FOREST COMMISSIONERS REPORT. 59 



necessary to prepare these students i)roperly for their future 

 work in their chosen profession. 



The ol)jects of the course at the University of Alaine are two- 

 fold ; first to promote forestry in the state, and second to pre- 

 pare young men for tlie profession of forestry. The first is 

 accompHshcd by means of lectures given at farmers' granges, 

 clubs, and schools and also by correspondence. Tliat the first 

 object has been successful is evidenced by the increased interest 

 shown by the incerased correspondence and the greater demands 

 for this kind of work. The second object is accomplished by 

 means of a well regulatc<l curriculum which provides for a thor- 

 ough general education as well as training in the more technical 

 branches of forestry proper. During the past year two of the 

 men from this school passed the civil service examinations for 

 the position of Forest Assistant, and were appointed to positions 

 in the United States Forest Service at salaries of $1,200 per 

 annum. 



This speaks well for the sciiool. and for the training that they 

 received during the time that Professor Tower was in charge of 

 the courses for it is not unusual for men to pass this examination 

 unless they have had either a year or two at some post-graduate 

 forest .school, or else have had some exceptional advantages in 

 the w'ay of practical field work. In this examination 20% of 

 the total credit is given to "training and experience," and under 

 this heading the school courses and the practical field work that 

 the candidate has had are taken into consideration. This means, 

 of course, that unless the school at which he has received his 

 training is a first-class one in the eyes of the Forest Service, he 

 does not get full credit for this part of his examination. This, 

 in itself, is enough to make it clear to everyone that the stand- 

 ard of the school must be maintained. 



Besides last year's graduates, there are now five other Maine 

 forest school men in the government service, and there are many 

 others employed throughout the state by lumber and paper com- 

 panies and in private forestry work. 



THE PRESENT. 



The Maine forest .school is now provided with excellent quar- 

 ters in the new agricultural building. LJesides the directors' of- 

 fice, there is a large, well lighted class room, two drawing rooms. 



