George Washington University - Cherry Tree Yearbook (Washington, DC)

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THE 1910 CHERRY TREE The Morrill Acts The Editor of The Cherry Tree has asked me for a story of the Morrill Acts in their relation to the District and the University. The First Morrill Act (1862) distributed over 10,000,000 acres of the public lands among ' the various States and Territories of the Union for the purpose of lending Federal aid to collegiate education in subjects related to agriculture and the mechanic arts, Beginning with the Second Morrill Act of 1890 and continuing with the Nelson Amendment of 1 907 the Federal Government has made an annual appro- priation of money for these same purposes— amounting this year to $40,000 for each State and Territory, $45,000 for next year, and thereafter $50,000 a year. The Gall inger- Bout el l Bill amending the Morrill Acts has two parts: (1) The first section , which would he the act of the Federal Congress as representing the citizens of the various States, would make 1 ‘available for the District of Columbia” the same annual appropriation now granted to each State and Territory, including even Hawaii and Porto Rico, The justice of this feature of the bill is universally admitted. Where there is no “State university or college and the State is not ready to create one, the Interior Department has always permitted the States to utilize the services of existing in- stitutions upon private foundations. For many years this plan was followed by South Carolina, Connecticut and Rhode Island, and it is still followed by New York, New Jersey and Massa- chusett — Cornell, Rutgers and Boston Tech, administering the funds for their respective States. (2) hi the remaining sections of the bill. Congress as the legislature for the District of Columbia would designate this university (there being no State university or college in the District) as the agent of the District legislature in providing the young people of the District with the forms of practical collegiate education contemplated in these Acts. This bill was passed unanimously by the Senate of the last Congress on March 3, 1909 too late for action in the House. The Senate Committee of the Sixtv-first Congress has reported the hill favorably and we are now awaiting the action of the House Committee. President James of the Illinois University, who has been strangely diligent in organizing the opposition against this bill, has asserted that we are a sectarian 1 RICHARD 1). HARLAN

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THE 1910 CHERRY TREE 4 f U t4- fU ’-fL ‘-r J -.f. ”f- 1 he University iF 4 ? The George Washington Uni- versity was founded in 1821 by Luther Rice under the name of Columbian College, Its work was originally confined to in- struction in languages, arts, science, and literature. In 1873, after gradual expansion and by the addition of other schools, the College became the Columbian University, The name was again changed by Act of Congress in [ Q04 to that of “The George Washi- ngton University ' and the institution was made none-seetariam Hie t niversil) is now composed of the following: The Department of Arts and Sciences, including the I ' acuity of Graduate Studies, The College of Arts and Sciences, The (Allege of Engineering and Mechanic Arts, The College of the Political Sciences, The Teachers ' College, and the Division of Archit ecture, The Department of Law: The Departments of Medicine and Dentistry: and the affiliated Colleges of Pharmacy and Veterinary Medicine. Hie University owns five structures valued at about $1,200,000: it rents seven others and has associated with it two independent colleges which own their own buildings. Its present enrollment of students is more than 7400, and the Faculty numbers approximately 200, All of die Departments are fully equipped to give thorough courses and the opportunities for original research in W ashington cannot be surpassed. In addi- tion to the well-selected Library of the University, the student has at bis command the Library of Congress comprising 2,ooaood volumes, and by Act of ( oitgress the scientific resources of the Government are made accessible to him.

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rt rtrrjrrtrrlr THE 19 10 CHERRY TREE m -,1 A 1 jfl TjFv|7“jATf7TJT institution. The absurd falsity of that charge is understood bv all who know the following facts: (i) our revised charter, forbidding any denominational tests for trustees, officers and teachers; ( 2 ) our reorganized board, which comprises men affiliated with eight different denominations, there being no more than five trustees connected with any one church : (3) the un sectarian personnel of our administra- tive and teaching force; and finally, our new name, George Washington,” with its convincing pledge of the broad Americanism that is guiding the development of the institution. To the chief objection of these outside educators, namely, that we are a private institution we reply that the Morrill Acts do not require a ' State ” university or college as the administrator of these funds; that the Interior and Treasury Departments (with the tacit consent of Congress) have for 40 years permitted the utilization of institutions like ours as being within the spirit and letter of the Morrill Acts: that, even now. we are subject to examination by the Attorney-General and Congress; and that the passage of this bill would make us a quasi-public institution, as the agent of the District legislature and under its closest supervision. 1 lie passage of this hill would establish our new College of Engineering and the Mechanic Arts upon deep and broad foundations, and would indirectly open a new volume in the history of the entire Cniversi,t 1 Richard ! . Mari. ax. Editor ' s Xotj:; Si rue the above was written by Dr, Harlan, the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives reportcil a bill to that body granting the benefits of the Morrill Acts to the District of Columbia and designating the Ceorgc Washington University as the recipient thereof for a period of three years, at the expiration of which lime the University may be redesignated. It is hoped that the bill will pass both Houses at this session. 26