RHETORICAL EXERCISES.-The students meet weekly, in classes or divisions, for rhetorical exercises. The following scheme indicates the work required throughout the course:

FRESHMAN.

First Term.-Essays once a fortnight in rhetoric class; two declamations. Second Term.-One exercise a week reading and studying some English classic.

Third Term.-Essays in rhetoric classes; declamation every three weeks.

SOPHOMORE.

First Term.-Declamations and essays, three exercises.

Second Term.-Essays in class in higher English; two declamations.
Third Term.-Two original declamations delivered before the class.

JUNIOR.

First Term.-Two essays, on assigned subjects; public orations.
Second Term.-Three essays in rhetoric class; public orations.

Third Term.-Two critical essays in English literature; public orations.

SENIOR.

First Term.-Two essays, on assigned subjects, or debates; public orations. Second Term.-Two essays on assigned subjects; public orations.

Third Term.-Two essays; public orations.

PUBLIC EXERCISES.-Upon each alternate Wednesday, members of the Junior and Senior classes deliver orations in presence of all the students. Two orations are to be thus presented by each student during his junior year, and two during his senior year.

Upon each Wednesday not thus occupied, some member of the faculty or a gentleman from abroad lectures to the students in a body, upon some topic connected with their course of study or their work.

LABOR. Each student, not exempt on account of physical disability, is required to labor three hours each week day (except Saturdays) in those seasons of the year when labor can be furnished. Students receive remuneration for most of their labor in the quarterly settlement of accounts, at the close of each term, at a rate depending on their ability and fidelity, the maximum being eight cents per hour. The labor is to some extent planned with reference to illustrating and applying the instruction in the lecture room. The work during the junior year is performed on the gardens and grounds. Six hours are spent each month, without compensation, under direct instruction in practical horticulture. The Sophomores work for the year on the farm; the members of other classes are assigned to the farm, the gardens, or some other duty.

SELECT COURSE.-Persons of suitable age and acquirements, who desire to pursue one or more of the branches of study more closely related to agriculture (such as chemistry, botany, animal physiology, apiculture), may be received for a less time than is requisite for the full course. By reference to the scheme of recitations in the catalogue any person desiring select studies can ascertain whether the classes are so arranged as to permit him to pursue them.

CLUB SYSTEM OF BOARDING.

The students' organization, a society consisting of all the students, held a meeting in the College chapel Nov. 13, 1882, and adopted a plan for a club system of boarding and submitted it to the State Board of Agriculture for approval. After careful consideration the Board adopted the plan, and authorized the students to divide themselves into five clubs, to elect stewards, and begin on the new system with the opening of the spring term, 1883. Three club dining rooms were made out of the one dining hall in Williams Hall, and two out of the old armory in Wells Hall; rooms were assigned to the cooks in each hall, and a committee of the faculty was appointed by the board, with whom the club officers could consult. President Abbot, Dr. Kedzie and Prof. Carpenter constitute the committee. The general arrangement of room, disposal of college property used in the old system, and many other matters of detail, were committed to the charge of Professor Carpenter, with whom the students had taken frequent council in maturing their plans. Mr. Carpenter continues to be the chief adviser of the stewards, and the success of the system is largely due to his assistance.

The club system has been tried for one year, or for the spring, summer, and autumn terms of 1883, with very gratifying success. Board was at once

reduced from $3.00 to $2.50, which was as low as the students themselves desired that it should go. The food has been better, and served warmer than before, and the comparative fewness of those dining together has given somewhat of a home-feeling at the meals, which before was wanting. As the clubs own certain property, new students purchase certificates of membership, which are redeemed at their face value when the student leaves college. These certificates were sold for $2.50.

The experience of the year suggested to the students certain changes, which were adopted in November, 1883, and which are incorporated in the following:

CONSTITUTION OF THE CLUB BOARDING ASSOCIATION.

ARTICLE I-The association shall be known as the Club Boarding Association.

ARTICLE II.The members of this association shall be students of this college who hold boarding club certificates in their respective clubs. These certificates shall be redeemed by the steward at the face value on occasion of the holder leaving college.

ARTICLE III.-Section 1. The officers of this association shall be the president and secretary of the students' organization, and the secretary of the college, who shall act as the general treasurer of the association.

Sec. 2. The duty of the treasurer shall be to receive all money from the members and place the same to the credit of their respective clubs.

Sec. 3. The treasurer shall pay out said money only on orders drawn by the several stewards.

ARTICLE IV.-The students shall be divided into clubs. The membership of a club shall not be less than twenty, or more than forty.

ARTICLE V.-No club shall be allowed to have a majority of its members belonging to the same class or society.

ARTICLE VI.-The division into clubs shall be effected by a standing committee of three, elected by the association. This committee to be known as the committee on membership, and shall be elected for one year at the time of the regular election of officers of the students' organization. The first division shall be made by taking each alternate group of five from the list of names as found in the catalogue.

ARTICLE VII.-New students and those expecting to enter College, may be temporarily assigned to any club by the President of the College. They shall be permanently assigned to their places by the Committee on Membership. ARTICLE VIII.-With the consent of the Committee on Membership, students may change to any club providing such change does not conflict with Articles IV and V.

ARTICLE IX.-Section 1. The clubs shall be designated by letters.

Sec. 2. Each club shall elect a steward whose term of office shall be one term.

shall be by ballot, and held four The election of the steward must be

Sec 3. The election of stewards weeks preceding the end of the term. approved by the President of the College.

Sec 4. No senior shall hold the office of steward during the summer term. ARTICLE XI.-Section 1. Each club shall elect an auditing committee consisting of two members; they shall be elected the last week of each college term.

Sec. 2. Their duty shall be to examine the accounts of the steward and report to the club at the middle and end of each college term.

ARTICLE XII.-Section 1. Each member of the association shall be required to deposit twenty dollars ($20.00) at the beginning of each term with the treasurer, and will be admitted to the club only on presentation of this receipt to the steward of his club.

Sec. 2. The steward of any club is forbidden to allow members to remain in his club unless they keep deposited with the treasurer to their club's credit, the price of one week's board in advance.

ARTICLE XIII.-Clubs shall be in running order the day preceding the opening of each term.

ARTICLE XIV.-Amendments to this constitution may be made at any time by a majority vote of the association.

MILITARY.

But little is to be added to what was reported last year, report 1881-2, page 33. All the arms and accoutrements on deposit at the college were recalled by the Quartermaster General of the State and were returned to him. As he expressed a doubt of his authority to deposit arms at this place, the Legislature of 1883 passed the following enactment No. 165, public acts of 1883, approved June 6, 1883:

An act to authorize the Quartermaster General to deposit arms and accoutrements at the Agricultural College.

Section 1. The People of the State of Michigan enact, That the Quartermaster General be authorized, with the advice and consent of the Military Board, to deposit with the State Board of Agriculture, at the Agricultural College, arms and accoutrements for the use of said college.

Ordered to take immediate effect.

SIGNAL SERVICE STATION.

In the autumn of 1882 I was appointed, with Dr. Kedzie, a committee to confer with the Signal Service Bureau at Washington, regarding a signal service station at the college for the benefit of the farming community. The committee was appointed at the request of Gov. Jerome, with a view to State aid if it should be requisite. My part of the work of the committee was secondary to that of Dr. Kedzie, and I refer to his report of the chemical department, for further information regarding the matter. Nothing was done in 1883, but in the winter of 1883-4 Col. Wm. B. McCreery, member of the Board, was directed by the Board to represent the desirability of the establishment of such a station to the authorities at Washington. And now while revising these sheets for the press, Feb., 1884, comes the word officially that Brigadier General W. B. Hazen, chief signal officer, has determined to establish such a station at this college, if the needed appropriations for his department are made to it. The assistant chemist of the college is in communication with the telegraphic world, through lines, batteries, and instruments of his, in his office in the chemical laboratory, all of which as well as the use of meteorological instruments, he proposes to put to the service of the signal service. Dr. Kedzie has long thought it worth the trying, to see if some ways can not be devised to bestow on farming communities the same kinds of service which the signal service extends so beneficially to commerce. Should the station be established here, the Board of Agriculture will, I suppose, make the department under Dr. Kedzie, the medium of the connection of the station and the college.

JUNE MEETING OF THE BOARD.

The Executive Committee and officers of the State Agricultural Society, the State Horticultural Society, and the State Grange were the guests of the Board of Agriculture at the College, June 13. The forenoon was spent in an examination of the condition of the college. There was a pleasant gathering including students and the families at the college, as well as the visitors, the faculty and the Board in the general lecture room in the afternoon, and addresses were made by the Hon. Philo Parsons, President of the Agricultural Society, the Hon. Witter J. Baxter, one of the early members of the College Board, and others.

Two of these societies appoint committees in the College who inform themselves by personal examination of the doings of the Board and Faculty, and who give us the benefit of their suggestions. These committees have made formal reports which appear in their printed transactions.

President Fralick of the State Agricultural Society, in his annual address in 1883, says: "For the last four years by the invitation of the State Board of Agriculture and officers of the Agricultural College, this committee have enjoyed the pleasure of visiting and examining the college, its school and lecture rooms, classes and manner of teaching their pupils, its farm and farm buildings, and valuable improved stock, and the manner of cultivating their land."

The State Horticultural Society, without appointing a Standing Committee on the college, has always been closely united to the college in interest and in the persons of its officers.

In the inaugural address of the present President of the Society, delivered January 14, 1884, the Hon. Philo Parsons says:

"It appears desirable that your periodical visits to the Agricultural College should be continued. This institution was an outcome of your Society and mainly through its influence was secured to the farmers of Michigan. Its history from the date of its origin to the present moment shows that no mistake was made when the Legislature appropriated the required funds for its existence. It is to our credit as a State. also, that it was in the thoughts and hearts of the people, and a fixed fact, before the national government made appropriations that secured such institutions for all the States. Our own Agricultural College stands pre-eminently first, and its practical teachings and beneficent influence are effecting a radical improvement in the intellectual character, daily lives and tastes of that great class of our community for whom it was specially established. The farmer's institutes held in different sections of the State, though too few in number, have stimulated thought, created a higher ambition and a more appreciative sense of the character and dignity of agricultural life and occupation. But the near future is still more to vindicate the wisdom of securing this institution for the farmer. The influence of fifty per cent. of the students graduated, returning with new tastes, matured thought, cultivated intellects, men of wisdom and practical judgment, to the farm, cannot be overestimated. It will be the leaven which is to lift the farmers of Michigan upon a higher plane, and furnish men who are to properly represent their interests in legislative and congressional halls, as also to secure a more intelligent and economical cultivation of the soil. But there is yet an incompleteness in this institution. The mechanical department is still wanting. A liberal appropriation, securing this, will greatly augment its power for good to a much larger and different class of students. I submit whether some action on your part may not hasten a movement of the Legislature in this behalf."

The Committee of the Society, appointed in the College, made the following report:

To the Executive Committee of the State Agricultural Society.

Your Committee appointed at the last winter meeting to visit the State Agricultural College during the year and report to you at this meeting their views of the