FOREST SCHOOLS OF THE UNITED STATES 



VI. 



The Universitg of Georgia 



^^^HE Forest School of the University of Georgia was created in 1905 by 

 C^) an initial foundation given by George Foster I'eabody of New York, and 

 ^*^ it was opened in tlie year 190G1!)()7 as a division of the State College of 

 Agriculture, which is an integral part of the University. It is located at 

 Athens. For practice work near at hand there are about one hundred and 

 fifty acres of the college farm that are woodland. There is also some land 

 once cleared, but not suitable for tillage. The wooded portions are being 

 brought under forest management and the non-agricultural lands are being 

 reforested. 



Of the work of the department one course in the economics of forestry is 

 designed to bring out the importance of the forest to the state and nation. Two 

 give elementary instruction in forestry to familiarize agricultural students 

 with the management of fann woodlots and the execution of forest working 

 plans. Still others give instruction in professional forestry for those who 

 intend to go into the lumber business or to follow forest engineering as a pro- 

 fession. By means of publications and lectures before schools, farmers' in- 

 stitutes, lumbermen's associations and other interested organizations, an en- 

 deavor is made to spread popular education in forestry throughout the state. 

 Work is done in cooperation with the owners of woodlands through co-opera- 

 tive agreements such as ai-e made in some states by the state departments of 

 forestry. For the completion of the four years' course, the degree of Bachelor 

 of Science in Forest Engineering is given. 



The professor in charge of the courses is Alfred Akerman, who was a 

 graduate of the Yale Forest School and later on its faculty, and was the first 

 state forester of Massachusetts, leaving that position to take charge of the 

 new foundation in Georgia. Professor Akerman emphasizes the fact that his 

 school is not laying stress upon professional training. Professional courses 

 are given as a matter of convenience to those students who wish to begin their 

 professional studies as undergraduates. But he advises these men that they 

 should supplement their course with graduate work there or elsewhere, pref- 

 erably where they can have the best laboratory equipment and the help of a 

 faculty of specialists. It is obvious that the whole field of professional for- 

 estry cannot be adfc(|uately taught by one instructor, and Professor Akerman 

 increases one's confidence in the strength of his work by his frank admission 

 of this fact. 



The school is doing especially good work with the seniors in agriculture. 

 There is a large amount of woodland on (Georgia farms, and a practical knowl- 

 edge of forestry is an essential i)art of the eciuipnient of a Georgia farmer. 



The list of courses of the department contains ten subjects: Economics of 

 forestry, farm forestry, a longer course in farm forestry, dendrology, silvi- 

 culture, forest protection, forest mensuration, forest mauagement, lumbering 

 and utilization, and wood building materials. 



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