Universities (AMERICAN tunities for study)

Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)

AMERICAN tunities for study in the broadest fields. im- They have thousands of students, taxamense resources, provided either by buildings and tion or endowment, many Even the college extensive grounds. course in such an institution represents the the extreme movement for widening curriculum. Admission is on liberal of terms, and the widest possible choice In the subjects is afterward allowed. same spirit professional schools are a its part of the university and share care and its fortunes. The tendency in recent years has been to bring schools of medicine and law into close affiliation with great universities. This result has increased recome about in part from quirements in these schools. Universities have likewise developed schools of parallel applied science or technology with the college course or supplementary thereto. Year by year vocational work is elevated and elaborated into degree courses. Thus we find not only new courses in engineering, but also in architecture, industrial art, forestry, commerce, journalism etc. In connection with this expansion of the the curriculum might be mentioned American universistrong tendency of facilities to the larger ties to extend their public outside their walls. (See article on University Extension.) Types of American Universities. The name "university" was originally preferred college institutions founded directly by the States, and tomost day the State universities form the indistinctive type of higher educational of the Middle stitutions. The territory field for this de- West afforded the best velopment. Some of the strongest of or these institutions owe their origin Act their rapid growth to the Morrill passed by Congress in 1862 for the prothe mechanical motion of agriculture and of arts. These great State universities the Middle West and California answer in every way the tests laid down above. They are liberally supported by the States, a number of them having an annual appropriation of more than one million dollars for expenses. They have a large and rapidly growing student are doing an increasing ng probody and work of the portion of the educational country. While they do not at present unisurpass several of the strongest versities on private foundation in number of higher degrees given, they show service, in unusual eminence in public contributions to the material welfare of the States, in the utilization of knowl- , for edge, especially scientific knowledge social and economic the improvement of conditions. These words of praise do not apply to all State universities. Many