whom there is a larger number present in the regular classes than ever before, the increase being mainly in the two lower classes, and occurring since the ladies' course and the domestic economy studies and course were established. This fact is evident from an examination of the number of ladies in each class, as follows: Seniors, 4; Juniors, 9; Sophomores, 22; Freshmen and specials, 39. Total, 74. Two years more of such increase, carried up into the higher classes, will give us considerably over 100 young ladies, provided we have rooms to accommodate them.

The class that graduated this year, November 9, 1887, numbered forty-three members, including two gentlemen who took certificates for special work nearly equivalent to the full course, and two who took the second degree. Four were ladies. This is the largest graduating class in the history of the College. The industrial character of the course of study, and of the atmosphere of the College, can be seen by the occupations in life already chosen by the members of this graduating class, as follows:

It has been the custom of certain agricultural writers to name the Agricultural Colleges of Michigan, Kansas, Massachusetts and Mississippi as the only ones that have held faithfully to the agricultural and industrial idea of the congressional law that gave them their endowments and prescribed the character of the work to be done. Clearly, from the above showing, such writers should enlarge the list so as to include the Iowa State College of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts.

C

LECTURES AND INSTRUCTION BY THE PRESIDENT.

The President is also Professor of Ethics and Lecturer on Practical Agriculture. In ethics a text-book is used and is supplemented by lectures, the main object of the whole being to impress upon the minds of the students the belief that this world is, for man, a moral world, that is, created and ruled by a Moral Being for moral ends. That in no narrow sense "honesty is the best policy;" that is, that right conduct morally is wisest as a settled principle of action. That our environment here, on the whole, favors right conduct. That there is "a Power not ourselves that makes for righteousness," and that it is, in the highest sense, wise to work in harmony with, and not in antagonism toward, that Power. And finally, that the Christian scriptures, apprehended by our reason, are, on the whole, our best means of learning the mind and will of that Power, and of receiving an impulse toward right conduct. The brief daily chapel exercises, usually conducted by the President, tend in the same direction as do the Sabbath exercises, usually conducted by Professor Barrows. The purpose is to gain the assent of mind, heart and conduct to the universally accepted principles of Christian morality, and thus train worthy citizens of a Christian commonwealth.

The lectures in practical agriculture are designed to supplement the theoretical and scientific instruction given by the Professor of Agriculture. They cover the ground of farm platting and fencing, drainage, tillage, fertilizers, buildings, and the general business management of the farm, and are based on many years' experience of actual farm management.

PRESSING NEEDS OF THE COLLEGE-NEW BUILDINGS.

We need more room. Even without advertising, and with no preparatory department, our dormitory accommodations are practically full. With thorough advertising and with the establishment of a full preparatory course, it would be easy to double our present numbers had we the necessary accommodations. It should be distinctly bor ne in mind that we are so far from Ames, itself a small village, that students must board and room at the College in order to do satisfactory work. Even with our present average numbers we are overcrowded in many directions. Most of our public rooms in the main building must be used for three and even four different and partly conflicting purposes; for example, four different rooms, carpeted and partly furnished by the students of our literary societies, must be used all day long each college day, for recitations and for piano or vocal lessons and practice, and then, on society evenings, canvas must be removed from the carpets, and furniture be removed, exchanged and rearranged to make the rooms cheerful and inviting for society exercises. Nearly all other colleges furnish free rooms for the exclu sive use of their literary societies, which are elegantly fitted up by the latter.

Our chapel is used daily for brief religious exercises, and then, incongruously, as some think, for music room for lessons and practice on the grand piano and the pipe organ, and at certain hours for social recreation and quiet amusement. These are but samples of our over crowded condition. The fact is simply this, that in spite of our commodious buildings and large facilities, which have cost the State over $300,000, the growth of the State and of the College have brought most urgent need of enlarged accommodations in several directions, and the increasing wealth of the State seems to make their longer postponement unnecessary and unwise.

The first three items and the last named below, I must, after carefully weighing all our needs, consider as most immediately pressing. Two of them were distinctly named by my predecessor, President Leigh Hunt, in the biennial report two years ago, and the third was referred to before the College Board and the State Board of Health, by Dr. Fairchild.

First. A Ladies' Hall and Domestic Economy Building, well planned, with reception rooms, music rooms, model dining-room and kitchen and rooms for teachers, and for about one hundred young ladies. The building, especially the culinary department, should be well adapted to instruction in domestic economy. The great importance of instruction in this department is becoming more clearly recognized. Such a building would greatly increase the value of this instruction, relieve the crowded condition of our main building, and permit an increase in the number of ladies in attendance, already larger than ever before, and rapidly increasing. During the past year every room suitably located and otherwise suitable for ladies, was occupied, three guest chambers were pressed into service, and some of the larger rooms were made to accommodate three and even four young ladies each. We know not how to provide for the increase in the number of young ladies sure to come next year, and we do not believe the State has a right to close the doors of this College against any of its daughters so long as their proper accommodation is a mere question of the expenditure of a few thousand dollars.

A ladies' hall to accommodate a hundred young ladies, with teachers' rooms and other rooms noted above, would cost, complete, from fifty to seventy thousand dollars. In my opinion your honorable body should not consent to a refusal by the Legislature, or a diminution of the above estimates for a building that is now an urgent necessity. Your committee, composed of Secretary Stanton and myself, as instructed at your May meeting, has already submitted at your November meeting, architects perspective and ground plans for a building that will meet the requirements. The plans though definite are suggestive and preliminary, and are voluntarily submitted by the archi

tect.

When the appropriations for this and other buildings are obtained, I advise that competition be invited among architects for the best design, and when that is accepted that the fullest competition among builders for the contract be drawn out by the most thorough advertising. Also that diligent attention be paid to sources of material and to railway freights and switching facilities directly at the College, so that the State may erect these buildings at as low a figure and in as thorough and substantial a manner as the most enterprising and economical private individual could do the same work.

Second. Our second pressing need is for three or four more dwelling houses for members of the faculty. The College is two miles from Ames, with only omnibus connection. No houses can be rented nearer, and few suitable ones even in the village. Professors who live at such a distance, with no means of transportation at the right times of day, and only mud or gravel roads to walk upon, cannot live in comfort or do good work and best help build up the College. Those who board and room in the main building, as several professors do, exclude just as many students, and cannot even then have the comforts of home and family life. It is sojourning not living, for they have not even an abiding place during our long winter vacation, and shorter one in summer, and are thus practically compelled to leave town, and leave all College interests behind during the vacations. This breaks up the continuity of work and of home, and greatly injures the College. In short, our location so far from town, for which the State is responsible, and not the present professors, while it has many advantages for students in the way of seclusion from interruption to study, and from temptation, yet it seems to me to make additional houses on the College grounds for the use of professors an absolute and urgent necessity. The State has in the past recognized that necessity by furnishing dwelling houses for eight professors. It seems to me it should at once provide for the other four members of the faculty who now just as urgently need houses. The entire cost would be from twelve to fifteen thousand dollars.

Third. Our third pressing need is for certain changes in the watercloset system of the main building, by means of separate towers. The plan was fully explained to your honorable board and to the State Board of Health some two years ago by our physician, Dr. Fairchild. It seems to be demanded in the interests of health. The health in the College is now excellent, but where so large a number of students and professors live in a single building, every possible precaution should be taken to guard against the possibility of typhoid fever, diphtheria and the like diseases. The estimated cost of this improvement is about thirty-five hundred dollars.

Fourth.-A building is needed suitably planned for museum and lecture rooms for the department of entomology, zoology, botany, and for lecture room for horticulture. By combining these departments in the matter of room and still retaining the full use of north hall, sufficient accommodation may be obtained for all at less expense than otherwise. Such a building would considerably relieve the main building, which now poorly accommodates the zoological and geological museums, and would give more room there for students. The needs of these departments are clearly set forth by Professors Budd and Osborn in their reports in this and previous biennial volumes to which reports you are respectfully referred. The cost of such a building worthy of the State and suited to the needs of the departments would be from twelve to sixteen thousand dollars.

Fifth.-Certain enlargements needed in veterinary, mechanical, physical and chemical departments, or in their permanent apparatus and fixtures. These needs are clearly explained in the reports of Professors Stalker, Bassett, Hainer and Bennett, to all of which you are respectfully referred. For these four departments the needed improvements are estimated at an aggregate of about eleven thousand dollars.

Sixth. A small addition to the general office building, much needed for the accommodation of the Trustees at their meetings, which occur when the College is crowded. The cost would be about three hundred to five hundred dollars. Also certain improvements