Purdue University - Debris Yearbook (West Lafayette, IN)

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one of the regular courses. Q45 The dropping of Latin and German from the scientific course and the adding of another year in English and two years, two hours daily, of laboratory practice in the biological and physical sciences. Q55 The increase of hand work and other practical train- ing in all departments. Q65 The d1'opping of the first year's course in the academy, and the raising of the standard of admission a.bout half a year, and Q75 the establishing of the new chair of physics and mechanical engineering. These changes, as one can see, are nearly all in the direction of more practi- in science and industry. of 1883 that President so faithfully for seven ignation was deeply re- tantly accepted by the C. Ratliff, president of of 1883 said: VVhen of Purdue University it aging condition. He or- an original plan, which, has been gradually de- is assured and its merits cerning his devotion to more unselfish devotion of the University and a purpose I have never manifested by Dr. VVhite cal and thorough training lt was during this year 5Vhite, who had served years, resigned. His res- gretted by all and reluc- board of trustees. Joseph the board, in l1is report Dr. VVhite took charge was in at most discour- ganized the institution on under his wise direction, veloped until its success widely recognized. Con- his work he said: 'CA to the highest interests truer loyalty to its great known than has been toward Purdue during ministration . ll sponsibility of selecting VVl1ite, and the filling of I and mechanical engineer- board. This task was ac- the seven years of his ad- The very great re- a succesor to President the new chair of physics ing now devolved on the complished, however, so cord or want of harmony or efliciency manifested itself, and the institution moved forward with - EVIERSOH E. WHITE - successfully that no dis- its usual regularity. James H. Smart, LL.D., who was for three terms the eflicient state super- intendent of public instruction of Indiana, was elected president, and Albert VV. Stahl, U. S. N., professor of physics and mechanical engineering. Under the administration of President Smart the subsequent development of Purdue has taken place and it may be said that, through the wise manipulation of the means at hand, and through the efforts of able instructors, the growth of the

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IVhite's inaugural address he said: General science points in the right direction, but applied science is the highway to intelligent skill in all the industrial arts. These arts are, indeed, but applications of science. It is hoped that the growth of the University in the future may be largely in this direction.', He further says: Is it too much to expect that the noble gift of Judge Purdue will yet prove a fruitful precedent and that a group of Well-endowed special schools, bearing honored names, may eventually make this institution a renowned college of science and technology ? can see to what extent ident IVhite have been Military instruction year 1876. In the year was completed. It was college building. In 1879 embrace flow courses, the and mechanical 5 and the culture, and the school of shop, were put into suc- school of mechanics, out of mechanical engineer- Prof. Goss. The work- partment was in the base- macy building. As the there was a growing need Conservatory was com- gift from Mr. Martin L. University, and is known atory. The Agricultural 1881, which made greater possible in that depart- eral courses of study were We 5, ? :Sify Iltl L . 1 1 ..... ttf fs 1 ABRAHAN C. DHOITTITIDGE I674-75. At the present time we the expectations of Pres- realized. was begun during the 1-1- 181 1 the University Hall designed to be the main the college was made to scientilic, agricultural special school of agri- mechanics with its work- cessful operation. The of which has grown that ing, was established by shop of this infant de- ment of the present phar- school grew and enlarged of new buildings. The pleted in 1879. It was a Peirce, treasurer of the as the t'Peirce Conserv- Building was erected in and more extended work ment. In 1882 the sev- revised and the instruc- tion improved in practical value-results made possible by a larger experience. In May, 1883, another revision of the course of study, such as the condition and resources of the University wouldjustify, was submitted to the board and adopted by them. The most important of the changes were : Q15 The giving of still greater prominence to the courses in argiculture, horticulture and mechanics. QZJ The supplementing of the two years' course in practical mechanics by a two years' course in mechanical engineering. Q31 The improvement of the industrial art course and its adoption as

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institution has been marvelous. At the opening of the fall term of 1883, the school of industrial art was made a distinctive school as prescribed in the new course of study, adopted by the trustees in May. In the spring of 188-4, the school of pharmacy was established upon the recom- mendation of the president of the faculty. During this time grave financial questions presented themselves to the president and the board. At the close of the college year, June 30, 1883, the fund for the current expenses of the University had been exhausted, and through the failure of the general appropriation bill of the general assembly of 1882-3, the University was left without means for its current expenses, and nothing could be obtained for this purpose through state appropriation until the next meeting of the state legislature, which would occur regularly in January, 1885. The twelve buildings belonging to the University were to be kept in repair and protected from injury, they were to be supplied with heat, light and water, the engine-house, its boilers and its gas-works were to be kept in order and managed by competent engineers g power, lumber, iron and other material were to be supplied to the machine-shop, ordinary supplies for all the various departments were to be purchased, demands for insurance premiums were to be met, janitors who cared for the buildings and laborers on the campus, a person capable of taking care of the green-house, and several farm hands, were to be paid. The library was to be kept supplied with all the periodicals and papers, and a librarian was to be employed. The experiment station, always a large item of expense, was to be maintained, and the demands upon the treasury for the salaries of the oliicers of the institution were to be met. Besides this there were several very much needed improvements to be made and the engineering department, which had just been established, required a large out-lay to put it into operation. All these things and many others which would cost money were to be done, or the institution would be obliged to close its doors, and send its students home. The proceeds of the endowment fund would hardly be sufficient to pay the salaries of the faculty, and none of it could be used for Current expenses, should there be a surplus. According to the report of the preceding year it required nearly 320,000 per annum to meet the current expenses of the two years then ending. How to secure money enough to carry on the University for eighteen or twenty months, under these circumstances, was the difficult problem that confronted the trustees and the president at this period. Vigorous means were at once taken. Space does not permit us to describe at length how the University was kept running during this period of bankruptcy. Suffice it to say that in view of the financial embarrassment of the Uni- versity, the president was obliged to spend a large portion of his time in personally supervising the expenditures, and in negotiating with the creditors. It was only through the most untiring efforts on his part, and 011 the part of the officers of the institution, that they were enabled to meet the imperative demands upon the treasury, and thus keep the institution open. At the next