66 



THE AGlllCULTURAL NEWS. 



March 9. 1918. 



■suitable centres for such colleges, and it is to be 

 hoped that some adeiiiuite result will be reached in the 

 iifar future from these movements. 



Meanwhile, however, the (lovernment of the I'nited 

 • States of America has not waited lon^ to utilize its 

 position in the possession of tropical territories. The 

 University of the Philippines, which h;vs just completed 

 its seventh year of existence, is an example of what 

 can be done in providing an advanced type of education 

 in all branches in the tropics. 



In 1!»08 an Act, by the authority of the United 

 States, was passed by the Philippine Legislature for 

 the purpose of founding a university for the Philippine 

 Islands, giving it a corporate existence, providing for 

 a Board of Regents, defining the Board's responsibilities 

 and duties, providing higher and professional instruc- 

 tion, and for other purposes. The Board of Regents 

 Were empowered by this Act to provide for the estab- 

 lishment of a < "oUege of Liberal Arts: a College of Law: 

 a College of Social and Political Science: a College of 

 Medicine and Surgery: a Collegeof Pharmacy: a College 

 of ] )entisti-y; a College of Veterinary Science: a College 

 of Engineering: a College of I\Iines; a College of Agri- 

 culture: a School of Fine Arts: and other Colleges 

 for which the Legislature may provide by appropriation. 

 The Board was authorized to open these colleges, or 

 any of them, as soon as they should deem that con- 

 ditions favoured such action, and funds wei'c available 

 for their maintenance. The sum of L()(Kl,0()O pesos 

 (about £200,000) was appropriated by the Philippine 

 Treasury for the above purposes. 



The first college of the Cniversity to begin work 

 ■w.as the College of Agriculture, which was opened in 

 June IflOi), with fifty-six students The number cinollcd 

 in June lit!" was 4.">L making this the largest college, 

 except thi' College of Lilieral Arts, which numbered at 

 the same date -5:20 students. < )f the collegis proposed 

 to be established there are at present the following 

 six: the College of Agriculture; the < 'ollege of 

 Engineering: the ( 'ollrge of Law: the College of F.,iberal 

 Arts: the College of Medicine and Surgery: a!id the 

 College of Veterinary Science: with a total number of 

 1,.'j:4 .students. 



Besides these collegiate departments in which 

 degrees are obtainable, there are also the following 

 schools under the direction of the University: the 

 School of Fine Arts: the Forest School: the (Conserv- 

 atory of Music: the .School of Nursing: which grant, 

 diploniiUM. An additional I 400 stndonts arc cm-iplled 

 in these schools. 



A start' of thirty four pmtfssors, together with 165 

 lecturers and .a>sistant protessurs and fifty junior 

 a.ssistants make up the teaching body of the Univi^rs- 

 ity. It is evident that education oi a high grade is within 

 the reach of the Philippine i!^land>^s, aud judging Jroia 

 the number of students, tht^y are evidently taking 

 advantage of their opportunitips 



The arrangements of the College of Agriculture, 

 and the course of study pr scribed are of much 

 interest in connexion with the ijueotion of the necessity 

 lor thorough and scientific training in this subject 

 The College occupies a tract of aboun 125 hectares of 

 land at Lo4 Baiios, a village witnin easy reach bv 

 train or boat from Manila. The land is cf diversified 

 character, and permits of the cultivation of every 

 important crop of the Philippines. 



A large majority of the students live in club- 

 hou.ses, most ot which are located in the College 

 grounds. The (College furnishes, free of rent, land for 

 the houses, and oversees the sanicatiim and neatness of 

 the premises. The clubs own their houses, and in part 

 have built them, at an average cost of about 2-5 pesos 

 a student. The cost of living in these clubs varies from 

 10 to 20 pesos a month. 



'I'he usual student activities in literary, musical 

 and athletic directions are in full foice: the students 

 publish a monthly magazine, the Philippine Agricul- 

 turist and Forester, and there is a library containing 

 standard books of reference, standard works on 

 agricultural and kindred sciences, and a collection of 

 publications on tropical agriculture. 



Tuition in ihc ( 'ollege is free, and there are no 

 iiiatriculatioii oi graduation fees, the College being 

 supiioi'Led by the Legislature. 



There are two undergraduate courses: ( 1 ) a six- 

 year course based on the intermediate course of the 

 public school, and leading to the degree of Bachelor 

 of Agriculture: and (2) a four-year course based on the 

 high school course of the public schools, anil leading 

 tn the clegree of liachelor of Science in A.Ltricuiture. 



The obligatory subjects taught in the six-year 

 cimr.se are. for the first two years, Knglish, Mathematics 

 Kural Economics, and Botany, all with a careful view 

 towards agriculture. Thus the subjects of themes 

 or essays in JMiglish are matters of interest in agricul- 

 tiure and industrial economics: the lectures iti .Mathe- 

 matics are specially directeil to elementary surveying 

 and the practical use of the compass, tape, transit, 

 and level: Ituial l-xonomics consists or [)ractical farm 



