  year  only  the  Olympic  and  Union  Liter 
ary  Societies  held  formal  parties  in  their  respective 
rooms.  The  other  societies,  after  having  literary  pro 
grams  in  their  rooms,  united  i n an  informal  hop  in  the 
armory.  The  Lansing  City  band  furnished 'music  dur 
ing  the  early  part  of  the  evening.  When  time  for  re 
freshments  came,  however,  through  some  unfortunate 
oversight,  no  provision  w as  made  for  refreshing  the 
band;  and  when  the  dancers  came  back  their  music 
had  started  on  foot  for  Lansing. 

The  tenth  annual  reunion  of  the  Olympic  Society 
was  held  in  its  rooms,  which  were  nicely  decorated 
by  plants,  green  sprigs  and  other  decorations,  which 
together  with  the  new  fioor  made  the  rooms  appear 
better  than  at  any 
time  since  the  society  was  or 
ganized. 

The  program  opened  by  the  president's  address,  by 
Mr.  C.  A.  Jewell,  which  w as  followed  with  a  history 
by  Mi'.  W.  M.  Backus,  and  a  poem  by  Mi".  Patriarehe. 
After  a  selection  of  music  by  the  orchestra,  the  So 
ciety  listened  to  an  oration  by  Mr.  W.  IT.  Marsh,  and 
a  prophecy  by  Mr.  W.  R.  Goodwin,  which  w as  also 
followed  by  a  selection  of  music. 

The  Society  then  enjoyed  it  "Annual  H o p"  till  a  late 
a  late  hour  and  departed  to  a  banquet  in  Club  A  din 
ing  hall. 

There  were  present  at  the  reunion,  B.  A.  Holden, 
'91,  of  Hastings;  E.  A.  Holden,  '89.  of  Lansing;  II.  W. 
Mumford,  '91, and  C.  C.  Pashby,  ,i)4, of  the  College,  all 
of  whom  belong  to  the  Society  Alumni. 

The  Union  Literary  Society  celebrated  the  twentieth 
anniversary  of  its  existence.  The  program  consisted 
of  an  address  by  President  T.  T.  Berry,  a  poem  by  W. 
J.  MeOee.  a  prophecy  by  R.  II.  Slocum,  and  a  society 
paper  by  G.  N.  E a s t m a n.  After  dancing  a  short  time, 
t he  society  and  guests  repaired  to  Club  D,  where  a 

T HE  M.  A.  C.  K E C O K D. 

AUGUST  18, 

1896. 

banquet  was  served  and  toasts  were  given.  Then 
dancing  followed  uutil  a  late  hour. 

Among  the  guests  from  outside  were  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Briggs.  Lacey;  Mr.  a nd  Mrs.  Berry,  Belding;  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  M.  A.  Jones,  with  '84,  Lansing;  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
H e n ry  Wellman,  Ypsilanti;  Miss  Gertie  Maxfield, 
Coopersville;  Miss  Anna  Weaver,  Marlette;  Miss  Pe-
laforce,  Detroit;  Miss  Anna  Wellman,  Okemos;  a  sis 
ter  of  R.  II.  Stocoum;  three  sisters  of  L.  R.  Love,  and 
S. F.. Scott,  '!)4. Washington,  D.  C.  Bristol's  orchestra 
furnished  music. 

CLASS  DAY  EXERCISES. 

The  program  on  Thursday  afternoon  was  well  ren 
dered.  The  officers  are  to  be  complimented  for 
the 
excellent  spirit  manifested  throughout.  There  were 
no  low  jists,  no  thrusts  at  any  one  to  m ar  the  good 
feeling  which  prevailed.  Besides  the  address  of  the 
class  president.  Geo,  W.  Williams,  the  history  by  L. 
P.  Fnnple.  the  oration  by  C.  A.  Jewell,  the  paper  by 
N.  M.  Morse,  the  poem  by  L.  D.  Sees,  and  the  pro 
phecy  by  R.  B.  A.  Buek,  the  address  to  undergradu 
feature. 
ates  by  R.  E.  Doolittle  was  to.  us  a  novel 
Mr.  Doolittle  concluded  as  follows: 

"You,  t he  students  of  this  College,  have  a  double 
resi)onsibility:  while  upholding  your  own  individual 
honor  you  are  also  sustaining  the  fair  reputation  of 
our  beloved  Alma-yMater.  Let  no  action  of  yours  ever 
stain  her  honor  or  dim  the  bright  lustre  of  her  glory. 
But  may  you  all  have  courage  and  strength  to  do 
what  is  just  and  right,  without  apology  or  complaint: 
remembering  that  education  it  not  a  simple  acquisi 
tion  of  knowledge,  but  a  cultivation  of  living  forces; 
that  without  excellence  there  can  be  no  success,  no 
real  progress,  nothing  worthy  of  mention.  Let  not 
the  question  be.'how  shall  I  get  through  with  the  least 
effort?'  but  'how  many  I  honorably  reach  the  grandest 
success  possible  for  me  to  obtain?'  " 

P R E S I D E N TS  RECEPTION. 

The  president's  reception,  given  Thursday  evening, 
from  8  to  10.  m a r ks  the  last  social  function  in  which 
the  members  of  '90  will  figure  as  a  class.  About  two 
hundred  guests  were  present,  including  the  members 
of  the  graduating  class,  their  visiting  friends,  and  the 
faculty.  The  rooms  of  the  president's  residence  were 
beautfully  decorated  with  an  artistic  a r r a n g a e m e nt 
of  potted  plants,  flowers  and  smilax,  with  electric 
lights  shining  between.  The  large  hall  was  divided 
by  a  screen,  back  of  which  a  mandolin  orchestra  of 
iive  pieces  played  during  tin1  evening.  Masters  Plum-
mer  and  Elgin  Mifflin,  Jr.,  acted  as  ushers.  President 
and  Mrs.  Snyder  received  in  the  library.  Refresh 
ments  were  served  in  the  dining  room,  which  was  di 
vided  from  the  parlors  by  a  gate  of  smilax,  and  was 
presided  over  by  Mrs.  Elgin  Miffiin.  At  the  hall  en 
trance  to  the  dining  room  Misses  Wheeler  and  Kedzie 
served  cooling  draughts  of  lemonade.  The  evening 
passed  so  pleasantly  that  all  forgot  the  probability  of 
its  being  the  last,  a  farewell  meeting  of  president  and 
faculty  with  the  class. 

COMMENCEMENT  EXERCISES. 

Friday  morning  was  ushered  in  by  a  heavy  shower, 
followed  by  bright,  cool  weather,  which  put  everybody 
in  condition  to  thoroughly  enjoy  the  final  commence 
ment  exercises. 

By  10  o'clock  a  large  crowd,  composed  of  faculty, 
students  and  alumni,  and  their  relatives  and  friends, 
had  assembled  in  the  Armory.  Shortly  after  to  the 
Lansing  City  band  struck  up  the  "Detroit  J o u r n a l" 
march,  and  faculty  and  seniors  took  seats  on  the  plat 
form.  Prayer  was  offered  by  Rev.  P.  J.  Maverty,  of 
Jackson,  followed  by  another  selection  of  music  by  the 
band. 

The  first  address  was  on  "Transportation,"  by  Er 
nest  I).  Partridge,  of  Frovo  City,  Utah,  the  College 
representation  of  the  Mechanical  department.  Mr. 
Partridge  gave  a  review  of  the  development  of  trans 
portation  facilities  in  the  United  States  in  a  carefully 
prepared,  well  read  paper. 

The  next  address  was  by  Clifton  II.  Briggs,  of  La 
cey,  Mich.,  representative  »f  the  Agricultural  depart 
ment,  who  took  for  his  subject,  "Sir  John  Lawes." 
Mr.  Briggs  spoke  clearly  and  at  some  length  of  this 
eminent  pioneer  iu  agricultural  experimentation. 

After  another  selection  of  music.  Dr.  E d w a r ds  an 
nounced 
the  winners  in  the  Society  contest,  which 
took  place  ou  Tuesday  evening.  The  winner  of  t he  sil 
ver  deelaimer's  medal  was  Miss  Sadie  Champion,  of 
the  Feronian  Society;  of  the  gold  orator's  medal,  L.  D. 
Sees,  of  the  Hesperian  Society;  of  the  gold  debater's 
medal,  L.  S.  Munson,  of  the  Union  Literary  Society.  . 

President  Snyder  then  made  a  short  but  impressive 
address  to  the  graduating  class.  He  said  to  them  t h at 
they  had  been  struggling  for  years,  a nd  as  a  class  had 
done  their  work  well.  "I  may  be  permitted  to  s ay  t h at 
the  few  months  I  have  spent  with  you  have  not  been 
m a r k ed  by  a  single  unkindness  or  discourtesy. 
I  shall 
a l w a ys  feel  grateful  to  you  for  your  friendly  greeting 
at  t he  outset  a nd  your  considerate  t r e a t m e nt  through 
out  our  short  journey  together." 

He  reminded  t h em  t h at  they  m u st  now  cut  loose 
from 
their  moorings  to  meet  the  stern  realities  of 
life;  t h at  success  does  not  a l w a ys  come  at  bidding; 
that  a  successful  career  is  not  a l w a ys  attended  with 
financial  gain;  a nd  t h at  he 
political  preferment  or 
who  works  simply  for  either  of  these  ends  can  scarce 
ly  ever  be  really  happy,  and  in  the  highest  sense  suc 
cessful. 

"One  of  the  great  lessons  t h at  our  American  people 
have  yet  to  learn  is  how  to  live  economically  and  keep 
within  their  means.  Some  of  you,  and  p e r h a ps  all  of 
you,  h a ve  learned  this  lesson;  and,  if  you  m a ke  every 
dollar  in  the  future  do  as  much  for  you  as  the  dollars 
you  have  spent  at  this  College,  you  certainly  will  be 
successful  from  the  economic  standpoint." 

T r ue  success  does  not  necessarily  include 

financial 
success.  Better  be  known  to  a  few  as  an  honorable, 
honest,  upright  citizen,  t h an  to  m a ny  as  a 
financial 
king  without  feeling  and  without  conscience.  There 
is  but  one  road  to  true  success,  and  t h at  is  through 
work.  We  should  dispel  the  idea  that  we  have  special 
endowments  which  will  make  for  us  a  short  route  to 
records  here  h a ve  been 
fame  and  fortune.  Your 
made;  the  fairest  and  most  comprehensive  of 
these 
are  not  those  put  down  on  paper,  but.  those  written  o?i 
the  hearts  of  your  teachers  and  fellow  students. 

" In  view  of  the  education  and  training  which  you 
have  received,  may  I  not  entreat  you  to  make 
this 
record  worthy  of  your  Alma  Mater,  which  s t a n ds 
ready  to  give  you  encouragement  and  aid  in  any  laud 
able  undertaking,  and  which  in  t u rn  hopes  to  merit 
your  laudable  support.  May  I  not  entreat  you  to  make 
a  record  worthy  of  the  state  and  nation  whose  liber 
ality  has  given  you  so  many  educational  advantages. 
May  you  at  all  times  show  your  appreciation  of  these 
special  privileges  and  ever  support  and  uphold 
the 
dignity  of  the  laws  of  this  nation  and  commonwealth." 
Be  true  to  yourselves;  make  records  worthy  of  youi-
sulves,  and  cultivate  a  Christian  spirit.  Write  your 
records  so  plainly  that  he  who  runs  may  read,  there 
need  be  no  flourishes,  but  your  records  should  be  leg 
ible.  Let  your  light  shine  by  having  plenty  of 
it— 
shine  because  it  cannot  help  it.  May  you  l>e  faithful 
followers  of  the  Meek  and  Lowly  one.  Let  H im  be 
t he 
the  foundation  of  your  life.  Build  upon  Him 
gold,  silver,  and  precious  stones  of  a  beautiful  char 
acter.  Build  such  materials  into  the  superstructure 
of  your  life,  t h at  when  the  day  of 
testing  by  fire 
comes,  they  will  not  be  destroyed,  but  only  revealed 
and  glorified. 

"We  bid  you  farewell  with  the  assurance  t h at  our 
eyes  shall  follow  you.  expecting  much,  and  with  the 
prayer  t h at  your  record  may  have  your  own  approval 
in  your  best  moments—may  be  clean  and  clear  and 
Christlike." 
The  degree of  Bachelor  of  Science  was  then  conferred 
upon  the  twenty-eight  members  of  the 
g r a d u a t i ng 
class.  The  degree  Master  of  Science  w as  conferred 
upon  C.  J.  Foreman,  '94.  and  G.  E.  Hancorne,  ' 9 1;  and 
Master  of  Agriculture  upon  W a r r en  H.  Goss,  '82,  of 
Bangor,  Mich. 

With  a  benediction  by  President  Caviness,  of  Battle 
Creek  College,  the  exercises  of  a  very  pleasant  com 
mencement  week  w as  closed—the  last  time  we  shall 
have  commencement  in  August. 

AEUMNI  AT  COMMENCEMENT. 

'61. 

C.  E.  Hollister,  Laingsburg,  a  member  of  the 

first 
class  to  graduate,  who  has  been  present  at  all  but  t wo 
or  three  commencements. 

J u d ge  M.  D.  Chatterton,  with  '61,  M.  S.  '87,  Lan 

sing. 

,. 

'67. 
Will  W.  Tracy,  with  I).  M.  F e r ry  &  Co.,  called  to 

say  a  good  word  to  two  sons  of  '96. 

'70. 
Hon.  Chas.  W.  Garfield,  member  of  the  State  Board 

of  Agriculture. 

Prof.  F.  S.  Kedzie. 

'77. 

'78. 

E.  D.  A.  True,  Armada,  Mich. 

. 

'79. 

A,  A.  Crozier. 

# 

AUGUST  18, 

1896. 

T HE  M.  A.  C.  R E C O R D. 

3 

W.  W.  Palmer,  Vinton,  Iowa. 

'81. 

'82. 
W a r r en  H.  Ooss,  Bangor,  Mich.,  who  was  granted 
the  degree  Master  of  Agriculture.  He  is  a  prosperous 
farmer,  a nd  t a k es 
the  Michigan  Farmer,  Western 
Rural,  Scientific  American  and  five  other  papers. 

M.  A.  .Tones,  Lansing. 

'85. 

H.  P.  Gladden,  G.  C.  Lawrence. 

Prof.  P.  B.  Woodworth. 

\SG. 

'88. 
Prof.  P.  M.  Chamberlain;  AY. F.  Staley.  AVashington, 

D.  C. 

'89. 
Prof.  L.  A.  Clinton.  Ithaca,  N.  Y.;  G.  C.  Davis,  AA\ 

L.  Kossman.  Lansing. 

'00. 
Prof.  AY. Babeock,  Prof.  F.  B.  Mumford.  Cohunbia. 

Mo. 

'01. 
K.  L.  Butterfield,  Prof.  W.  O.  Hedrick.  II.  W.  Mum-

ford.  Prof.  C.  F.  Wheeler. 

'02. 

D.  W.  Trine,  Corvallis.  Oregon. 

"93. 

Daisy  Champion,  Lucy 

'Clutej  Woodworth.  A.  P.. 
Cook,  Owosso;  Jennie  M.  Cowley,  Lansing;  I).  J.  Cros 
by.  W.  L.  Cnmmings.  R.  B.  Pickett.  East  Springport: 
Lilian  Wheeler,  V.  J.  Willey.  Lansing. 

'94. 
C.  .T. Foreman,  C.C.  Pashby.  S.  F.  Scott,  Washing 

ton.  D.  C.  Orel  S.  Groner. 

•or>. 
C.  II.  Alvord.  Hillsdale.  C.  P.  Close.  Geneva.  X.  Y.. 
M.  W.  Fulton.  R o bt  L.  Reynolds,  Passadena.  Cal., 
Thorn  Smith,  F r a nk  Yebina. 

o 

BACCALAUREATE  ADDRESS. 

T HE  AMERICAN  PROBLEM. 

BY  REV. THOMAS CHALMERS OF PORT HURON. 

"The  first  impulse  of  every  loyal  son  of  America 
When  he  speaks  the  magic  word  that  symbolizes  the 
land  of  his  love,  is an  impulse  of  praise.  From  the  day 
our  national  independence  was  solemnly  declared  and 
the  news  was  rung  to  the  listening  world  by  the  old 
bell  in  the  town  hall  tower,  we  have  felt  the  deepening 
spell  of  America's  goodness  and  America's  glory  com 
ing  over  us.  We  love  her  for  w h at  she  has  done,  for 
what  she  has  thought,  for  what  she  h as  suffered.  We 
have  been  entranced  by  tin1  romance  of  her  history: 
we  have  lieen  subdued  by  the  songs  of  her  poets;  we 
have  listened  in  reverent  silence  to  the  voices  of  her 
prophets.  To  us  America  is the  memory  and  tradition 
of  the  best  that  our  fathers  have  done  and  said. 
It  is 
something  more  t h an  one  of  the  geographical  divisions 
of  the  earth. 
It  is  the  story  of  worthy  deeds  and  high 
intentions.  The  misfortunes  and  struggles of  the  little 
J a m e s t o wn  settlements;  the  landing  of  the  Pilgrims  at 
Plymouth  Rock;  the  checkered  experiences  of 
the 
Dutch  on  the  islands  and  peninsulas  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Hudson,  the  story  of  the  Quakers  in  Pennsylvania, 
the  Scotch  in  New  Jersey—all  this  is a  part  of  America. 
The  sound  of  the  farmers'  muskets  at  Lexington  and 
Concord,  the  ringing  voices  of  colonial  orators  in  the 
halls  of  the  Continental  congress;  the  midnight  scene 
of  Washington  crossing  the  Delaware,  the  construc 
tion  of  the  federal  government,  the  later  struggles  for 
the  defense  and  preservation  of  the  union—all  this, 
too,  is  part  of  w h at  goes  to  make  up  the  meaning  of 
the  term  America.  The  motives  t h at  led  these  men 
and  women  from  their  European  homes  into  this  wil 
derness, theprinciples  and  impulsesthat  controlled  and 
inspired 
moved  them,  the  purposes  and  hopes  t h at 
them  are  like  the  life  blood  of  American  history.  AVhen 
men  are  in  earnest  they  make  history.  Our  fathers 
were  not  heroes  for  dramatic  effect  upon  future  gener 
ations.  They  were  not  acting  a  spectacular  play. 

"My  young  friends,  you  and  I  are  not  to  go  to  sleep 
in  the  lap  of  the  history  of  the  past.  We  must  make 
some  history  now.  These,  too,  a re  earnest  times.  To 
us  they  a re  the  most  earnest  times  the  world  has 
known.  W h at  the  past  is,  has  been  settled.  Our  fa 
t h e rs  took  care  of  that.  But  they  cannot  take  care  of 
the  present  nor  the  future.  F u t u re  students  of  history 
will  talk  of  these  days.  But  whether  they  do  or  do  not 
is  of  small  concern  to  us.  AVe are  all  interested,  per 
haps,  in  the  question  thafr  will  call  for  decision  at  the 
polls  next  November.  But  t h at  is  not  the  American 
It  may  be  a  m a t t er  t h at  we  shall  never  have 
problem. 

another  occasion  to  concern  ourselves  with.  The  finan 
cial  question  is  not  a  perennial  problem,  though  mo 
mentous  for  the  time  being.  Slavery  w as  not  a  peren 
nial  problem.  But  I  w a nt  to  present  to  you,  young 
men,  the  one  problem  that  will  be  as  fresh  in  your  old 
age  as  it  is today  and  t h at  will,  Proteus-like,  assume  a 
new  form  at  every  appearance.  The  problem  which 
America  must  solve  is  simply  this:  how  to  be  rich  and 
virtuous,  how  to  be  good,  though  possessed  of  all  the 
opportunities  for  wrong  doing,  how  to  be  unenervated 
by  luxury.  This  is  our  problem  and  the  forces  t h at 
aggravate  it  are  manifold  and  rapidly  multiplying. 
If  a  current  of  prosperity  should  flow  in  upon  us  and 
we were  suddenly  possessed  of  all the  means  of  a  luxu 
rious  civilization,  with  little  to  do,  but  recline  in  lan 
guid  leisure,  and  be  amused  by  current  a rt  and  litera 
ture,  and  the  constant  hearing  in  piquant  newspapers 
of  w h at  wickeder  people  than  we  are  doing,  it  is  ques 
tionable  if  our  condition  would  not  be  far  more  miser-
the  latest  drama—yes,  there  are  things  more  import 
ant  than  the  ability  to  dress  in  Parisian  fashion,  than 
to  provide  velvet  carpets  for  our  feet,  than  to  have  hot 
and  cold  water  at  every  turn,  than  to  be  able  to  hear 
the  latest  drama—yes.  there  are  things  more  impor-
ant  even  than  three  meals  a  day,  or  learning  how  to 
read  and  write,  and  these  are  the  things  that  must  be 
preserved.  The  grief  of  a  ruined  soul  is  bitterer  than 
the  grief  of  a  ruined  credit.  If  we  cannot  as  a  nation 
learn  to  be  virtuous  first,with  a  determination  that  the 
tides  of  prosperity  can  never  sweep  away,  Ave pray  the 
Lord  that  riches  may  never  come,  for  until  then  we 
are  not  prepared  for  them.  The  curse  that  falls  wheu 
virtue  is  lost  is  irrevocable.  Riches  can  purchase  no 
exemption.  The  soul  that  sinneth  it  shall  die.  The 
city  that  sinneth,  it  shall  die.  This  is  the  word  that 
is  written  in  ten  soul  of  every  moral  being. 
It  stands 
on  the  pages  of  Holy  AVrit. 
It  flashes  from  the  sign 
boards  at  every  turn.  AA'e  may  stand  over  the  ruins 
of  imperial  Rome  and  on  every  shattered  fragment  of. 
her  ancietn  glory,  we  can  read  the  inscription: 
'Here 
lies  Rome.  She  sinned.  She  learned  not  how  to  be 
rich  and  virtuous.' 
In  the  graveyard  of  nations  this 
is the  one  repeated  epitaph. 

"In  the  presence  of  all  these  facts  and  standing  over 
the  ruins  of  shattered  temples  and  palaces  we  declare 
that  Amrica  shall  not  go  the  way  of  death. 
If  she  is 
ever  to  be  rich  she  will  be  virtuous  too.  If  she  is  to  be 
powerful  she  will  also  be  merciful  and  just. 
If  she  is 
to  be  learned  she  will  be  good  also.  She  will  learn 
this  lesson.  She  will  solve  this  problem,  and  the  evil 
forces  that  resist  her  shall  be  ground  in  the  dust.  He 
who  stands  in  the  way,  whether  with  vicious  intent  or 
no  shall  die. 

to  all 

"AA'hen  the  world  has  needed  strong  men  she  has 
found  them  in  a w k w a r d,  stammering,  bashful  boys. 
Moses,  the  slow  of  speech,  was  called  from  quiet  ob 
scurity to  lead  his  people  from  the  depths  of  degrading-
slavery  to  the  dignity  of  an  independent  nation.  Dem 
osthenes  was  a  bashful,  stammering  boy.  Nor  was  it 
the  pebbles  picked  by  the  wayside  t h at  trained  his 
speech. 
It  was  a  soul  t h at  feared  for  the  approaching 
woes  of  his  people.  AAyhen  England  in  the  greatest 
crisis  of  her  history  needed  a  deliverer  she  found  him 
in  the  uncouth  Cromwell  far  back  in  the  country  dis 
tricts.  And  when  our  own  union  needed  a  savior  in 
the  dark  days  of  our  rebellion  she  found  him  ready  in 
the  awkward,  ungainly  Lincoln.  But  w h at  shall  we 
do  when  the  refining  and  luxurious  influences  of  our 
civilization  are  in  every  home,  when  every  boy  and 
girl  shall  be  accustomed  from  Infancy 
that 
wealth  and  society  can  give,  when  the  pleasures  t h at 
money  can  purchase  will  be  in  reach  of  every  Ameri 
can  youth?  Shall  we  have  any  Lincolns  then?  Or 
will  the  things  that  completely  change  the  manner  and 
purposes  of  living  change  the  character  also? 
I  fear 
it.  The  average  American  youth  is  apparently  not 
strong  enough  to  be  both  rich  and  virtuous.  The  in 
fluences  of  destruction  are  more  various  and  more 
powerful  than  they  need  to  be  for  the  sake  of  discip 
line.  There  is  a  surprising  willingness  among  large 
sets  of  American  youth  to  commit  wrongs  against  so 
ciety  which  only  a  lack  of  opportunity 
prevents— 
wrongs  which  blacken  the  pages  of  every  newspaper, 
that  leave  human  souls  in  the  depths  of  eternal  ruin, 
that  shatter  the  peace  of  happy  homes,  and  fill  the 
earth  with  the  bitter  cries  of  broken  hearts. 
I  would 
sound  this  note  into  the  American  ear  with  the  trum 
pet  of  alarm.  There  is  a  willingness  to  do  evil  t h at 
should  send  a  shudder  of  horror  through  this  civiliza 
tion.  This  statement  is  too  painful  to  dwell  upon,  but 
the  men  that  know  life  know  that  it  is  true.  They  also 
know  t h at  though  there  a re  vast  numbers  of  young 
men  whose  moral  strength  may  be  invincible,  those 
young  men  are  not  as  likely  to  be  found  among  the 
idle  rich  as  they  a re  among  the  industrious  middle 

classes,  and  they  know  also  t h at  the  sentiment  of  will 
ingness  to  do  evil  too  seldom  meet  with  sturdy,  de 
nunciatory  expressions  of  surprise  among  young  men, 
all  this  I  say  is  a  constant  source  of  alarm  and  bitter 
shame.  And  the  people  of  this  country  are  hardly  lift 
ing  voice  or  h a nd  to  SIIOAV  w h e t h er  or  not  their  souls 
a re  stirred.  And  all  the  while  t he  influences  of  ruin 
wax  stronger. 

for 

*  *  *  "One  more  lesson  t h at  we  must  learn  in  our 
industrial  life  is  how  to  be  powerful  and  just,  how  to 
be  able  to  make  exorbitant  exactions  but  not  do  it, 
how  to  be  able  to  grind  labor  without  doing  it,  how  to 
be  able  to  have  humanity  in  our  power  and  be  merci 
ful.  Otherwise  when  by  t he  changes  of  fortune  certain 
men  become  rich  and  others  poor,  as  it  will  perhaps  be 
to  the  end  of  our  n a t u r al  history,  there  will  be  misery 
and  destitution,  hatred  and  hunger,  starvation  and 
curses.  The  feudal  lords  of  old  learned  not  how  to  be 
powerful  and  just  and  their  power  was  taken  from 
them,  and  the  sober,  earnest  men  t h at  make 
and 
change  history  buried  feudalism  in  the  grave  of  the 
t r i ed  and  found  wanting.'  This  is  the  lesson  of  his 
tory  to  the  rich  men  of  our  day. 
If  they  are  powerful 
they  must  also  be  merciful  and  just.  The  lately  or 
ganized  coal  combine  must  not  fake  a d v a n t a ge  of  their 
power  to  exact  exorbitant  prices  for  fuel  in  these  days. 
They  have  the  legal  right  to  do  so  if  they  will,  but  it 
will  mean  that  weak  women  and  hungry  children  will 
the 
shiver  with  cold. 
It  will  mean  a  harvest 
hearse. 
I  know  a  great  deal  I  am  saying  will  lie  re 
garded  as  visionary  by  many  men  w ho  are  not  famil 
iar  with  the  impressive  facts  of  history,  who  a re  un 
a w a re  that  American  has  any  particular  problem  to 
solve.  They  ask  us  w h at  can  be  done  about  it  and  pre 
cisely  there  we  confess 
is  the  problem.  AA'hile  our 
laws  are  as  they  are  we  shall  protct  men  who  have  the 
power  and  the  inclination  to  do  so  in  crowding  smaller 
and  weaker  men  to  the  wall.  Yes.  we  shall  respect 
law,  but  we  shall  assign  them  a  problem  t h at  they  too 
must  solve  in  the  years  that  a re  upon  us.  They  m u st 
learn  to  be  powerftil  and  just.  The  industrial  peace 
of  a  great  nation  hangs  upon  it.  The  men  who  hold 
great  power  in  their  hands  must  not  be  the  men  who 
would  betray  us  if  they  could.  Do they  love  the  people 
as  Baron  Hirsch  loved  his?  Do  our  g r e at  monopoly 
If  they  do  the  people  will 
barons  love  the  people? 
trust  them.  There  too  is  the  question  to  apply 
to 
every  politician  who  is  lifted  to  a  place  of  power  where 
his  voice  or  vote  will  deeply  concern  the  welfare  of  the 
people  whom  he  serves. 
Is  he  thrust  into  office  be 
cause  he  is  bright  and  promising,  because  he  is  trying 
to  get  up  in  the  world  or  because  he  can  be  powerful 
and  just?  Our  national  aim  is  therefore  not  so  much 
one  of  leveling  the  ranks.  T he  ranks  are  intrinsically 
It  is  not  to  make  all  men  equally  rich 
level  already. 
and  equally  powerful. 
It  is  that  we  must  learn  to  be 
rich  and  virtuous,  powerful  and  just,  good  above  our 
opportunities  to  do  evil,  loving  mercy,  seeking  justice. 

"In  the  solution  of  this  problem  the  Christian 

re 
ligion  will  be  the  controlling  factor. 
'All  power  both 
in  heaven  and  in  earth  is  given  unto  me.'  said  our  Sa 
vior,  and  with  Him  the  power  shall  remain.  AA'hatever 
our  distrust  of  other  men  we  shall  never  distrust  Him. 
He  will  be  both  powerful  and  merciful.  There  is  an 
inseparable  connection  between  Christianity  and  vir 
tue.  A  certain  warning  of  declinig  morals  is  a  decay 
in  religious  faith.  Unbelievers  do  not  have  strong  sen 
sitiveness  on  moral  questions.  Point  me  to  the  young 
men  whose  soul  feels  moral  questions  intensely  and 
who  is  an  unbeliever  and  I  will  point  you  to  a  young 
man  who  will  become  a  believer  when  ne  t a k es  a  good 
long  look  at  the  delinquencies,  perils  and  aspirations 
of  h u m an  life.  He  will  either  become  a  believer  or  a 
pessimist.  The  future  is  in  the  hands  of  t he  children 
of  faith. 
It  is  in  your  hands.  The  staff  of  our  old 
banner  as  it  passes  from  generation  to  generation  is 
being  handed  down  to  you.  Our  fathers  w ho  have  car 
ried  it  to  honor  and  victory  are  tottering  with  feeble 
step  and  faling  one  after  t he  other  into  the  grave.  T he 
word  they  leave  with  us  to  carry  the  s t a n d a rd  on. 
Though  it  may  be  stained  by  the  blood  of  defeat  we 
shall  learn  to  turn  defeat  into  victory,  surrender  into 
triumph  and  when  we  too  fall  beneath  our  burden  we 
the  message  'carry  it  on.'  Scorn 
shall  send  along 
shall  not  dishearten  us,  perils  shall  not  unnerve  us. 
the  proffer  of  peace  shall  never  silence  us,  t he  t h r e at 
of  battle  shall  never  subdue  us.  We  love  our  land, 
we 
sis 
love  our  homes,  our  mothers  and  our 
ters,  we  love  our  God  and  shall  have  other  homes  that 
we  will  love  in  years  to  come.  AVe  weep  with  those 
t h at  weep  and  rejoice  with 
rejoice;  our 
hearts  are  often  heavy  when  they  might  be  glad,  be 
cause  men  have  not  yet  learned,  though  they  will  in 
years  to  come,  how  to  be  rich  and  virtuous,  how  to  be 
powerful  and  just." 

those  t h at 

* 

T HE  M.  A.  C.  K E C O K D. 

AUGUST  18,  1896. 

The  M. A.  C.  Reeord. 

PUBLISHED  WEEKLY  BY  THE 

MICHIGAN  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

E D I T ED  B¥  T HE  F A C U L T Y, 

ASSISTED  BY T HE  STUDENTS. 

> 

A D D R E SS  A LL  M A IL  TO L O CK  B OX  262,  L A N S I N G,  M I C H. 

SUBSCRIPTION,  50  CENTS  P ER  Y E A R. 

Business  Office  with  R O B E RT  SMITH  P R I N T I NG  C O .,  Printers  and 
Binders,  108-120 Michigan  Ave.  West, Lansing, Mich. 

Entered as second-class matter at Lansing, Mich. 

For  various  reasons  T HE  M.  A. C. RECORD  is occasionally  sent 
to  those  who  have not subscribed  for  t he paper.  Such  persons 
need  have  no hesitation  about  taking  t he paper  from  the  post-
office,  for no  charge  will  be  made  for it.  The  only  way,  how 
ever, to secure  t he RECORD  regalarly  is to subscribe. 

REASONS  FOR  GOING  TO  COLLEGE. 

ID  the  first  place  it  will  give  you  a  wider  acquaint 
ance  with  men a nd t he world.  Companionship  witli 
fellow  students  from  various  parts  of  t he  country 
and  from  foreign  lauds  cannot  but be valuable  in its 
influence  on  your  present  a nd  later  life. 
In  every 
college  there  will  always  be some  students  who  are to 
occupy  prominent  positions  when  they  become men. 
The  stimulus  of  associating  with  such  persons  in 
youth,  a nd the  value  of  their  acquaintance  in  man 
hood  a re worth  seeking. 

In  t he second  place,  you  will  be in the  current  with 
all  the  most  enterprising  young  men and women  of 
It  is  a  significant  fact  that  more 
your  generation. 
young  people  a re  seeking  a  college  education  now 
than  ever  before.  Can you afford  to be out of  this 
wholesome  current V 

In  the third  place  the demand  w as never  stronger 
for  college  trained  men for all positions  of  trust and 
influence.  The  mental  discipline,  as well as knowledge 
gained  by  such  a  course  of  study  a re t he very  best 
qualifications  for  success  in a ny pursuit,  whether in 
dustrial,  business  or  professional.  T he farmer  a nd 
mechanic,  as  well  as  t he teacher  a nd t he  preacher, 
can  succeed  better,  be more  useful,  a nd certainly en 
joy  life  better,  with  well  stored  a nd trained  minds. 

In  the  fourth  place  you  should  go to college  because 
it  is.  comparatively,  so easy  to go.  If you  are  without 
present  funds,  you  can (1)  either  by teaching  or  other 
work,  earn  enough  to begin  with,  trusting  for the  way 
to  open  as you go on; or  (2) you can hire  t he  money 
from  some  friend  or acquaintance,  securing  them  by 
an 
insurance 
policy;  or (3)  you  can start  on pure  faith  a nd will, as 
many  a  boy h as done,  finding  opportunities  enough 
about  the college  to earn  your  way. 

indorsement  or  by  taking  out  a  life 

There  can  be no doubt  t h at  such  a  course  of  stud^ 
directly  helps  a  boy  to  become  all t h at  he is  capable 
of  becoming. 
It  is  with  a  boy much  as it is  with  a 
piece  of iron.  The  boy  is worth  so much  in t he natu 
ral  state,  a nd so is t he piece  of  iron.  We will  say it 
is  worth  $5.  T he  same  piece  of  iron  worked 
into 
horseshoes  is  worth  $10.50;  made  into  needles  it is 
worth  $355;  made  into  penknife  blades  it  is  worth 
$3,285;  made  into  balance  springs  for  watches  it  is 
worth  $250,000.  A  college  course,  with  its  struggle 
and  discipline,  will  do  about  t he  same  thing  for a 
boy,  provided  t h at  he has  the  right  stuff  in him  to be 
gin  with,  that  all this  hammering  a nd twisting  have 
done  for t he piece  of  iron.  He is  worth  all of  fifty 
thousand  times  as  much,  to  himself  a nd t he  world, 
as  he would  be without  it. 

Finally  these  considerations  a re addressed  as  cor 

dially  to girls  as to boys.—Hillsdale  College  Herald. 

*  *  * 
In  many  respects  the alumni  of  every  college  are  a 
great  source  of strength,  and  M. A. C. is by no means 
an  exception  to t he rule.  One w ay of  showing  their 
appreciation  of  their  alma  mater  is by  sending  their 
sons  to pursue  a  course  of  study.  After  an  existence 
of  thirty-nine  years,  this  College  h as  fairly  made  a  be 
ginning  towards  reaping  benefits  from 
this  source. 
If  we have  made  no mistake,  twelve  have  graduated 
and  thirteen  others  have  been  in attendance  more or 
fur 
less,  besides  a  number  of  nongraduates  have 
nished  students  from  their  families.  C. E.  Hollister, 
'61,  furnished  O. C. Hollister,  '89;  C. J.  Monroe, '85, 
furnished  G.  C.  Monroe,  '91;  Oscar  Clute,  '62,  fur 
nished  Lucy  M. (Clute)  Wood worth,  '93;  A. J.  Cook, 
furnished  Albert  B.  Cook,  '93, a nd  Katherine 
'62, 

Cook,  '93, Will  W.  Tracy,  '67,  furnished  Will  Tracy, jr., 
'93;  H a r ry  W. Tracy,  94;  S. W. Tracy,  '96;  a nd John 
'91,  furnished  Lilian 
Tracy,  '96;  C.  F.  AYheeler, 
Wheeler, 
furnished 
Robert  L.  Reynolds,  '95;  C. A. Jewell,  '62,  furnished 
C.  A. Jewell,  jr.,  '96. 

'93;  H.  G.  Reynolds, 

'70, 

INDUSTRIAL  EDUCATION  THE NEED  OF  THE 
COMMONWEALTH. 

BY  WILLIAM  KENT. 

An  Address  at  the 39th  Annual  Commencement  of the 
Michigan  State  Agricultural  College,  Aug.  14,  1896. 

Shortly  after  my  acceptance  of  t he  invitation  of 

your  president  to make  an address  at this  commence 
ment,  he sent  me a  copy  of  t he catalogue  of t he Col 
lege,  a nd at  the beginning  of  the  descriptive  matter 
"The  constitution  of  Michigan 
I  find  this  sentence: 
requires  t h at  t he  Legislature  shall  provide  for t he 
establishment  of  an  Agricultural  school  for  iiistruc 
tion  in Agriculture,  and  the  natural  sciences  connected; 
threwith." 

[Revised  Constitution,  1880,  Art.  X I I I .] 

These  words  fill  me with  profound  respect  a nd  ad-j 

miration  for  t he makers  of  t he  revised  constitution; 
of  this  state.  It  seems  remarkable  that  as  early  ftsj 
the  year  1850  they  should  have  foreseen  t he need  of; 
the  state  for such  a College,  and  that  they  should  have; 
t h ey 
been  so strongly  impressed  with  that  need  t h at 
incorporated  a  provision  for the  College  in the eonsti-; 
tution.  And.  although  five  years  passed  before  t he 
Legislature  obeyed  the  mandate  of  t he  constitution 
by  passing  an  act for t he establishment  of  t he Col 
lege,  a nd t wo years  more  elapsed  before  t he  College 
was  opened,  still  the date  1857  w as so early  t h at  it 
enables  Michigan  to  claim  t h at  it h as t he oldest  Col 
lege  of  its kind  in the  country. 

T h at  date  w as  five  years  earlier  t h an  t h at  of the 
Morrill  Land  Grant  Act,  passed  by the  U. S.  Congress 
in  1862,  which  has  been  the  foundation  of the  Agricul 
tural  Colleges,  or of  t he  departments  of  agriculture 
and  mechanic  a r ts  in t he universities  in  most  of  tb«9j 
other  states,  a nd  which  h as  largely  supplemented' 
the  endowment  of this  College. 

IN ADVANCE OP THE AVERAGE SENTIMENT. 
Both  the provision  of  t he Michigan  constitution  of 
1850  and  the  Morrill  Act  of 1862  were  f ar in  advance 
of  t he average  sentiment  of  t he people.  It  often  so 
happens  in legislative  enactments.  The  makers  of  the 
constitution  of  the United  States,  t he grandest  politi 
cal  instrument  ever  framed,  builded  so well  t h at  their 
far-seeing  wisdom  is a  matter  of  astonishment  to us 
today,  but  it was  with  the  utmost  difficulty  t h at  their 
work  was  adopted  by  the  states,  and  only  the  pressure 
of  necessity  compelled  its adoption.  It w as  far in  ad 
vance  of the  average  wisdom  of t he people.  So it is 
usually  with  legislation  connected  with  educational 
matters.  The  establishment  of public  schools  w as  op 
posed  by  a large  portion  of the  community.  "If a  man 
wishes  to  educate  his children  let him  pay for it.  It 
is  not  right  to t ax  the  public  for his benefit,"  said the 
objectors.  Later,  when  high  schools  were  proposed, 
the  same  argument  was  used,  slightly  modified.  It is 
all  right,  said  they,  to teach  a  boy  the  "three  R's," b ut 
the  public  should  not be taxed  for teaching  them t he 
higher  branches.  This  argument  against 
the  high 
schools  is  still  occasionally  heard,  b ut it  h as  never, 
so  far as I  know,  prevailed  to  such  an extent  as  10 
cause  t he abandonment  of a  single  high  school  aftor 
it  has  been  established.  The Morrill  Land  G r a nt  Act 
of  1862,  through  which  t he general  government  pre 
sented  to the several  states  millions  of  acres  of the 
public  lands  to aid in the establishment  of  schools of 
agriculture  a nd mechanic  arts,  w as so little  appreci 
ated  in  some  of  t he states  that  t he proceeds  of t he 
sale  of the  lands  were  frittered  a w ay  or badly  admin 
istered,  so  t h at  the  benefits  derived  from  the  Act  were 
I  am  glad  to 
far  less  t h an  they  should  h a ve  been. 
know  that  this  w as  not  the  case  in the  state  of  Michi 
gan,  a nd t h at  t he grant  of  the government  h as been 
so  well  administered  t h at  the  present  annual  revenue 
from  it  is $42,000,  or  more  than  four  times  as  much 
as  is contributed  this  year  by  taxation  of the  people of 
t he  state,  while  t he  United  States'  supplementary 
grant  of  1890  contributes  $22,000  additional. 
Thus, 
$64,000 of the  revenue of this  College  is due  to the far-
seeing  a nd  beneficent  paternalism  of  t he  United 
States  government  u nd  only  $10,000  to t he  state  of 
Michigan.  This  latter  burden  of  taxation  upon  t he 
people  of the  state  is so  heavy,  as is stated  in a  recent 
number  of the  College  RECORD,  t h at  a  property  owner 
whose  property  is assessed  at $4,000,  pays  a  little  less 
than  4 cents  a  year  to  t he  College. 

This  burden,  however,  is so heavy,  in the  opinion of 

"This 

the  editor  of a  Michigan  country  newspaper,  t h at  he 
would  be willing  to  sacrifice  t he College  in  order  to 
get  rid of  t he burden.  He  s a y s: 
institution 
should  be  merged  into  t he  State  University,  to t he 
end  t h at  t he  $3,000,000  t ax  m ay be  whittled  down. 
Were  t he voters  of Michigan  permitted  to t a ke  action 
upon  t he  m a t t er  they  would  vote  either  for  consolida 
tion  or for t he wiping  out of  t he expensive  Lansing 
concern  altogether."  I  have  no doubt  t h at  t he  editor 
represents  t he opinion  of  only  a  small  portion  of t he 
least  intelligent  of t he community,  a nd  t h at  his state 
ment  is  a  slander  on  t he  voters  of  Michigan.  T he 
support  of higher  education  h as  never  gone  b a c k w a rd 
in  t he United  States,  a nd it  is  inconceivable  t h at t he 
state  of  Michigan,  which  w as wise  enough  46  years 
ago  to put in its constitution  a  provision  for  founding 
its  Agricultural  College  will  ever  be so foolish  as to 
abandon it. 
The  College  is here,  and  is here  to stay,  but,  although 
it  is  nearly  40 years  old,  has,  as f ar as I  can judge, 
a  good  location,  ample  endowment,  splendid  equip 
ment,  well  qualified  teachers,  an admirable  system of 
instruction,  free  tuition,  a nd ATery  low  expenses  for 
board,  everything  in fact  which  such  a  College  should 
hnve,  it  is  still  so f ar  in  advance  of  t he times a nd 
of  t he popular  sentiment  t h at  it  is  not  appreciated 
as  it should  be by t he citizens  of the  State  in  general, 
and  b y t he  farming community =-fn particular.  The  proof 
t h at  there  is  this  w a nt  of  appreciation  is  this  single 
statistical  fact:  T he College  h as in  its  Agricultural 
Department  269 students,  of  whom  39 a re from  out 
side  of  Michigan,  while  t he  last  census  shows  t h at 
208,444  men  over  21  years  of age  a re engaged  in  some 
form  of agricultural  work  in the  State.  T h at  is,  there 
is  only  one student  from  t he state  in t he College  to 
every  900  men  of  full  a ge engaged  in agriculture.  If 
each  family  h as  on t he  average  five  persons,  only one 
family  engaged  in agricultural  industry  out of  every 
180 has  a boy  in the  College.  Making  every  allowance 
we  please  for t he poverty  of  many  farming  families, 
and  for t he fact  t h at  many  families  do not  contain 
lx>ys  of  College  age, still  the  figures  show  t h at  t he 
reason  t h e re  a re only  269 agricultural  students  here 
is t h at  the  farmers  in general  a re  not  willing  t h at  their 
sons  should  come  here. 

SMALL ATTENDANCE NOT THE FAULT OF THE COLLEGE. 
T h at  t he farmers'  sons  do not come  here  is not  t he 
fault  of  this  particular  College,  of  its  methods  or its 
teachers.  If  t h at  were  t he trouble  we would  find  t he 
farmers  sending  their  sons  to Agricultural  Colleges in 
other  states,  which  they  a re not doing.  It  is not  due 
to  t he fact  t h at  it is not right  to give  a  farmers' boy 
such  an education  as this  College  affords,  for there  is 
no  such  fact;  t he fact  is  just  t he reverse.  It  is not 
at  all probable  t h at  the  reason  is t h at  t he farmers a re 
parsimonious;  I  do  not  believe  t h at  they  a r e. T he 
only  reason,  in my estimation,  is t h at  t he farmers  in 
general  a re not yet educated  up to t he belief  t h at t he 
course  of instruction  given  in this  College  would  be of 
benefit  to their  sons;  in fact  many  of  them  a re decid 
edly  prejudiced  against  such  a  course  of  instruction. 
The  farmers  a re not to be  blamed  for this  lack  o, 
education  or for this  prejudice,  for in t he case  of ihe 
vast  majority  of  them  there  h as been  nothing  in  t he 
whole  course  of  their  lives  or of  t h at  of  their  ances 
tors  which  would  tend  to free  them  from  such  a  pre 
judice.  We might  as  well  condemn  t he men  of t he 
middle  ages  for their  neglect  of  a nd disbelief  in  t he 
n a t u r al  sciences,  the  men  of the  15th  century  for  their 
disbelief  in t he  theories  of Columbus,  a nd  t he men of 
the  18th  century,  even  after  t he electrical  discoveries 
of  Franklin,  Yolta  a nd Galvani,  for failing  to  invent 
the  telegraph.  There  is nothing  in the  whole  realm of 
h u m an  opinion  in  which  t he majority  of  m en a re so 
conservative  as in matters  of  education.  H ow m a ny 
years  it  required  from  t he time  of  Froebel  until  t he 
idea  of  the Kindergarten  w as so generally  accepted 
t h at  it  became  adopted  in  even  a  few of  o ur  public 
schools.  After  t he excellence  of t he Russian  system 
of  manual  training  w as  shown  in our  Centennial  Exhi 
bition  in  1876,  how long  it  w as before  t he  m a n u al 
training  idea  became  at  all  popular  in  this  country. 
It  w as not until  after  millions  of  dollars  h ad  been 
spent  by some  of  our  philanthropic  rich  men  in  estab 
lishing  private  m a n u al  training  schools,  m a ny  books 
had  been  written  and  lectures  given  upon  t he subject, 
t h at  public  boards  of education  began  to consider t he 
system,  a nd m a n u al  training  w as  introduced  into t he 
public  schools. 

It  is  not only  among  uneducated  men t h at  preju 
dices  in  educational  m a t t e rs  exist  to  such  an  extent 
as  to  impede  progress,  for  m a n u al 
training  w as 
opposed  by some  of our  most  eminent  educators.  T he 
fetich  of  t he study  for years  of  Greek  a nd Latfn  as 
in t he 
necessary  for  all  educated  m en  still  exists 

AUGUST  18, 

1&96. 

T HE  M.  A.  C.  R E C O R D. 

5 

• 
IF 

^L 

B 

B 
B 
W 

^ 

^ 

fc- 

k 

k 

minas  ot  m a ny  learned  teachers,  and  their  theories 
and  prejudices  in  favor  of  the  old  classical  education 
a re  still  responsible  for  wasting  the  time  of  thousands 
of  young  men  and  for  preventing  them  from  acquiring 
knowledge  in  other  branches  which  would  be  of  vastly 
greater  benefit  to  them. 

So  t he  farmer  is  not  to  be  blamed  for  his  lack  of 
knowledge  of  the  benefits  of  an  Agricultural  College 
course.  "We  must  have  patience  with  him.  He  will 
grow  to  this  knowledge,  or  his  successors  of  t he  com-
ing  generation  will,  and  the  College  will  lie  crowded 
with  students,  and 
it  will  be  asking  the  state  for 
increased  appropriations  in  order  to  provide  buildings 
to  accommodate  them. 

in  the  east.  There  were 

T HE  DAY  OF  T HE  A G R I C U L T U R AL  COLLEGE  IS  COMING. 
Let  not  the  advocates  of  the  Agricultural  College  be 
Its  day  is  coming  just  as  the  day  of  the 
discouraged. 
technical  engineering  college  has  already  one. 
It  is 
just  20 years  ago  since  I  graduated  from  a  mechanical 
engineering  college 
then 
probably  not  over  50  graduates  of  such  colleges  in  the 
country,  and  they  were  a  drug  in  the  market. 
It  was 
panic  times  then,  but  the  workshops  of  the  country  did 
not  appreciate  the  graduates,  and  the  few  who  ob 
tained  work  in  these  shops  had  to  go  in  at  the  very 
bottom,  as  apprentices.  Now  the  conditions  are  en 
tirely  different.  There  are  some  thousands  of  such 
graduates  in  the  country  and  there  is  a  steady  demand 
for  them.  They  Boon  rise  to  hold  the  lvest  positions 
in  the  shops,  and  the  owners  of  the  shops  aire  sending 
their  sons  to  these  colleges  to  obtain  the  kind  of  edu 
cation  that  will  be  of  most  use  to  them.  Rome  of  the 
graduates  are  now  old  enough  to  have  sons  of  College 
age.  and  they  are  sending  them  to  the  same  colleges. 
Such.  I  predict,  will  l>o the  course  of  the  Agricultural 
Colleges.  The  graduates  of  this  College  will  become 
the  superintendents  and  owners  of  the  best  farms  in 
the  country,  and  they  will  send  their  sons  here  in  ever 
increasing  numbers. 

A G R I C U L T U R AL  C O L L E G ES  NOT  C H A R I T A B LE  OR  CLASS 

INSTITUTIONS. 
Meanwhile,  it  is  the  duty  of  those  interested  in  the 
College,  as  professors,  instructors  and  graduates,  not 
to  cease  from  their  work  of  educating  the  farmers  of 
the  State  as  to  the  usefulness  of  the  College.  Let 
them,  through  their  College  paper,  through  the  agri 
cultural  papers  of  the  country,  and  through  F a r m e r s' 
Institutes  and  fairs,  cause  the  work  of  the  College  to 
become  known,  and  in  due  time  the  farmers  will  come 
to  believe  in  the  College,  not  only  as  a  place  to  which 
they  should  send  their  sons,  but  as  a  direct  lxmefit  to 
the  whole  State,  as  an  institution  which  is  so  impor 
t a nt  to  the  welfare  of  the  State  as  a  whole  that  it  will 
never  fail  to  receive  their  support  when  its  needs  com 
pel  it  to  ask  additional  appropriations  from  the  Legis 
lature. 

Let  us  now  consider  a  few  thoughts  which  lead  up 
to  the  belief  t h at  the  Agricultural  College  is  not  in 
any  sense  a  charitable  institution  for  the  benefit  of  its 
students,  nor  even  a  class  institution  provided  for  the 
benefit  of  the  agricultural  interests  at 
the  expense 
of  the  taxpayers  at  large,  but  rather  that  it  is  a  state 
investment  which  will  return  to  the  State  its  cost 
hundreds  of  times  over,an  institution  designed  to  safe 
guard  the  state  against  the  dangers  of  the  industrial 
and  commercial  wars  of  the  future,  just  as  West  Point 
is  designed  to  safeguard  the  nation  against  foreign 
invasion. 

In  New  York  city 

tlvere  exists  an  apprentices' 
library,  founded  by  t he  Society  of  Mechanics  and 
Tradesmen,  which  was  instituted  over  a  century  ago. 
On  the  walls  of  the  library  hangs  the  ancient  banner 
of  the  society  with  its  emblem  and  its  motto.  The 
enabled  is  an  uplifted  right  arm  with  the  hand  grasp 
ing  a  hammer,  and  the  motto  is  the  quaint  couplet, 
"By  h a m m er  and  hand  all  a r ts  do  stand."  Such  was 
the  honor  given  a  hundred  years  ago  to  the  hammer 
and  t he  hand  as  the  foundation  of  the  industrial  arts. 
If  one  were  asked  at  the  present  day  to  frame  a  motto 
for  the  foundation  of  t he  industrial  a r ts  it  would  read 
about  as  follows:  "By  the  steam  engine,  and  by  the 
brain  of  man  guiding  the  h a m m er  and  the  hand,  all 
a r ts  do  stand."  The  change  is  made  necessary  by  the 
industrial  revolution  that  has  characterized  the  pres 
ent  century.  The  hammer  and  the  hand  a re  now 
only  minor  tools.  The  steam  engine  is the  great  power 
which  is  doing  the  mechanical  work  of  the  world, 

and  it  is  the  brain  of  t he  captain  of  industry  which 
determines  w h at  work  the  steam  engine,  the  hammer 
and  the  hand  are  to  do,  and  which  today  is  the  chief 
factor  in  increasing  the  wealth  of  the  race.  The  revo 
lution  has  now  been  in  progress  for  over  a  hundred 
years,  ever  since  the  general  introduction  of  the  steam 
engine  and  of  labor-saving  machinery  into  factories. 
So  long  has  it  continued,  and  so  steady  and  gradual 

has  been  its  progress,  t h at  but  few  are  able  to  realize 
its  extent. 

POSITION  OF  A G R I C U L T U R E. 

is 

the 

form 

lands  of 

the  west, 

improvement 

the  chief  part,  measured 

in  blast  decreased  about  one-half  and 

One  great  consequence  of  the  revolution  is  t h at  ag 
riculture  has  been  relegated  from  the  first  to  the  sec 
ond  place  in  the  industries  of  the  United  States,  a nd 
manufacturing  industry  has  taken  the  first  place.  Of 
a lt  the  material  and  marketable  things  which  man  in 
this  country  produces  and  consumes  or  uses,  man 
ufactured  goods 
in 
money  value,  and  agricultural  products  the  second. 
The  application  of  machinery  to  farming,  the  migra 
tion  of  farmers  from  the  sterile  lands  of  the  east-to  the 
in 
fertile 
character  of  the  crops,  and  the  increased  application 
of  fertilizers,  have  all  tended  to  make  a  smaller  frac 
tion  of  the  population  necessary  to  produce  the  food 
for  the  whole  country  and  to  discharge  men  from  the 
farm  and  turn  them  into  other  pursuits.  One  reason 
why  great  cities  are  growing  at  such  a  remarkable 
rate  is  that  factories  a re  built  in  the  cities  and  the 
average  working  man  can  make  more  money  in  them 
than  he  can  on  the  farm.  He  is  discharged  from  the 
relatively 
farm  where  the  demand  for  his  labor 
diminishing  and  he  is  welcomed  by  the  city,  where  the 
demand  for  labor  is  increasing.  The  agricultural  in 
dustry  of  the  country  is  now  going  through  a  transi 
tion  stage  which  is  in  many  respects  similar  to  t h at 
through  which  the  iron  manufacturing  industry  went 
in  the  20 years  preceding  1890.  In  that  period  the  pro 
duction  of  pig  iron  quadrupled,  while  the  number  of 
furnaces 
the 
cost  of  making  a  ton  of  pig  iron  was  also  diminished 
by  half.  The  average  product  of  a  blast  furnace  was 
multiplied  eight-fold  in  t h at  period;  not  that  any  given 
furnace  in  181)0  produced  eight  times  as  much  as  it 
did  in  1870, but  new  furnaces  were  built  which  caused 
the  abandonment  of  t he  old  ones,  .and  in  many  cases 
the  bankruptcy  of  their  owners.  New  districts  Avere 
developed  in  which  iron  could  be  made  more  cheaply 
than  in  the  old,  the  furnaces  in  the  old  districts  were 
allowed  to  fall  into  ruin,  and  millions  of  dollars  worth 
of  invested  capital  were  thus  wiped  out.  The  period 
of  20 years  w as  one  of  readjustment  and  relocation  of 
the  industry,  and  it  was  one  of  severe  competition  in 
prices  and  of  struggle  for  existence,  in  which  the  law 
of  the  "survival  of  the  fittest"  operated  most  disas 
trously  to  the  unfit. 
I  have  already  spoken  of  some  of 
the  causes  which  tend  to  make  a  smaller  number  of 
farmers  relatively  to  the  whole  population,  necessary 
to  provide  food  for  the  country.  There  is  another 
cause  tending  in  the  same  direction,  and 
it  is  one 
which  is  not  peculiar  to  this  country,  but  is  world 
wide  in  its  operation.  Hitherto  a  considerable  portion 
of  the  farmers'  market  has  been  furnished  by  the  de 
mand  for  export.  This  demand  is  gradually  dimin 
ishing.  Southern  Russia,  both  in  Europe  and  in  Asia, 
Egypt,  India  and  the  Argentine  Republic  are  becoming 
every  year  more  vigorous  competitors  of  the  United 
the 
States  in  the  grain  markets  of  Europe.  With 
building  of  railroads  in  these  countries  and  the  devel 
opment  of  their  farming  industry,  it  is  only  reasonable 
to  expect  that  the  United  States  will  grow  less  and 
less  important  as  a  contributor  of  heavy  agricultural 
staple  to  Europe,  and  it  is  not  at  all  Improbable  t h at 
within  ten  years  our  export  of  wheat  to  Europe  will 
have  practically  ceased. 

There  will  of  course  l>e  an  increasing  demand  for 

the  great  food  staples  within  the  United  States,  co 
incident  with  its  increase  of  population,  but  the  devel 
opment  of  the  great  grain  belt  of  the  northwest  is  still 
in  progress,  the  wheat,  com  and  oats  will  be  grown  in 
t he  districts  best  fitted  for  them,  and  the  gradual 
abandonment  of  their  growing  in  the  districts  least 
fit  will  continue.  The  law  of  the  "survival  of  the  fit 
test"  is  operating  in  the  farming  industry  as  it  is  in 
manufacturing,  and  the  farmer  who  would  survive 
t he  struggle  must  learn  how  to  a d a pt  himself  to  the 
changing  conditions  of  his  environment. 

NOT  T R UE  T H AT  T HE  R I CH  ARE  G R O W I NG  R I C H ER  AND  T HE 

POOR  POORER. 

The  prospect  now  in  view  is  one  of  hard 

times 
for  the  average  f a r m er  during  the  years  in  which  the 
changes  referred 
to  are  taking  place,  but  Ave  may 
with  hopefulness  look  forward  beyond  the  immediate 
present  to  a  new  era  of  prosperity  in  which  the  in 
telligent  farmers.will  share  probably  in  greater  meas 
If  we 
u re  t h an  any  other  portion  of  the  community. 
can  divest  ourselves  for  a  time  of  the  despairing  feel 
ings  engendered  by  the  recent  period  of  depression 
and  make  a  calm  survey  of  the  development  of  the 
industries  of  t he  country  as  shown  by  statistics  for 
long  periods  of  time,  we  shall  find  much  to  give  us 
In  this  connection  a 
encouragement  for  the  future. 

industry,  measured 

study  of  some  figures  of  the  census  of  1890,  giving  a 
comparison  of  t he  production  of  t he  m a n u f a c t u r i ng 
industries  of  the  country  in  the  y e a rs  1880  and  1890, 
is  most  instructive. 
I  am  not  going  to  trouble  you 
with  the  figures—those  who  wish  can  find  them  in  the 
Census  Bulletins—but  I  m ay  mention  a  few  conclu 
sions  which  the 
figures  prove.  Between  t he  years 
1880  and  1890,  there  w as  a  v a st  increase  in  the  pro 
duction  of  every  manufacturing 
in  dollars  and  cents  as  well  as  in  weight  and  bulk, 
notwithstanding  the  fact  t h at  prices  of  commodities 
greatly  decreased.  T he  increase  in  production  and 
the  increase 
consumption  w as  far  greater  t h an 
in 
population. 
lumber,  in  fur 
It  took  place  in  finished 
niture,  in  boots  and  shoes,  in  cotton,  wool  a nd  silk 
fabrics,  in  made-up  clothing,  in  books  and  neAvspapers, 
in  iron,  machinery  a nd  h a r d w a re  of  every  ATariety,  in 
pianos,  carriages,  railway  cars  and  locomotives,  and 
in  manufactured  articles  of  luxury  of  every  descrip 
tion.  The  g r e at  bulk  of  consumption  of  perishable 
articles  a nd  the  storing  up  for  use  or  ornament  of 
articles  not  perishable,  such  as  pianos,  books,  pic 
tures,  tine  furniture  and  the  like,  is  by  the  common 
people.  The  purchasing  poAver  of  a  vast  majority  of 
the  common  people  m u st  haATe  greatly  increased,  or 
this  increased  a m o u nt  of  manufactured  articles  could 
not  have  been  made.  The  statistics  -further  prove 
t h at  wages  increased,  as  did  also  t he  saATings  of  the 
common  people,  as  Shown  by  the  records  of  life  in 
surance  societies, savings  banks  a nd  building  a nd  loan 
associations.  There  is  a b u n d a nt  evidence  t h at 
the 
era  of  prosperity  from  1880 to  1890  showered  its  bene 
fits  upon  t he  poor  man  as  well  as  upon  the  rich,  and 
t h at  the  ordinary  workingman  contributed  to  the  gen 
eral  prosperity  of  the  industries  of  t he  country  by 
purchasing  a  greater  quantity  of  manufactured  art 
icles  t h an  he  Avas ever  before  able  to  do  in  t he  history 
of  the  Avorld.  T he  figures  of  t he  census  of  1890,  com 
pared  Avith  those  of  1S80,  prove  t he  falsity  of  the  say 
ing  so  commonly  heard  from  the  lips  of  t he  profes 
sional  agitators  and  of  t he  ignorant  t h at  " t he  rich 
are  growing  richer  a nd  the  poor  are  groAving  poorer." 
The  figures  shoAV,on the  contrary,  t h at  in  the  ten  y e a rs 
considered,  t he  whole  people  were  groAving  richer  and 
the  poor  Avere  growing  fewer. 

I  haAre  seen  no  figures  of  the  consumption  of  farm 
products  other  t h an  the  great  staples,  b ut  I  have  no 
doubt  t h at  if  the  statistics  could  h a ve  been  obtained 
they  would  shOAV  t h at  there  w as  in  the  same  period 
a  great  increase  in  the  consumption  of  those  articles 
produced  by  the  farmer  Avhich  are  usually  considered 
luxuries,  such  as  spring  chickens  and  lamb,  green  peas 
and  asparagus,  the  finer  fruits,  early  vegetables,  mel 
ons,  t he  finer  cheeses,  cream  and  ice  cream.  T he  in 
creased  use  of  flowers  for  decorative  purposes  is  a 
matter  of  common  knowledge,  as  is  also  the  increased 
purchase  of  fine  fruit  trees  and  of  shade  trees  by  the 
s u b u r b an  cottager. 
I  have  no  doubt  also  t h at  a  com 
parison  of  these  years,  if  it  could  be  made,  would  show 
an  improvement  in  the  breeds  of  horses,  cattle  and 
sheep. 

CONCLUSIONS. 

financial  depression, 

The  conclusions  Avhich I  wish  to  d r aw  from  the  fore 
going  facts  a re  these:  1.  The  increase  in  purchasing 
and  consuming  power  of  the  people  of  the  United 
States,  groAving  faster  t h an  the  increase  of  population, 
as  shoAvn  by  the  comparison  of  the  figures  for  1890 
and  1880,  is  the  normal  condition. 
If  temporarily  sus 
it 
pended  for  a  few  years,  by 
Avill  again  take  place  in  eAren  greater  degree.  2.  The 
people^will  consume  more  of  the  finer  products  of  the 
farmer,  those  which  may  be  classed  as  luxuries,  Avhile 
the  consumption  of  t he  staple  grains,  Avheat,  corn, 
oats  and  rye,  per  capita,  may  remain  about  station 
ary.  3.  The  increased  development  of  manufacturing, 
which  i s ' t he  chief  cause  of  t he  increased  wealth  of 
the  community,  will  continue  to  make  our  cities  and 
toAvns  grow  larger,  and  provide  a  larger  home  m a r k et 
for  the  near-by  farmer  of  those  products,  chiefly  per 
ishable  ones,  which  he  can  supply  to  better  advan 
tage  t h an  the  more  distant  farmer;  while  the  staple 
grains  Avill  be  supplied  from  the  lands  best  fitted 
to 
produce  them,  even  if  they  a re  a  thousand  miles  or 
more  distant  from  the  manufacturing  cities. 

T he  farming  of  the  future  in  the  great  manufactur 
ing  states,  of  which  Michigan  is  one,  Avill  be  charac 
terized  by  greater  variety  of  crops  and  by  finer  grade 
of  products,  both  vegetable  and  animal.  This  will 
call  for  a  more  varied  and  extensive,  knowledge  of 
how  to  produce  these  finer  products  t h an  the  average 
farmer  now  possesses. 

THE FARMER OF OLD AND THE MODERN FARMEK. 
The  farmer  of  the  olden  time  had  plenty  of  hard 
work,  with  his  lack  of  modern  machinery.  H is  edu-

cation  in  t he  science  of  farming  w as  such  as  he  ob 
tained  from  his  father  while  at  work  on  t he  farm, 
and  his  methods  were  those  of  his  grandfathers.  H is 
farming  education,  such  as  it  was,  w as  sufficient  for 
his  needs,  for  if  he  learned  how  to  raise  corn  and 
hogs  as  well  as  his  father  did,  w h at  more  w as  there 
to  be  learned?  No  need  then  for  books  on  agriculture, 
for  F a r m e r s'  Institutes,  still  less  for  an  Agricultural 
College.  W h at  good  could  chemistry  do  on  a  farm  in 
those  days,  and  w h at  farmer  then  ever  heard  of  ento 
mology  or  of  bacteriology? 

Now,  everything  has  changed.  The  community  as 
it  increases  in  wealth  demands  a 
larger  variety  of: 
food  products,  and  is  willing  to  pay  for  the  finest  t h at 
can  be  grown.  T he  fanner,  to  meet  this 
demand, 
finds  the  education  of  his  father  and  his  grandfather 
no  longer  sufficient.  He  must  learn  how  to  do  more 
things  and  better  things  than  ever  they  did.  H is  edu 
cation  must  be  of  a  broader  and  more  varied  kind 
than  theirs  w;is.  The  successful  farmer  of  the  future 
will  not  spend  his  life  in  manual  drudgery,  working 
with  his  hands, from  snn  to  sun.  as  his  ancestors  did, 
while  his  wife  drudges  from  sunrise  till  dark  at  night 
to  do  her  share  of  t he  work  and  at  the  same  time 
board  the  farm  lalwrers.  He  will  work  less  with  his 
h a n ds  and  more  with  his brains.  Much  of  the  old  time 
drudgery  will  be  done  a w ay  with  by  the  use  of  ma 
chinery,  and  what,  remains  will  be  done  by  common 
laborers,  which  like  the  poor  we  will  always  have  with 
as,  although  like  the  poor  they  are  becoming  fewer. 
as  machinery  pushes  them  up  in  the  scale  of  hu 
manity. 

THE FARMER OF THE FUTURE MUST BE EDUCATED. 

Above  all.  the  farmer  of  the  future  must  be  an  edu 
cated  man.  He  must  have  a  cultured  brain  and  know-
how  to  use  it  in  his  business.  There  are  two  things 
which  characterize  a  well  educated  man.  First,  nat 
ural  brain  capacity  which  he  inherits  from  his  ances 
try;  and,  second,  culture,  which  is  obtained  only  by 
systematic  training.  The  first  is  possessed  in  large 
measure  by  our  fanning  population,  as  is  seen  by  con 
sidering  the  fact  that  thousands  of  our  most  eminent 
lawyers,  legislators,  bankers,  and  merchant  princes 
began  life  as  farmer  boys.  How  is  the  farmer  of  the 
future  to  get  the  second,  namely,  brain-training,  or 
culture.  The  experience  of  the  race  for  a  thousand 
years  shows  that  the  best,  if  not  the  only  practicable 
way  of  giving  the  highest  kind  of  brain-training,  is  a 
If  Ave take  a  farmer's  boy  and  wish 
course  in  college. 
to  make  a  minister,  a  doctor  or  a  lawyer  of  him,  we 
send  him  to  a  college  of  theology  or  medicine  or  law. 
If  we  wish  to  make  him  a  superintendent  of  a  ma 
chine  shop  or  a  designer  and  builder  of  locomotives 
or  ehM-tric light  machinery,  we  send  him  to  a  mechani 
cal  college.  The  day  is  coming  when  if  we  wish  to 
make  a  successful  farmer  of  him  we  must  send  him 
to  college.  Not  to  t he  old-fashioned  college  where  he 
will  spend  his  l>est  years  in  Latin,  Greek  and  mental 
philosophy,  which  will  be  of  no  use  to  him,  "and  in 
foot  ball  and  rowing,  which  may  be  useful  as  an  anti 
dote  to  the  Greek  and  Latin,  but  to  a  college  where  he 
will  study  English  and  mathematics,  two  most  essen 
tial  elements  of  practical  brain-training,  and  the  natu 
ral  and  physical  sciences  which  have  a  direct  applica 
tion  to  agriculture. 
In  the  college  also  he  will  learn 
the  scientific  and  only  t r ue  w ay  of  making  experi 
ments  and  of  drawing  conclusions  from  his  own  ex 
periments  and  those  of  others. 
the  agricultural 
college  he  will  not  only  obtain  the  broad  foundations 
of  an  education,  but  he  will  be  t a u g ht  by  actual  prac 
tice  in  the  field  the  best  way  of  doing  things  on  the 
farm. 
In  its  library  he  will  have  access  to  books  and 
periodicals  which  contain  the  latest  information  con 
cerning  the  progress  of  t he  science  and  practice  of  ag 
riculture  throughout  the  world,  and  he  will  there  ac 
quire  habits  of  study  and  of  scientific  thinking  whict 
will  cling  to  him  through  life,  which  will  not  only  be 
a  constant  source  of  pleasure  in  the  intervals  of  rest 
from  toil,  but  will  also  be  of  material  benefit  in  assur 
ing  him  to  solve  the  numerous  perplexing  problems 
which  will  arise  in  the  ever-changing  and 
ever-ad 
vancing  progress  of  the  farming  industry. 

In 

B E N E F I TS  OF  T HE  A G R I C U L T U R AL  COLLEGE  TO  T HE  COM 

M O N W E A L T H. 

T h us  far  we  have  chiefly  considered  the  benefit  of 
the  agricultural  college 
farmer, 
to 
who  is  fortunate  enough  to  become  one  of  its  students, 
but  its  iK'nefits  are  much  farther  reaching  and  apply 
to  the  whole  commonwealth. 

individual 

the 

It  w as  truly  said  a  long  time  ago  t h at  "he  who 
makes  t wo  blades  of  grass  grow  where  one  grew  be 
fore  is  a  public  benefactor."  Not  merely  a  benefactor 
to  himself,  but  to  t he  whole  community,  a  public  bene 
factor.  T a ke  a  bright  boy  from  one  of  the  poorer 

T HE  M,  A.  C.  R E C O RD 

AUGUST  18, 

1896. 

by 

the 

no  man 

has  made 

the  people  of 

the  city  with 

the 
soil,  and 

his 
poorer.  He 
the 

farms  of  the  state,  furnish  him  a  couple  of  hundred 
dollars  to  help  pay  his  w ay  through  t he  college*  The 
college  gives  him  an  education.  He  goes  back  to  t he 
farm  and  begins  to  improve  it.  Studying  the  course 
of  the  markets  and  the  capabilities  of  the  farm,  he 
learns  w h at  to  grow  and  w h at  not  to  grow.  He  ap 
plies  the  kind  of  fertilizer  best  adapted  to  his  land, 
changes  the  breed  of  stock,  builds  a  silo,  plants  the 
trees,  raises  some  shrubbery 
best  varieties  of  fruit 
and  flowers  for  the  Detroit  market. 
In  t w e n ty  years 
or  so  he  has  amassed  a  moderate  fortune,  builds  a  fine 
house;  furnishes  it  with  a  library,  musical  instruments 
and  pictures,  and  lives  as  a  wealthy,  country  gentle 
man  should.  He  attribute's  the  foundation  of  his  suc 
cess  to  the  education  he  received  at  the  college.  But 
is  he  the  only  gainer  from  his  education?  He  has 
made  two  blades  of  grass  grow,  where  one  grew  be 
fore,  he  has  been  a  public  benefactor  w h e t h er  he  de 
sired  to  be  one  or  not.  Not  a  dollar  of  his  wealth  has 
increased  value  of 
been  made  except 
becoming 
the  products  of 
riclivr 
has 
furnished 
finer 
products  of  his  farm,  at  good  prices,  which  they  were 
willing  to  pay.  He  has  hired  more  workmen  on  the 
farm,  and  has  been  compelled  through  the  general 
prosperity  of  the  country  to  advance 
their  wages. 
When  he  builds  new  barns  or  a  new  house,  buys  im 
proved  machinery,  wears  better  clothes,  drives  in  a 
better  carriage,  lie  lias  to  give  employment  to  more 
high-priced  workmen.  He  pays  more 
taxes,  gives 
more  work  to  the  railroads.  Every  dollar  of  profit  lie 
makes  he  must  do  something  with,  and  whether  lie 
spends  it  to  improve  his  property,  or  puts  it  in  the  sav 
ings  bank  where  it  will  be  loaned  to  do  useful  work 
for  someone  else,  he  improves  the  financial  condition 
of  the  community.  But  more  t h an  this,  every 
im 
provement  he  has  made  on  his  farm  or  in  his  farm 
ing  methods  has  been  made  under  the  eyes  of  his 
neighbors..  He  cannot  keep  a  farming  secret  if  he 
would.  They  profit  by  his  example  and  by  his  experi 
ments,  and  as  far  as  they  are  able,  improve  their 
farms  and  their  methods  also. 
If  the  whole  farming 
community  becomes  rich  it  furnishes  a  more  valuable 
market  to  the  manufacturers  who  thus  share  in  the 
farmers'  prosperity.  Rich  farmers,  who  have  made 
their  riches  by  the  cultivation  of  the  soil,  are  good 
citizens,  and  the  more  such  citizens  the  country  has 
the  better. 
In  so  far  as  the  college  course  can  assist 
in  making  of  a  farmer's  lx>y  a  broad-minded,  intelli 
gent,  well-educated  citizen,  in  so  far  as  it  can  teach 
him  how  to  grow  Two blades  of  grass  where  one  grew 
before,  it  performs  a  work  which  is  of  far  greater  im 
portance  to  the  commonwealth  t h an  it  is  to  the  indi 
vidual  himself.  The  college  is  the  great  public  bene 
factor,  in  that  it  t u r ns  out  men  fitted  to  become  pub 
fl 
lic  benefactors. 

SCHOOLS  OF  MECHANICAL  E N G I N E E R I N G. 
The  foregoing  remarks  have  had  relation  chiefly  to 
the  agricultural  college,  but  much  of  w h at  has  been 
said  might  be  repeated  in  regard  to  value  of  technical 
schools  of  other  kinds  t h an  a g r i c u l t u r al  This  Col 
lege  has  established  a  mechanical  department,  wisely 
following  the  example  of  other  states  which  have 
endowed  schools  of  mechanical  engineering.  The  re 
sults  achieved  by  these  schools  during  the  last  twenty 
years  in  turning  out  thousands  of  graduates  who  now 
hold  prominent  positions  in  our  mechanical  industries. 
a re  well  known;  and  their  value  to  the  nation  is  lx>-
yond  calculation.  The  usefulness  of  these  schools  is 
now  generally  appreciated  by  the  public.  They  are 
crowded  with  students—many  of  them  have  been  lib 
erally  endowed  by  the  states,  and  by  the  general  gov 
ernment,  and  millions  of  dollars  have  been  contributed 
to  them  by  private  individuals.  Already  the  alumni 
of  some  of  them  are  showing  their  appreciation  of  the 
benefits  they  have  received  from 
them  by  raising 
funds  to  provide  them  with  additional  buildings  and 
equipment.  There  is  no  need  to  further  discuss  the 
schools  of  mechanical  engineering.  Their  position  and 
their  purpose  are  secure. 

The  progress  of  t he  agricultural  schools  has  hitherto 
lagged  behind  that  of  the  schools  of  engineering,  but 
there  can  be  no  doubt  that  it  will  ere  long  receive 
a  new  impetus,  and  that  the  agricultural  schools  will 
obtain  t h at  measure  of  public  appreciation  and  t h at 
increase  of  endowment  which  they  deserve. 

The  position  of  the  engineering  schools  of  the  United 
States  is  now  in  advance  of  t h at  of  similar  schools  in 
any  other  p a rt  of  the  world,  and  probably  t he  same 
may  be  said  of  our  agricultural  schools,  but  in  other 
branches  of  technical  education  we  a re  far  behind 
Europe,  and  in  fact  have  scarcely  made  a  beginning.  I 
wish  to  quote  in  this  connection  the  words  of  ex-Presi 
dent  Willits,  of  this  College,  spoken  in  1885.  He  said: 

"Continental  Europe,,older  in  these  industries,  long 
since  s aw  t he  necessity  for  special  attention  to  t he 
matter,  and  during  the  last  fifty  years  has  expended 
large  sums  on  schools  of  technology  and  the  promo 
tion  of  science  lying  at  the  base  of  all  the  industries. 
T he  result  has  been  marvelous.  England,  t h at  once 
ruled  the  industrial  as  imperially  as  she  did  the  com 
mercial  world,  at  last  became  anxious  over  t he  com 
petition  of  nations  t h at  for  half  a  century  or  more  had 
been  her  lavish  purchases,  a nd  began  to  inquire  hgw 
this  ability  to  compete  in  her  manufactures  had  been 
brought  about,  and  w as  after  a  full  investigation  into 
the  primal  causes  compelled  to  admit  t h at  it  w as  to 
be  attributed  more  t h an  anything  else  to  the  schools 
of  technology  and  mechanic  a r ts  which  those  coun 
tries  had  the  foresight  to  establish."  He 
further 
says:  "Our  industries  are  an  important  factor  in  our 
body  politic,  and  our  future  is  to  be  largely  shaped 
by  our  ability  to  m a n u f a c t u re  as  well  and  as  cheaply 
as  anyone  else.  To  do  this  we  must  p ut  intelligence 
into  our  shops  and  theoretical  instruction 
into  our 
schools.  We  must  occupy  the  ground  ourselves  with 
our  own  brains  and  muscle.  TwTo-thirds  of  our  fore 
men  and  master  mechanics  are  foreigners  educated  in 
the  technical  schools  of  E u r o pe  or  instructed  by  an 
apprenticeship  that  is not  g e r m a ne  to  our  institutions." 

I  doubt  if  the  statement  made  by  President  Willits 
eleven  years  ago  t h at  two-thirds  of  our  foremen  and 
master  mechanics  are  foreigners  would  hold  t r ue  to 
day,  and  it  surely  would  not  in  t he  case  of  our  iron-
working,  establishments,  but  it  is  probably  true 
in 
most  of  t he  skilled  industries  outside  of  iron  work 
ing,  and  especially  in  those  in  which  artists  and  de 
signers  are  engaged.  The  g r e at  bulk  of  our  artistic 
designing  in  metals,  in  textile  fabrics  and  in  wood  is 
done  by. foreigners.  Michigan  is  famous  for  its  furni 
ture  industry,  but  I  venture  to  say  t h at  its  best  fur 
niture  is  designed  by  foreigners  a nd  is  but  a  servile 
copy  of  the  F r e n ch  and  English  furniture  of  the  last 
renowned  for  its  genuine  artistic  merit  as  it  is  for  iis 
remember 
cheapness? 
quality 
read 
ing  a 
in  a  n e w s p a p er 
piece  of  poetry 
which  described  the  delight  of  a  wealthy  American  in 
finding  an  antique  bedstead  in  the  store  of  honest 
old  Mynheer  Vandaam  in  the  quaint  old  city  of  Am 
sterdam.  200  years  old,  and  princes  had  slept  on  it. 
After  making  the  purchase  and  taking  it  home  he 
found  a  label  on  it  with  the  words:  " P a t e nt  Antique. 
Berky  &  Gay,  Grand  Rapids,  Michigan,  U.  S.  A." 

and 
its 
fugitive 

I 

If  we  had  a  technical  school  of  furniture  design, 
instead  of  making  copies  of  antiques,  we  might  make 
Michigan  furniture  of  the  beginning  of  the  20th  cen 
tury  as  intrinsically  valuable  as  the  F r e n ch  furniture 
of  the 18th century.  Our  designers  and  artists  a re  most 
ly  foreigners,  and  the  best  designers  and  artists  stay 
in  Europe. 
If  an  artist  is  born  here,  w h e t h er  a  musi 
cian,  a  painter,  a  sculptor  or  a  worker  in  wood  or 
metal  Or  textile  fabrics,  he  m u st  go  TO  Europe  to  get 
his  training.  Such  things  should  not  be,  and  will  not 
when  this  country  is  properly  provided  with  schools  of 
industrial  art  and  design. 

skilled 

S K I L L ED  W O R K M EN  N E E D E D. 
Another  need  of  our  times  is  for  well  skilled  work 
men.  Common  mechanics,  able  to  earn  $2  to  $2.50  per 
day,  are  plenty  enough,  but  the  highly 
fine 
workman  worth  $4  or  $5  per  day  is  a  scarce  article. 
Our  shops,  as  at  present  organized,  with  their  lack  of 
an  apprenticeship  system,  and  our  trades  unions  with 
their  methods  of  leveling  all  members  to  one  grade, 
are  not  calculated  to  make  highly  skilled  and  high-
priced  workmen.  A  man  who  gets  $2  a  day  in  a  shop 
is  worth  to  his  employer  but  little  more,  for  he  can 
easily  be  replaced  by  as  good  a. man  at  the  same  pay, 
but  t he  man  who  gets  $4  is  usually  worth  to  his  em 
ployer,  and  to  t he  community  which  receives  the  fin 
ished  product  of  his  skill,  far  more  t h an  his  wages, 
and  if  he  dies  or  moves  a w ay  his  place  is  not  easily 
filled. 
If  we  get  highly  skilled  workmen  from  Europe 
they  a re  not  apt  to  be  the  best.  T he  best  h a ve  good 
positions  in  Europe  and  are  content  to  stay  there.  T he 
greater  the  number  of  highly  skilled  and  high  priced 
workmen  t he  state  has  the  more  prosperous  is  the 
state.  How  a re  we  to  get  them?  The  shops  do  not 
make  them,  the  trades  unions  do  not,  the  apprentice-
Ship  system  by  which  they  were  once  made  is  dead, 
and  Europe  will  send  us  only  the  second  best. 
If  we 
wish  the  best  t h e re  seems  to  be  no  way  left  in  which  to 
obtain  them  but  the  establishment  of  t r a de  schools.  A 
beginning  in  such  schools  has  been  made  in  New  York 
and  Philadelphia,  through  private  munificence.  No 
doubt  they  will  in  time  be  established  all  over  the 
country,  but  a  public  opinion  m u st  be  created  in  their 
favor  before  they  will  multiply  to  a ny  great  extent. 

T he  State  of  Michigan  has.  done  a  noble  work  in 
She  has  done 

founding  the  Agricultural  College. 

AUGUST  18,  1896. 

T HE  M.  A.  C.  R E C O K D. 

7 

wisely  in  adding  to  it  a  mechanical  department.  Let 
us  hope  she will  soon  continue  the  good work  !>y  found 
ing  a  school  of  industrial  a rt  and  design,  and  a  system 
skilled 
of  t r a de  schools  for  the  training  of  highly 
workmen.  She  has  a  grand  geographical  situation, 
surrounded  by  t he  great  lakes,  an  ideal  position  for 
commerce,  a  fine  climate,  a  fertile  soil  and  wonderfully 
rich  resources  of  the  forest  and  the  mine.  W h at  more 
does  she  need?  A  race  of  broad-minded,  well-edu 
cated  and  highly  skilled  men.  Such  men  it  is  the  prov 
ince  of  t he  schools  to  furnish.  Let  Michigan  give  a 
generous  support 
industrial 
schools  she  now  has,  and  provide  liberally  for  those 
t r a de  schools  and  a rt  schools  she  will  need  in  the  days 
to  come.  She  can  make  no better  financial  investment, 
and  nothing  else  that  she  can  do  Will  contribute  so 
much  to  her  development  as  a  prosperous  and  happy 
state. 

technical  and 

the 

to 

AT  THE  COLLEGE. 

"W. J.  McGee's  father  visited  him  last  week. 
The  next  number  of  the  RECORD  will  appear  Sep 

tember  15. 

The  Library  hours  for  vacation  are  from  10  to  12 

a.  m.  each  day. 

Lieut,  and  Mrs.  Lewis  left  Saturday  afternoon  for 

H a rt  to  visit  Lieut.  Lewis'  sister.  Mrs.  Rollins. 

Miss  Anna  AVeaver  of  Marlette  visited  at  M.  A.  0. 

during  commencement. 

A.  B.  Cook,  '!«.  and  Miss  Otie  Cook,  witli  '!)4.  were 

the  guests  of  Dr.  Real  and  family  on  Aug.  8  to  11. 

The  Union  Literary  Society  alumni  enjoyed  a  very 
rooms  Friday 

pleasant  informal  hop  in  the  society 
evening. 

Mrs.  Win.  Shakespeare  and  Miss  Monroe,  daughters 
of  Hon.  C,  J.  Monroe,  were  guests  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Gun son  during  commencement. 

Mrs.  O.  C.  McLouth  and  Miss  Florence,  mother  and 
sister  respectively  of  J.  I>.  McLouth,  spent  several 
days  with  the  family  of  Dr.  Real. 

Miss  Gertie  Maxtield.  Coopersvillc.  sister  of  W.  A. 
Maxtield.  '03.  was  the  guest  of  Rrof.  and  Mrs.  Wood-
worth  during  commencement  week. 

It  seems  good  to  see  a  crop  of  red  clover  coming  on. 
though  in  some  places  on  the  farm  the  root  borer  is 
putting  in  his  work  in  a  thorough  manner. 

At  the  farmers'  picnic  held  in  Leadley's  Park,  last 
week.  Prof.  O.  D.  Smith  addressed 
the  people  on 
" F a rm  Dairying/'  and  G.  C.  Davis  on  "Injurious  In 
sects." 

According  to  present  indications,  this  will  be  a  year 
for  great  stork's  about  tall  corn,  and  most  likely  large 
yields  also.  At  the  College  and  in  vicinity  corn  smut 
is  abundant. 

The  vegetable  gardens  are  cultivated  once  a  week, 
and  as  soon  as  dry  enough  after  every  rain,  if  oftener 
than  once  a  week.  Clean  cultivation  prevails  in 
the 
apple  orchard. 

Miss  Edna  Smith,  who  lias  been  visiting  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Westcott  for  several  weeks,  left  for  her  home  in 
Toledo,  Saturday  morning.  Mrs.  Westcott's  sisters. 
the  Misses  Greening,  will  remain  here  for  some  time. 

Tlie  Sjyeculum. 

From  August  1,  1887, beginning  with 
number  25, a  few  complete  sets  remain,  also  extra  cop 
ies  of  some  of  the  other  numbers  preceding  that  date. 
Those  desiring  copies can  have  them  at  5 cents  per  copy. 
Address  M.  A.  C.  RECORD. 

Some  of 

the  older  trees  of  Northern  Spy  have  a 
spread  of  branches  in  one  direction  of  twenty-one  feet. 
The  trees  were  set  by  the  first  president  of  the  College 
and  were  generally  thirty-three  feet  apart. 
In  many 
instances  the  branches  of  adjacent  trees  interlock. 

Owing  to  numerous  fine  showers  during  the  season 
thus  far  the  plans  for  sub-earth  irrigation  of  celery 
mentioned  in  THE  RECORD  a  few  weeks  ago,  have  not 
been  carried  out.  Super  irrigation  has  taken  the  place 
of  the  one  contemplated.  Nothing  is  more  uncertain 
than  the  weather. 

the  prospective  student  would  naturally 

The  annual  catalogue  for  the  thirty-ninth  year  has 
recently  been  published. 
information 
that 
seek. 
including 
There  are  one  hundred  and  twelve  pages 
twenty-seven  illustrations.  The  number  of  students 
enrolled  for  the  year  is 393. 

It  gives  much 

Not  long  ago  a  fanner  from  Delhi  visited  M.  A.  C, 
accompanied  by  the  members  of  his  family.  He said  he 
had  worked  hard  all  his  life,  and  wanted  to  give  his 
children  a  better  opportunity  than  he  enjoyed.  He 
thought  well  of  the  College,  visited  it  with  his  family 
every  year  and  expects  to  send  his  boys  here  at  no 
distant  day. 

apple^tforthern  Spy)  heads  a  paragraph,  "  Mod  Em 
Eck,"  which  Professor  Taft  explains  as  follows:  Among 
the  Northern  Spy  trees  in  the  orchard  are  some  con 
spicuously  marked  for  experiments  in  spraying  "Mod. 
Eau  Celeste."  This  was  a  puzzler,  and  was  evidently 
mistaken  for  the  name  of  the  variety  of  apple. 

Mrs.  Nellie  S.  Kedzie  returned  last  week  from  Chau 
tauqua,  where  she  read  a  paper  on  Domestic  Science 
in  Agricultural  Colleges.  She  met  at  Chautauqua  Miss 
McDermott,  Prof,  of  Domestic  Science  in  M.  A.  C, 
and  had  an  interesting  interview  with  her  about  her 
work  in  this  College.  She  was  much  pleased  with  Miss 
McDermott and  her  views in regard to her proposed  work. 
Mrs.  Kedzie  left  for  Kansas  last  Monday  evening. 

In  these  days  there  are  so  many  visitors  appearing 
singly  and  in  groups  large  or  small  at  all  times  of  the 
day  and  week  that  it  is almost  impossible  to  keep  track 
of  them.  Lansing  is a  city  of  conventions,  and  some  of 
It 
the  delegates  of  most  of  them  call  at  M.  A.  C 
would  seem  as  though  the 
the 
reports  of  visitors, 
numerous  copies  of  the  RECORD  mailed  each  week,  the 
large  numbers  of  farmers'  institutes  held  during  the 
year,  together  with  reports  of  our  present  students  and 
alumni,  that  there  was  now  scarcely  any  excuse  for 
ignorance  so far  as  the  work  of  the  College is  concerned. 

In  the  Experiment  reports  for 

The  Experiment  Station  has  undertaken  one  neat 
experiment  regarding  Hungarian  grass.  Seeds  in  mar 
ket  are  often,  usually  we  might  say,  light  and  dark 
mixed,  one  being  just  as  good  as  the  other,  though 
purchasers  generally  prefer  the  d a rk  seeds,  as 
the 
light-colored  seed  is  very  much  like  seeds  of  true  mil 
let,  which  is  not  often  grown.  The  seed  of  t r ue  mil 
three 
let  is  yellow. 
years  plants  bearing  dark  seeds  have  l>een  selected 
and  grown  apart  from  the  other  sorts.  This  block  is 
very  pretty  and  even  the  spikes  are  dark  as  well  as 
the  seeds.  The  plants  a re  in  rows  a nd  have  been 
cultivated.  Look  out  for  a  strain  of  seed  of  Hun 
garian  in  which  the  seeds  are  all  dark!  The  same 
rule  holds  good  regarding  seeds  of  red  clover.  A 
selection  can  be  made  and  after  a  little  all  the  seeds 
will  be  dark.  Dark  colored  seeds  a re  produced  by 
dark  green  plants  usually  bearing  leaves  destitute  of 
light  spots,  or  nearly  so. 

WHAT  COLLEGE  P E O P LE  W I LL  DO  DURING 
TACATION. 

President  Snyder  will  remain  at  College  most  of  the 
time,  as  will  also  Secretary  Ruttertield,  Prof.  Bar 
rows,  and  Messrs.  Mumford,  Davis,  True,  Kenney, 
Lyman,  Smith,  WescOtt,  True  and  Durkin. 

Dr.  Kedzie  goes  to  Cleveland  this  week  to  read  a 
paper  before  the  Society  of  American  Florists  on 
" T he  Chemical  Tripod  in  Floriculture."  Thomas  Gun-
son  will  also  attend  this  meeting  at  Cleveland. 

Dr.  Real  will  perfect  his  book  on  the  "Grasses  of 
North  America,"  look  over  the  surrounding  country 
a  little  in  a  botanical  way,  make  preparations  for  the 
fall  campaign  at  M.  A.  ('..  and  make  some  improve 
ments  in  the  Botanic  Gardens. 

Dr.  Grange  will  ye  at  the  College  doing  Experiment 

Station  work. 

Prof.  Taft  will  spend  most  of  the  time  at  College. 
Will  visit  the  sub-station  at  So.  Haven  and  inspect  or 
c h a r ds  at  Kibbie's  and  Berlin,  where  a  njiiv-speaoh 
disease  is at  work. 

C 

\. 

Dr.  E d w a r ds  will  make  a  business  trip  to  Virginia, 

to  be  gone  about  three  weeks. 

Prof.  Vedder  has  not  decided  w h at  to  do. 
Prof:  Smith,  "Stay  here  and  grind." 
Prof.  Weil  will  be  at  College  fixing  up  steam  appa 

ratus. 

Prof.  V.  S.  Kedzie  will  spend  the  time  near  Trav 

erse  City,  sailing  and  bicycling, 

Prof.  Holdsworth  will  join  Mrs.  Holdsworth  in  the 

Traverse  region  and  will  spend  the  time  sketching. 

Prof,  and  Mrs.  Noble  will  spend  vacation  with  the 

Holdsworths. 

Profs.  Woodworth  and  Wheeler,  with  their  families, 
and  Misses  Bertha  Welbnan 
and  Lu  Baker,  and 
Messrs.  D.  J.  Crosby,  J.  T.  Berry,  and  G.  N.  E a s t m an 
left  yesterday  for  a  three  weeks'  camping  at  Sauga-
tuck. 

Prof.  Hedrick  is  already  at  work  on  the  "farm," 

Harbor  Springs. 

Prof,  and  Mrs.  Chamberlain  will  visit  Detroit  and 

possibly  several  eastern  cities. 

Prof,  and  Mrs.  Babcock—ten  days 

Petoskey. 
Mackinac  and  other  places  of 
in  northern 
Michigan,  and  then  a  visit  to  the  old  home  in  Wash 
tenaw  county. 

interest 

at 

B.  O.  Longyear  is  recruiting  at  home. 
C.  C.  Pashby,  at  Constantino—farm 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fulton  will  visit  their  home—High 

labor. 

land  P a r k. 

C.  E.  Hoyt,  at  his  home  in  W a y l a nd  and  at  Gun 

Lake. 

Chase  N e w m an  will  spend  a  p a rt  of  the  time  at 
Gun  Lake  with  Mr.  Hoyt,  a  week  at  home  in  Portland, 
a nd  will  t a ke  a  bicycle  ride  to  Grand  Rapids. 

C.  J.  F o r e m an  goes  to  his  home  in  H a r b or  Springs 
until  Sept.  S,  when  he  begins  school  work  at  Centre-
ville. 

H.  P.  Gladden—Home,  "Hort,"  and  Northern  Mich 

igan. 

J.  S.  Conway,  a  week  or  ten  days  in  Kalamazoo  and 

Decatur. 

College  will  reopen  on  Monday,  September,  14, 1896. 
Examinations  for  entrance,  and  specials,  will  be  given 
on  that  date. 

) 

L O W E ST  P R I C ES 

WILL, BE QUOTED TO  SCHOOL  LIBRARIES 

and  others  sending  lists  of  books  wanted  to 

Lansing  Book  & Paper  Go.,  Lansing,  Mich. 

BOYS  .  . . 

BUGK sells Furniture  RloliL 

ALL GOODS DELIVERED TO 
COLLEGE FREE. 

Best  W o v en  W i re  Cots 

- 

Springs, 

$1  25 
-  1  50 

WE  SELL  EVERYTHING. 
M. J. & B. M.  BUCK. 

O P EN  E V E N I N G S. 

W.  E.  T R A G E R, 

DEALER  IN 

FRESH #  SALT MEATS 

5 09  M i c h i g an  A v e n ue  E a s t. 

Fred  SnubeL 

Heading  ®eahv 
Soolxoear  .  .  . 

in  Sir^e 

WE  Q U O TE  T H R EE  POINTS 

n  fitting, 

Capability, 

We  Carry  Ail  Grades. 
Repairing  Done. 

F R ED  SHUBEL. 

IS 
OK1  M I C H I G A N. 

Sound 
and 
Cheap 

Incorporated under the laws of Michigan by  100  leading 
Michigan Bankers. 

HOME  OFFICE,  Lansing,  Mich. 

A  writer  of  a  thesis  in  making  notes  of  a  variety  of 

Mrs.  Landon—a  part  of  the  vacation  in  Niles. 

8 

T HE  M.  A.  C.  R E C O R D. 

AUGUST  18,  1896. 

NEWS  FROM  GRADUATES  AND  STUDENTS. 

G.  E.  Simmons,  '94 m, is iu t he employ  of  t he Illi 

nois  Central  Railroad,  Chicago. 

Albert  Nelson  Prentiss,  '(51, Tor  a  long  time  profes 
sor  of botany  in Cornell  University,  died  Friday,  Aug. 
14. 

Silas  F. Scott,  '94, is a  page  in the  national  house of 
l ie is  spending  his vacation  at his 

representatives, 
home  in Romeo. 

Henry  A. Danville,  '83,  principal  of  the  Esscxville 
School,  had a  sad misfortune  iu the death  of his  wife 
on  Tuesday,  tfi*  11th  of  August. 

R.  L.  Reynolds,  '9<>  ///, spent  several  days  of  com 
mencement  week  at  M. A. C.  He is  on his  way' to 
Cornell,  where-he  will  study  next  year. 

A. T. Cart la ml,  with  '96,  spent  the week  at  M. A.  C. 
He  h as been  attending  Allegheny  College  during  the 
past  year,  but will  return  to M.  A. C. in t he fall. 

Married:  Sunday,  August  9,  1<S!><>,  in  Milwaukee, 
Wilford  .1.  MeGee,  "9<;,  to  Miss  Alice  May  Bickford. 
Mrs.  McCee  w as at  M.  A.  C.  to  see  her  husband 
through  commencement  exercises. 

E.  T. Gardner,  '85,  writes  from  Arcadia,  Neb.:  The 
papers  a re  booming  Nebraska  just  a  little  too  hard 
this  summer.  Crops  a re  fair 
to  good,  b ut  when 
Threshed,  I  think,  will  be found  to yield  no more  than 
the  average. 

Fred  B. Smith,  who Was  here  two terms  in  1SS7-8, 
died  at  Pickfonl.  Aug.  9,  of  consumption.  He  had 
spent  a  year  or more  in  Utah  in search  of  health, but 
did  not  get  expected  relief.  He  had  taught  school 
most  of the  time  since  leaving  College,  and  was  said to 
be  one  of the  best  teachers  in Chippewa  county. 

lightning 

last  Tuesday: 

E.  R. Russell,  "99  m,  sends  us the following  clipping 
regarding  an encounter  that  Jerry  Mandigo,  witli '!).S 
m,  had  with 
Yieksburg. 
Mich..  August  11.—Lightning  played  queer  pranks 
here  yesterday  morning  at 3 o'clock,  striking  the  house 
of  Mrs.  Mandigo.  a  mile  and one-half  west  of  town. 
The  lx)lt  seemed  to separate,  one  portion  passing  down 
the  chimney  through  t he  ceiling  of  a  bedroom,  run 
down  the wall  until  it  struck  the base  board,  when  it 
passed  about  the room  a nd  splintered  to pieces  a  bed 
stead  upon  which  Jerry  Mandigo  w as sleeping.  He 
was  let  down  to t he  floor  by the breaking  of  the  bed 
without  being  awakened  and  receiving  no injury.  His 
grandmother,  Mrs.  Emily  Parker,  was  sleeping  in  the 
next  room,  the  lightning  running  in there  and  splinter 
ing  her  bed  to pieces  also,  one  corner  of it  dropping  to 
the  floor.  She  was  not injured  by the lightning  either. 
They  think  their  remarkable  escape  from  deatli  to  be 
due  to  sleeping  on  feathers.  T he second  portion  of 
the  bolt  run down  the side  of  the house  into  the cis 
tern,  which  it demolished*  Other  persons  in the house 
were  uninjured  also. 

WHAT  SOME  OF  THE  GRADUATES  WILL DO 
NEXT  YEAR. 

R.  E.  Doolittle  will  work  in  the labaratory  of t he 

State  Food  and  Dairy  Commissioner.  Lansing, 

L.  R.  Love  h as a  position  in  the  Bogue  nurseries, 
Batavia,  N. Y.~landsc;ip"  gardening  a nd general  nur 
sery  work. 

C.  E. Meyers  will  assist  his brother  in the  publica 

tion  of  the Litchfield  Record. 

Wabey  Matsura  returns  to  draughting  in  the  office 
of  Eraser  & Chalmers,  manufacturers  of  mining ma 
chinery*  Chicago. 

E.  D. Partridge  will  be professor  of  mathematics in 
the  Brigham  Young  Academy,  Provo  City,  U t a h-
$1,000  a  year. 

L.  D. Sees  will  go into  his  fathers  store,  Unionville. 
S.  W. Tracy  will  work  for R. 11.  Morrill,  at  Benton 

Harbor. 

Bertha  Wellman  will  attend  school  at  t he  Normal, 

Ypsilanti. 

S.  B. Young  will  work  on t he farm  at  home. 

BETTER  BUTTER 

results  from  using  better  salt.  " T he Salt  that's all 
Salt"  makes  poor  butter  better and  good  butter  best. 
Salt  your  butter  with 

Diamond  Crystal  Salt 

next  time  you churn  and  note 
the  finer,  more  delicate  flavor 
it  will  have. 

Sold  everywhere  in  barrels 
(280 lbs.) and bags (56 lbs. ,28 lbs. 
and  14 lbs.) 

DIAMOND  CRYSTAL  S A ^T  CO., 

J~C 
ST.  C1.A1K,  MICH. 

D A V IS  &  CO. 

1 14  W a s h i n g t on  A v e.  N o r t t i-  1 14 

DITCH  S U I TS 

WE  SELL  THEM  AND  RENT  THEM. 
WE  CAN SUIT  YOU IN  EVERYTHING. 

CLOTHING, 
F U R N I S H I N GS 
OR 
H A TS 

To Close at Once! 

3 00  p a i rs  G e n t s'  R u s s et  S h o es 

3 28  p a i rs  L a d i e s'  R u s s et  S h o es 

AT COST! 

REASON  FOR  CLOSING  O U T: T OO  M AN 

JBSSOP&SON, G A SH  S H OE  S T O RK 
M.  A.  C. 

H O L L I S T EB  B L O C I C. 

SPECIAL  RATES  ON  PHOTOS 
AT 

SHARPSTEEN'S  STUDIO. 

Phone  192. 

New  Phone  76. 

J,  G.  R E U T T E R, 
Fresh  and  Salt  Meats 

3 22  Wash.  Ave. S. 

Fine  Chicago  Beef  a  Specialty. 
We are Headquarters  for all Kinds of  Home-Made  Sausage. 

W.  S.  BAILEY 

109  M I C H I G AN  AVE.  W 

-

CUSTOM  «»°  READY  MADE  CLOTHING 

JOS.  T.  B E R R Y,  COLLEGE  AGENT. 

JE&.  "VST.  M O R S E, 

.  .  D E N T I ST  . . 

Hollister  Block. 

TO  OUR FRIENDS 

And that includes everybody  who has ever  purchased 
a shingle or a foot of lumber of us,  we desire to impress 
on your mind  the fact  that 

<IWE  HAVE  MOVEDC* 

In our new quarters, we are better  prepared to unload 
lumber on your premises than ever  before.  Years of 
experience  have  taught  us a thing or two about  the 
lumber  business, and  this experience may possibly be 
of  advantage  to you  if  you  think  of building.  Our 
facilities  are  unexcelled and  we  are  at your service. 

H.  W.  RIKERD 

Telephone  No. 51. 

Successor  to Capital  Lumber  Co. 

Straw  Hats 

Are  in  season  now,  and  in  looking  for a 
place  to supply  your  wants  I  desire  to call 
attention  to my  stock,  believing  it the  most 
complete  in this  city. 

...COLLEGE  BUS... 

Belts,  Sweaters, 
Negligee  Shirts, 

Leaves  M. A. C. for Lansing  at 8:30 a. m. and 1:30  p. m. 
Returning,  leaves  Lansing  at  10:30 a. m. and  4:30  p. m. 

Packages  left  at  Emery's  will  receive  prompt  attention. 
Livery  or Bus for picnics  at  resonable  rates. 

NEW  PHONE 

H.  O.  P A L M E R. 

in  fact  anything  in  the way  of  up-to-date 
furnishings. 

ELGIN  MIFFLIN. 

HAVE  YOU FIVE  OR MORE  COWS? 

If  so a " liaby " Cream Separator will earn its cost for 
you  every  year.  Why  continue an inferior  system 
another  year at  so great a loss?  Dairying is now the 
only profitable feature of Agriculture.  Properly con 
ducted  it always  pays well, and  must  pay  you.  You 
need  a  Separator,  and you need  the  BEST,—the 
"Baby."  All styles  and  capacities.  Prices, $75 
upward.  Send for new  1894 Catalogue. 
THE  DE LAVAL  SEPARATOR CO., 

GENERAL  OFFICES! 

74  CORTLANDT  STREET, 

NEW  YORK.