58 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



students and graduates, prove that in general their written expression 

 is not satisfactory. Accuracy and effectiveness of expression come only 

 by means of much practice under guidance. Such practice is not possi- 

 ble unless the teacher (or a reader) is able to mark many papers 

 which later are to be corrected by the student. Director Smith states 

 frequently that many of our graduates are handicapped and retarded 

 in their work by lack of familiarity with business methods and hy poor 

 English. 



My recommendation is that the department be provided with readers 

 sufficient to make possible continued practice in the writing and cor- 

 rection of business English, as well as of the more conventional theme 

 work, throughout all English classes. To increase the number of 

 teachers so as to make this possible would give better results, but 

 would probably be considerably more expensive. If the teachers are pos- 

 sible, I should urge this solution rather than the other. If one of 

 these assistants were able to act as office assistant also, helping in 

 correspondents, records, duplicating work, etc., it would add much to 

 my time for more important duties. 



In the modern languages I feel that special emphasis should be placed 

 on the practical side, on the conversational and business uses of the 

 language. To this end I recommend the purchase of two language 

 phones, one for men and one for women. These mechanical aids to 

 learning language are in use in many colleges and universities. They 

 have been examined by our teachers, who believe that the work would 

 be not a little advanced by use of them. 



I also recommend that Spanish be added to the languages taught by 

 the department, especially to engineering students. Work in this 

 language could be introduced by offering it to students who come with 

 considerable high school German and who in the past have been given 

 college credits for high school work — a practice of which I by no 

 means approve. Spanish is almost essential to an engineer of wide 

 practice, as the Latin countries to the south are continually calling 

 for electrical and mechanical specialists trained in the States. 



In this institution of laboratory work, I feel that the teaching of 

 literature should be much more largely along laboratory lines than 

 is possible with our cramped library facilities. Later, when this de- 

 ficiency is remedied, I shall have a definite recommendation for the 

 establishment of Avhat may be called an English laboratory. 



I wish to express to you, to the members of the State Board, and 

 to my faculty colleagues, my sincere appreciation of the cordial friendli- 

 ness with which my family and myself have been received, coming 

 as strangers to make a home at the college. 



Most respectfully, 



THOS. C! BLAISDELL, 

 Professor of Eng. and Mod. Languages. 

 Agricultural College, Mich., June 30, 1907. 



