compared with the mental-developing power of the ordinary A. B. or B. S. course: "Yes; without any qualification. But this is only so (1) because in all our courses a modicum of philosophical theory (political economy, history, etc.) and of language studies is required, and (2) because in every course the mastery of principles is held to be more important than the acquisition of technical knowledge or skill, the technical applications of science being chiefly valued (1) because they serve to interest the student in the principles made use of and (2) because by such applications the student acquires the principles, not only in a higher degree, but in a different way than where he studies them in the lecture and recitation room only.” President Schurman, of Cornell, replies: "Yes; but I think the comparison should be made, not between the technical courses and the A. B. or B. S. course, but between A. B. and B. S. or the technical courses, i. e., that humanistic studies (which appeal to something more than the intellect) should be contrasted with rationalistic or scientific (including pure science and applied science courses). I regard the technical courses as the equivalent of the courses for B. S." A somewhat different way of saying the same thing is the response of President Cyrus Northrop, of the University of Minnesota, to this effect: "No; technical knowledge is valuable, but it is gained at the sacrifice of culture and mental training if it occupies a large part of the undergraduate course. It may be more important to the student, however, than culture and training (along literary lines) would be; I mean more important to some students." Probably one or other of these answers would be acceptable to all other presidents who have favored the Bureau with replies. In several cases the educational value of laboratory work is considered as fully equal to literary training, and in several others it is intimated that were the students more thoroughly grounded in secondary studies before entering the college an affirmative answer might be given, though it is testified by a president of a transmississippi college that most students can not be made to believe they ought to take a general course of literary and scientific study before entering upon technical studies.

As admission requirements now are, there is a heavy preponderence of opinion that technical degrees (bachelor of engineering, agriculture, etc.) should follow a postgraduate course; in other words, should be preceded by the degree of B. S. or A. B. President Alston Ellis, of the Colorado Agricultural College, remarks upon this point, "Both plans have advantages. If the scientific and literary course did not beget a distaste for any work outside of the so-called learned professions, its train ing would form a good foundation upon which to build special technical work. Were proper conditions in existence I would favor technical work by post-graduates; as things exist, I believe that the degrees named can be best given for undergraduate work that unites some degree of general culture with special technical training." President Charles S. Murkland, of the New Hampshire College of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts: "My reason for preferring a general A. B. degree of four years as preliminary for all post-graduate work is that the technical degree should mean something in addition to the general degree. It commonly means something less than the general degree." On the other hand, the opposite opinion is succinctly stated by President J. S. Smart, of Purdue University, as follows: "I think the training in our technical schools can be and should be upon a plane comparable with that of the classical institutions; therefore engineering degrees should be given for undergraduate work. But very few technical degrees would be given, if given only for post-graduate work." General Walker, in advocating an ordinary college course of four years, to be followed by three years, or, in cases of excep. tional ability, by two years, in a technological school," favors us with the following judgment: "I do not think that the degree mechanical engineer, civil engineer, etc., should ever be given for academic work, whether undergraduate or post-graduate. The engineer becomes such only by practice. It is his characteristic work to make choice between different methods of accomplishing a certain result, and the judgment required for this can not be taught in schools. So much for the word 'engineer' in a college degree."

The foregoing almost answers the question, "At what age shall specialization be begun!" because it is quite apparent that the question is, in a large measure, dependent upon the mental condition rather than upon the completion of a year of life usually varying from the fourteenth to the nineteenth year. In general, it may be said that a synopsis of the definite replies to the question as to the age at which technical specialization should be begun is well represented in the reply of President Patterson, of the State College of Kentucky: "I would prefer to receive students in the mechanical engineering course of about the age of 18, and would expect them to be well grounded in algebra, geometry, English, chemistry, and physics." Another president observes: "Chemistry, physics, and mathematics can not be begun too early for the purpose of mental development and training. Their special applications to scientific-economic problems should not be entered upon before 17 or 18, but a year later will not find the pupil at a disadvantage."

The number of students pursuing courses of a technical nature in the institutions endowed by the national land grant are given below. It necessarily follows that there should be some duplication not only from there being practically related subjects such as agriculture and veterinary science, but also from the combinations in study offered by the institutions as leading to a degree. All due allowance being made for this difficulty, however, attention may be called to the close equality of the totals given for students in the mechanic arts and those in agriculture. On the other hand, however, the students in agriculture and veterinary science are together only little more than 50 per cent of the whole body of engineering students. Students pursuing courses in—

IX.

Statistics for 1894-95 of institutions endowed by the act of Congress in 1862 and 1890 with public lands or a part of the proceeds arising from the sale

thereof, or both.

University of Illinois (agricultural and mechanical department), Urbana, Ill.