The general tendency of the work of these schools can only be determined by examining the ratios of the individual schools for the successive years. Ratios for the entire country, formed by using only the totals here given, would not be a fair representation for the entire country for two reasons: First, because several of the schools are not included in the representation; second, because the practical work of the schools is necessarily and properly determined by local conditions, for which reason the figures lose their significance when merged into a general sum.

The question relating to military tactics was answered as fully as could be expected. Of the total number of students in the schools answering this inquiry, 52.91 per cent. were engaged in military drill during the year. This is a very good showing when we take into consideration that of the total number of students in the same schools 17.12 per cent. are females.

DISTRIBUTION OF STUDENTS IN DEGREE COURSES.

Table 11 shows the distribution of students in the several degree courses of the land-grant colleges so far as reported. Omitting the schools not reporting this particular we find that 51.3 per cent. of the total number are in courses leading to the B. S. degree, 5.12 per cent. are in the A. B. degree, 3.87 per cent. in the B. L. course, 6.01 per cent. in the C. E. course, 2.96 per cent. in the M. E. course, 0.8 per cent. in the veterinary medical course, 0.61 per cent. in the Ph. G. course, and 9.94 per cent. in other first degree courses, leaving 19.39 per cent. not distributed in degree courses.

With few exceptions the schools included in Table 11 are purely scientific or technical in character, which accounts for the large proportion of students in scientific and technical courses. Five schools only report students in the A. B. course, one reports students in the B. L. course, while Cornell University reports students in both A. B. and B. L. courses.

21

13.23

2.79

52

OCCUPATIONS OF GRADUATES OF SCHOOLS OF SCIENCE.

The question is frequently asked, "What proportion of the graduates of the landgrant colleges are engaged in agriculture and the mechanic arts?" The endeavor is here made to present in tabular form the data bearing upon this inquiry. Considerable difficulty has been experienced in collecting the required statistics, as many of the institutions do not publish a list of their alumni, while some publish a list without giving the occupations; altogether 14 land-grant institutions are included in the scheme (Table 12).

The total number of living graduates of these 14 institutions ia 4,261, of which number the occupations of 417 are unknown, leaving 3,844 to be accounted for. Perhaps it would be well to note that a large proportion of those included under the head "unknown" are reported as being with manufacturing companies, railroads, etc., but no definite occupation is mentioned. Of the total number distributed 1,691 or 44 per cent. of the graduates are engaged in agriculture and mechanic arts or in occupations allied to them. Taking the table in detail we find that 8.3 per cent. are engaged in farming, 6.06 per cent. in land-grant colleges and agricultural experiment stations, 14.75 per cent. are engaged in engineering; 2.45 per cent. in architecture, 2.89 per cent. in manufactures, 2.16 per cent. as chemists, 1.93 per cent. as superintendents, 1.59 per cent. as draughtsmen, 1.48 per cent. as professors in colleges, 1.53 per cent. as editors, 4.84 per cent. as physicians, 1.53 per cent. as clergymen, 3.77 per cent. are students, 10.33 per cent. are teachers, including superintendents of schools, 11.29 per cent. are lawyers, and 9.29 per cent. are in business, leaving 15.81 per cent. distributed in several other occupations.

Considering the second part of the table, i. e., those schools not endowed by the land grant, we find the total number of graduates is 1,999, of whom only 56.78 per cent. are engaged in technical occupations. Taking into consideration the fact that, with one exception, all the institutions included in the second part of the table are purely technological schools, and that five of the institutions in the first part of the table also maintain classical and literary courses of study, the showing made by the latter class is very good in comparison with that of the technological schools not endowed by the land grant.