28 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



was under the able instruction of E. L. Aderhold of Wisconsin. Nearly 

 all the students of this class were experienced cheese makers, and were 

 thus prepared to receive a great deal of good from this course. 



The other courses had the following attendance: Creamery manage- 

 ment and butter making 26, home dairying 7, live stock husbandry 9, 

 fruit culture 4. 



While these courses were well advertised, there was no material in- 

 crease in attendance over the preceding year. In some there was a de- 

 cided dropping off. 



Men ranging in age from fifteen to sixty-two years attended. They 

 have almost without exception shown great interest in their work and 

 have gone away from the College expressing themselves as well pleased 

 with the attention and instruction given them. 



These courses do not seem to have interfered in any way with the at- 

 tendance or work of the long courses. The fear entertained by many 

 friends of the College that the special courses would draw students away 

 from the long courses does not seem to have been well founded. The 

 four years course in agriculture is likely to gain more students than it 

 will lose from the special courses. The history of the past two years 

 indicates very plainly that while the special courses will be successful 

 they will not attract to this College the large number of young farmers 

 that have been attracted to the institutions of some of our western states. 

 In such institutions the long courses in agriculture have very few stu- 

 dents. The special courses are popular and attract to them many young 

 men. who if they were residents of this State would enter our four-years 

 course. 



It will not be a matter of very great regret if our special courses do 

 not attract more than fifty or seventy students each winter so long as a 

 hundred or more enter our four-years course in agriculture each year. 



women's department. 



The Department for young women has been in operation for two years. 



The design is to give a good college education in which the science and 

 art of home-making shall be a prominent feature. We endeavor to so 

 train young women that they will be able to apply science to the ordinary 

 duties of the home. At the same time we give them a training in music. 

 art, modern languages, literature, and such other studies as will develop 

 them into broad minded, cultured women. The course as outlined at- 

 tracted attention at once. It seems to meet in the minds of many people 

 a long-felt w;mt. As long as ninety per cent or more of our young women 

 have later in life to take charge of their own homes or some other body's 

 home, why should not their education to some degree at least prepare 

 them for this work? Why should all that is practical be omitted from 

 a young woman's education? Why should not science be compelled to 

 relieve women of much of the drudgery of life, just as it has accomplished 

 this for men? 



When the College was thrown open to young women Abbot Hall was 

 renovated arid furnished for their use. An additional story was added to 

 the rear wing and fitted up as a cooking laboratory. 



Miss Edith F. McDermott, a graduate of Drexel Institute. Philadelphia, 

 was placed at the head of the department. She also taught classes in 



