Utah State University - Buzzer Yearbook (Logan, UT)

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student body, not one oi w h o m ever maliciously gave me trouble. They joined zealously in the e ff o r t to increase the rapidly growing number that enrolled as students. Very cordially yours, J. W. SAX’BORN. We were unable to secure a history of the school during the two years that President Paul was at the head of the institution. Let it suffice to say that the College pursued the same general policy as during the administration of its first President and grew steadily in popularity, gradually making its purpose clear to the taxpayers of the State. President Tanner wrote as follows: PRES. J. H. PAUL The Agricultural College in its growth represents those changes which have come over the industrial life of Utah within the past two decades. The young men of that institution today can hardly realize the attitude which the people at large had toward the College, and the attitude they maintained for some years after it was founded, on questions of education. The College has responded to the growing needs of the people, and in turn has. perhaps, been the most potent factor in awakening the people of the State to the growing importance of an agricultural and an industrial training. The early history of the College represents a sort of missionary work which the presidents of the institution felt it incumbent upon them to undertake. It is only within the last few years that the people have come to appreciate the real functions of such an institution. An agricultural and industrial education was thought by most people to be impractical. There was a strong undercurrent of thought that education was something separate and apart from the industrial life of the people. An educated man in overalls was something inconceivable. When I entered the institution as its third President. I made the acquaintance of its students, learned something of their ideals from the course of studies which they selected. I discovered that the 12

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This appropriation was supplemented by tiie $15,000 from the Government plus some back funds not drawn. These resources enabled the founding of five industrial courses aside from the English and the Preparatory Departments. W e had to deal only with the first two years of each course. Citizens were freely shown through the shops and Domestic Science rooms, and over the farm, and the purposes of each and of the whole were explained to them, so that the public become familiar with the work and aims of the institution. The appropriation of 1892 was secured by effort. The unexpected growth and magnitude of the college and the field of its work had aroused opposition among a few educators, and with others the appropriation seemed out of proportion to the wealth of the State. The purpose of merging the University and the College was being fostered in certain quarters. This had to be met. The idea survived to embarrass the appropriations of 1894 and later to plague the College. as I am told. The precious dollars received were carefully expended. 'Fite first President’s duties were manifold. lie was building agent for all new construction work and had the organizing work in general. He also had the laying out of the hundreds of plat trials, and research work in animal nutrition to look after. The data for the monthly experiment station bulletins was handled and written tip in the main by him. 'The first faculty was made up of specialists drawn from all sections of the country and was quite cosmopolitan. It was a faculty ol great industry, of efficiency, and of cordial relations. It is scattered as widely as its origin, yet each living. The entrance examinations reached down to the level of the common schools for the Preparatory Department and were low for the College. In a democratic way it extended a helping hand, justified in the condition of the public schools of that day. serving as it was believed, the State better by such a policy than by one of exclusiveness. Partisan and sectarian bias were unknown factors in the college life. 1 beg the further space to pay a just tribute to three parties. The College was blessed by an able conscientious and broad-minded board of trustees maintaining internal harmony in its membership. It was considerate of the College management. The State is under obligations to it. The public gave the management its confidence and support, most essential aids and won my high and abiding esteem. Put memory dwells fondest on the frank, kindly loyal young men and women, (shall I offend bv saying especially the latter), of the 11

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trend f education was away from agriculture and mechanic arts. I set out to correct the mistaken idea of young men and women who tailed to appreciate the true meaning of the school. In my efforts to persuade them to change their course of studies, 1 discovered that these young people were directed chiefly by the educational sentiments of their parents. In some instances the parents wrote letters protesting strongly against the changes I recommended. I soon found that my efforts were needed more outside of the school than they were inside, and I therefore began a sort of missionary propaganda looking to the conversion of the people at large from the old to the modern needs of education. The school. I clearly saw, could not accomplish its mission until some radical changes were brought about in the educational ideals of the homes. An increased attendance might be secured, but an increase in the number of students would not accomplish what the college was founded to do unless the students were in harmony with its mission. During my administration of the College. I aimed to visit all the leading communities of I tali and southern Idaho at least once every year. The object of my visit was to enlighten the people at large upon the meaning and mission of that education for which an agricultural college stands. It was hoped that in the homes of the people the young men and the young women of the State would feel the inspiration of that new industrial life that was dawning upon the people of the W est. It was not so easy to reach the agricultural side of college life and bring home to the people the importance and improvement of the farm. It was easier for them to comprehend mechanic arts and their place in our new industrial life. My efforts to advance mechanical education found a more responsive sentiment in the minds of the people and I felt that somehow or other an education in mechanics in the Agricul-i ra! College would soon 13 PRES. J. M. TANNER