The mechanical engineering department, including electrical engineering, is now equipped with $20,000 worth of machinery and appliances. A department of domestic economy has been established and equipped. The departments of chemistry, zoology and, veterinary science, botany and entomology, and horticulture have received substantial additions to their equipment. The agricultural department has been strengthened by the purchase of a fine herd, representing the Hereford, Short Horn, Red Polled, Aberdeen Angus, and Jersey breeds of cattle, and is now installing breeds of swine representing the Berkshires, Poland Chinas, Duroc-Jerseys, and Chester Whites, and of sheep representing the Shropshires, Southdowns, Merinos, and Cotswolds.

Two new buildings have been erected during the year-the library building and the chemistry building-both handsome and commodious structures, built of brick and stone. The faculty has been increased to 20 members, every one being an able and earnest educator.

The resources of the college now amount, all told, to about $50,000 per year. Of this $37,500 comes from the Government to the college and experiment station (Morrill and Hatch funds), and the greater portion of the remainder from the Territory.

Six regular courses are given. Each of these courses covers four years and leads to the degree of bachelor of science. Students of mature years may elect special work under the direction of the faculty. A two years' preparatory course is offered. Special courses are given in stenography, typewriting, and printing, and a special short course (eight weeks) is given during the winter term in agriculture and mechanic arts.

Our people are gradually getting over the erroneous impression that the instruction in this institution is devoted almost wholly to agriculture and the mechanic arts. While special and thorough courses are given in these lines, the scope of the work is far broader. The institution gives also approved training in the English language and literature, in German and Latin, in biology, in chemistry, in domestic economy, in political science and history, in higher mathematics, etc. A gratifying feature in the work of this institution is the warm attachment manifest in the student body to the college. Its students, devoted as they are to its interests, constitute its most effective advertisement. Another notable fact is that of its 24 graduates all, except 2 young women at home, hold good and remunerative positions.

THE TERRITORIAL NORMAL SCHOOL.

The legislature of 1891 enacted that the "normal school for Oklahoma" be located at Edmond, an ideal college town on the Santa Fe, midway between Guthrie and Oklahoma City. Oklahoma County donated $5,000 in bonds. Edmond gave 40 acres of land and bonds amounting to $2,000. With this small amount the building was begun in the summer of 1892. The legislature of 1894 donated an additional amount for the completion of the building. In the past eight years many valuable improvements have been made until to-day it is a fine and commodious structure of brick and red sandstone, costing upward of $50,000. With broad halls and well-equipped class rooms, heated by the Smead system, it offers every opportunity to student and teacher. The normal school is maintained through a half-mill levy on the

assessed valuation of the Territory and one-fifth of the rentals arising from section No. 13, in the Cherokee Outlet, according to the proclamation of the President of the United States.

The special function of the normal school is to train and to equip teachers. However, a strong course of study affords to those not wishing to teach ample opportunity for a broad and liberal education. The diploma of graduation is a five-year certificate in Oklahoma, and is renewable by the Territorial superintendent upon evidence of satisfactory work in teaching. Tuition in all departments is free. The first school year opened November 9, 1891, with 23 students in attendance. The attendance was gradually increased until last year it reached 322, a gain of nearly 30 per cent over the preceding year. The prospects for the coming year are very flattering, many of the young men and women of the Territory who look forward to a life work in the profession of teaching having signified their intention of attending. However, the limited facilities of the town of Edmond lessen the attendance. It is hoped that at an early day the town will see its way clear to build boarding halls, where students may be accom

modated as well as at home.

The spirit of the institution is indicated by the work of the graduates. The first class graduated in 1897, consisting of 5 members. The class

of 1898 numbered 11; of 1899, 10; of 1900, 20. Nearly all of these are either laboring in the schools of Oklahoma or attending some Eastern institution in order to qualify themselves more thoroughly for teaching in our schools.

The average age of the students last year was 20, and is increasing year by year. A notable fact worthy of consideration is that the great mass of the students come from the farm, and truly may it be said, "This is the farmers' school." Another fact worthy of note is the growth in the spirit and demand for a higher education. As our people advance in the sharp struggle for life and accumulate a competence they are desirous of specially trained teachers, and this for the advancement of their own children. Nearly all of the students labor in the field, thus by their own hands earning the means to realize their ambition for advanced training. The earnestness of purpose, the consecration of life to the work, the honesty and uprightness of the daily conduct of the students is most commendable.

The faculty, now strong and well organized, consists, besides the president, of 7 gentlemen and 5 ladies, all able educators.

The school year is of forty weeks, divided into convenient terms. The outlook for increased attendance next session is most encouraging and may be conservatively estimated at 400.

NORTHWESTERN NORMAL.

The Northwestern Territorial Normal School was founded by the legislative assembly in 1897. In August of that year the board of education for the normal schools of Oklahoma elected the president for the new school and two teachers. The school was opened in the Congregational Church at Alva September 20, with an enrollment of 55, which grew that year to 166. The following year the school was given an additional teacher, and in addition to the Congregational the Baptist Church. The enrollment reached 211.

On the 10th of March, 1898, the board of education let the contract for the magnificent building now occupied by the school. The struc

ture was somewhat more than a year in progress of erection. The school assembled in its new and permanent quarters for the first time September 11, 1899. The enrollment for that year, which has just closed, reached 413, making the Northwestern the largest institution of learning in Oklahoma. The average age of our students for the past year was 19 years and 6 months.

The Northwestern Normal occupies a delightful and healthful site of 40 acres, sloping to the north overlooking the town of Alva, nestling in a natural basin some 3 miles in diameter on the Salt Fork of the Arkansas River. Alva is the county seat of Woods County, which lies next to the Kansas line and just west of the median line of Oklahoma, and is reached by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. The town has a population of about 2,000 and the county 32,000. As is general in a place of this character, the people are refined, cultured, and liberal, and are making Alva an ideal college town.

The Northwestern Normal School building, in point of beauty of architecture and facility of arrangement, is ranked by competent judges to be among the very best buildings of its kind in America. It has a frontage of 157 feet and a depth of 122 feet. It is built of white limestone and pressed brick. Counting all four stories there are thirtysix rooms in the structure. The class rooms are large and airy, none being less than 30 by 40 feet. The entire structure is heated by the fan system, so that it is thoroughly ventilated at all times. The institution has its own gas plant, in a separate building, which furnishes light for the offices, library, laboratories, assembly rooms, and halls. Among the Christian denominations having organizations in Alva are the Methodist, Congregational, Christian, Presbyterian, Baptist, Episcopalian, and Catholic. The Sunday schools are in a thriving condition.

The climate in this section is good and the healthfulness is phenomenal. Students of this institution hardly know what sickness is, and at no time has the progress of the school been molested by an epidemic. The function of this institution is the preparation of teachers for the public schools of Oklahoma. With this end in view, the major work in both the regular courses is along the line of the science and art of teaching. But, as in nearly all other normal schools, there is maintained here a thorough system of academic instruction through which the technical work of the teacher is demonstrated and taught and he himself is grounded in that thoroughness in elementary scholarship essential in his work. This fact makes it possible for this school to offer exceptional advantages to those seeking a general education or preparing for some special line of work in technical schools or colleges. The fifth legislative assembly provided amply for the support of the school. However, being a new school, the board has had to draw so heavily on the funds for furniture and apparatus that the institution has been quite crippled as compared with the other Territorial schools, who enjoyed exactly the same fund, but were forced to use none of it for furniture and apparatus. The next legislature of Oklahoma will no doubt provide this institution with a practice school and an ample library fund.

The enrollment in the Northwestern Normal for the next year is expected to be from 500 to 550 by those in charge of the school.

The faculty of the institution numbers 15 members, every one a specialist in his or her line and an enthusiast in the interest of the institu

INT 1900-MIS, PT 238