ANNUAL REPORT OF The Pennsylvania State College. BOARD OF TRUSTEES. EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS. His Excellency ROBERT E. PATTISON, Governor of the Commonwealth. The Hon. WILLIAM F. HARRITY, Secretary of the Commonwealth. GEORGE W. ATHERTON, LL. D., President of the College. JOHN MCDOWELL, ESQ., Harrisburg, wealth. Harrisburg, nonwealth. GEORGE W. ATHERTON, LL. D., President. Professor of Political and Social Science. 1. THORTON OSMOND, M. S., M. A., * JOSIAH JACKSON, M. A., HARRIET A. MCELWAIN, M. A., + GEORGE GILBERT POND, M. A., PH. D.. Professor of Chemistry. HENRY P. ARMSBY, PH. D., Lecturer on Animal Chemistry and Cattle Feeding. EDWIN E. SPARKS, M. A.. Principal of the Preparatory Department. HENRY J. WATERS, B. AG. S.. HENRY T. FERNALD. M. S., PH. D., BENJAMIN GILL, M. A., Professor of Latin. WILLIAM C. THAYER, M. A., E. W. MCCASKEY, 1st LT. 21st INF., U. S. A.. Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering. Deceased, Oct. 10, 1893. + In Europe, on leave of absence. FRED E. FOSS, B. S., M. A., MADISON M. GARVER, B. S., FRANKLIN E. TUTTLE, B. A., PH. D., JENNIE J. WILLARD, T. RAYMOND BEYER, B. S.. C. E., ANNA E. REDIFER, Instructor in Industrial Art and Design. Instructor in Chemistry. MAURICE J. THOMPSON, B A., WILLIAM MASON TOWLE, B. S., Instructor in Mechanical Engineering and Foreman of Shops. JOSEPH M. WILLARD, B. A., THOMAS C. HOPKINS. M. S., M. A., ERWIN W. RUNKLE, M. A., PH. D., JOSEPH M. WOLFE. M. A.. Instructor in the Preparatory Department: Mathemities. WILLIAM M. TAGGART, Instructor in the Preparatory Department: English and Lutin. GEORGE W. HOSKINS, AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. Advisory Committee of the Board of Trustees. THE HON. JOHN A. WOODWARD, Chairman, THE HON. AMOS. H. MYLIN, SAMUEL R. DOWNING, ESQ., JOEL A. HERR, ESQ., GEO. W. ATHERTON, LL. D., HENRY P. ARMSBY, PH. D., Secretary of the Committee. Howard, Lancaster. West Chester. Cedar Springs. State College. DESCRIPTION OF THE INSTITUTION. The College was organized in 1859 as the Farmers' High School,'' and its object then was to give an exclusively agricultural education. Its organization, however, was upon a collegiate basis from the beginning, and its name was, in 1852, changed to **The Agricultural College of Pennsylvania.'' Subsequently, the Legislature of the State having appropriated to it the income from the proceeds of the national land grant, and the field of its work having thus been necessarily enlarged, its name was, in 1874, again changed, and it has since been known as "The Pennsylvania State College.'' The scope of the institution, as now organized, cannot be better stated than in the words of the Act of Congress, defining the duty of this and similar colleges: The leading object shall be, without excluding other scientific and classical studies, and including military tactics, to teach such branches of learning as are related to agriculture and the mechanic arts, in such manner as the Legislature of the State may prescribe, in order to promote the liberal and practical education of the industrial classes in the several pursuits and professions in life.'' This Act of Congress was, in 1863, accepted by the State of Pennsylvania, with all its provisions and conditions, and the faith of the State pledged to carry the same into effect." [Laws of 1863, p. 214]. Based upon this broadened foundation, the special work of the State College is the training of youth in those branches of learning which lie at the foundation of modern industrial pursuits. In accordance with the purposes of its founders and the terms of its original charter, it aims to give special and prominent attention to agriculture, both theoretical and experimental; but it also provides a liberal and practical education in the leading branches of mathematical, natural and physical science, in order to prepare youth for the several pursuits and professions in life. In other words, while the College is no longer exclusively agricultural, it is doing more in the direction of progressive and scientific agriculture than when that was its principal object; and at the same time, it has increased its subjects and courses of study, and its teaching and illustrative equipment, to such an extent that now without excluding classical studies,'' its leading object is to teach the various sciences in such a manner as to show their applications in the more important industries--to combine with every branch of instruction such an amount of actual practice in the Shop, the Field, and the Laboratory as will serve to illustrate and apply the theory, but without subordinating it. The range of its work in this direction is shown, as far as the limits of space allow, in the following descriptive statements and schedules. It is confidently believed that few institutions in the country furnish opportunity for obtaining an advanced scientific education of equal extent and thoroughness at so moderate a cost and with so many incidental advantages. LOCATION. The institution is situated in the village of State College, nearly twelve miles southwest of Bellefonte, and almost in the exact geographical centre of the State. Its position, in the midst of a broad, rolling valley, with Muncy mountain on the north. Tussey mountain on the south, and Nittany on the east, secures a varied and beautiful landscape and a healthful climate. A special act forbids the sale of intoxicating drinks within two miles of the College, and all its surroundings are exceptionally free from demoralizing influences and from temptations to extravagance. CAMPUS AND FARM.-The College grounds contain four hundred acres. The tract on which the buildings stand contains nearly three hundred acres. Of this, about fifty acres in the immediate vicinity of the buildings constitute the Campus and furnish recreation grounds, sites for residences, laboratories and other buildings. The Campus, tastefully laid out and adorned with trees, shrubbery, flowergardens, walks and drives, is one of unsurpassed beauty. About forty acres are in natural forest growth, and the remainder is conducted with a view to furnishing an example of a model farm profitably managed. The Professors in charge of instruction in Agriculture and Horticulture make use of all parts of the College grounds for the purpose of practical illustration in their respective departments, one hundred acres being set aside for the exclusive use of the Experiment Station. BUILDINGS.--The main College building is a plain and substantial structure of magnesian limestone, standing on a pleasant elevation, and is two hundred and forty feet in length, eighty feet in average breadth, and five stories in height, exclusive of attic and basement. It contains chapel, library, museums, society halls, class rooms and about one hundred dormitories. The building is heated throughout with steam, is lighted by electricity and is furnished on every story with pure water from an artesian well. A large part of the building has recently been thoroughly overhauled and rearranged, adding greatly to the facilities for work and for public gatherings. The sewerage system is well devised and frequently inspected, and the unusual exemption of our students from sickness testifies to the excellent sanitary condition of the building. Within the last few years the College has greatly enlarged its facilities for instruction by the erection of new buildings, the reconstruction of old ones and the pur base of a lar e amount of equipment for the leading departments |