University of Oregon - Oregana Yearbook (Eugene, OR)

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u ffl' 9 Some Dalttnblc ltcscttrcb The University is demonstrating that its usefulness is not to be confined to its curriculum. lt is beginning to show that educating men and women and prepar- ing them for active places in the state is not the only realm of usefulness open to an institution of learning. In return for liberal support by the state the University feels that it has a duty to perform for the commonwealth aside from the strictly educational. This feeling has caused research work to be taken up by members of the faculty through which the progress and development of interests vital to the state may be aided. Professor Youngs bulletin on Tendencies in American Road Legislation published this spring, is an example of the help the University may give its state in solving the larger problems of government that enter into the field of every day life. and activity. This bulletin gives an exhaustive review of road legislation in all the states in the union covering a period of fifteen years dating from 1889 to 1904. By this careful review the foundation is laid for effectual and systematic road build- ing in Oregon. V In another line Professor McAlister is contributing valuable material to the state through his bulletins on the water power of the McKenzie and Santiam rivers. Professor lVlcAlister, assisted by University students, made the surveys that fur- nished the data for these bulletins in the summer vacations of 1903 and 1904. Some results of the surveys are given as well as numbers of suggestions as to the most effective and economical methods of developing the power of these streams. These bulletins represent the careful work of men who have made careful studies 30

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lt should also be a matter of much satisfaction to Oregonians that the govern- ment has selected our University as the place for a testing station under the For- estry Department and in connection with the Engineering Department of the Uni- versity, under Professor lVlcAlister. There are only five of these stations in the United States: the only one in the West is at Berkeley, California, so that there is a large field for the influence of the department. The great forest and mineral resources easily reached from Eugene make this a fitting place for such a station. The five thousand dollars appropriated for this station will be used to erect a build- ing probably in the form of an annex to the Engineering Building, and to put in testing machines of sufficient capacity for testing of all kinds of timber and build- ing stone. This movement shows as much as any other one thing the adaptation of the institution to the needs of the state it is designed to benefit. Another proposed improvement is a scheme for getting the women of the Uni- versity together into something of the nature of a dormitory. The finding of com- fortable rooms and agreeable boarding places has always been a serious problem among the women students and, though it is not hoped that this present plan will settle the difficulty on account of the small scale upon which it will be possible to begin, it will, at least, demonstrate the advisability of a dormitory for women. For many reasons it seems that this should succeed and the women of the institution will doubtless show their appreciation of this effort in their interest by hearty coop- eration with the faculty. Besides these more noticeable improvements there will be others in the vari- ous departments in the nature of better equipment for the laboratories, new books for the library and new instructors in over crowded courses. Altogether the nia- terial growth of this year will be very evident. Obviously, for the dwellers of Eugene it is not possible to know as much of the removed departments of the University as of the ones at home. ln the same way, however, in which the part of the University located in Eugene is going ahead, the two departments at Portland are keeping pace with the ever growing demands. Both the College of Medicine and Law School have recently lengthened their terms by a space of one or more months, and the addition of another whole year is contemplated for the course in law, making this a three years' course instead of two. The course in medicine already consists of four full years. The lengthening of the terms has made it possible to cover the desired ground much more thor- oughly and to do work in additional important matters of instruction. In all departments of the work of the University the standard is being lifted higher, and the constantly increasing number of students coming in under these conditions and the excellent work that is being done, are causes for gratification. 29

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of these subjects and are competent to suggest ways and means to persons inter- ested in the development ofthe state. In its broader field of activity the University is elevating its standard among like institutions of the country. By such practical work as the University is now doing the state is receiving additional returns for the money expended that fully repays for the support given, to say nothing of the splendid results attained in its direct educational work. pf? Z P 'wm.,.,, 31