59 



(2) As the first requisite is that of the fonscirnis iilenl or purpose, the r.ec-o.;,l 

 is one of organization. It seems to nie that the sncializatioii of the college (■;;■! 

 not proceed very far until the principle of university extension is pretty fally 

 recognized. The college must he in constant and vital touch with the farmers 

 and their associations. Therefore each agricultural college should as rapialy 

 as possible develop a definite tripartite organization which reveals the colu';a' 

 in its threefold function as an organ of research, as an educator of stuileats, 

 and as a distrihutor of information to those who can not come t) the c allege. 

 These are really coordinate functions and should be so lecognized. The c.-liege 

 should tuijfy them into one comprehensive scheme. The principle of such u:iity 

 is perfectly clear; for we have in research the quest for truth, in the e,lu -.iti ;i 

 of students the incarnation of truth, and in extension work the demo;Tati:'>aiion 

 of truth. Until these three lines of effort are somewh it definitely recogni/xnl 

 and organized the college can not worli as leader in solving the rural i)r>)b!em. 



(3| The social sciences, in their relation to the rural problem particularly, 

 mtist receive a consideration counnenstirate with the importance of tlie i nius- 

 trial. the i)olitical. and the social phases of the farm question. In research, for 

 instance, the colleges should make a study of the history and status of the;-e 

 ;ispects of agriculture. As a matter of fact, we know very little of these thiags. 

 There have been but few scientific investigations of the economic feattires of 

 tlie industry, and practically nothing lias been done in the more purely social 

 questions. Here is a great tuitilled field. How the various farm industries have 

 developed, a comi»rehensive study of the iigricultural market, the relation uf 

 transportation to the industry, the tendencies as to centralization of farms and 

 tenant farming; the sociological questions of rural illiteracy. paui)erism, 

 insanity, health, education, the effects of rural life upon char.acter. religious 

 life in the country — a hundred subjects of inqiortance in the solution of the 

 farm problem are almost virgin soil for the scientific investigator. It is the 

 business of the agricultural colleges to assist, if not to lead, in such work of 

 research. It is work that must be done before the social phases of agricultural 

 education can be fully developed. 



When we come to the course of study we face a question difficult for some 

 i'olleges, because the agricultural curriculum is already overcrowded. I have 

 not time to discuss this practical administrative question. I believe, however, 

 that it can be worked out. What I wish to enq)hasize is the idea that in every 

 agricultural course the social problems of the farmers shall have due attention. 

 AVe should not permit a i>er.son to graduate in such a course tniless he has made 

 a fairly adequate study cf the history and status of agriculture; of the govern- 

 mental problems that have special bearing upon agricultural i)rogress ; of such 

 questions in agricultural economics as markets, transportation, business coop- 

 eration, and of such phases of rur.il sociology as farmers' organization^-., the 

 country church, rural and agricultural education, and the conditions and n\ove- 

 ments of the rural jtopulation. For the college can not carry out the purpose 

 Me have ascribed to it. unless these subjects are given an important place in the 

 cour.se of study. We talk about tlie work of the college in training leaders, 

 usually meaning by leaders men who are exjiert specialists or possibly farmers 

 of extraordinary skill. Do we realize that the greatest need of American agri- 

 culture to-day is its need of social leadership? Nothing can be more imperative 

 than that the agricultural college shall send out to the farms k)th men and 

 women who have not only the caiiacity to win business success, but who also 

 Lave the social vision, who are moved to be of service to the farm community. 

 and who have the training which will enable them to take Intelligent leadershiii 

 in institute, school, church, gnuige, and in all movements for rural progress. 

 Vpon the college is thrust the responsibility of training men and women to 

 understand the whole luial prolilem and from the vantage ground of successful 

 tanning to be able to lead the way toward a higher status for all farmers. 



Tossibly the argument for introducing rural social science into the agricultural 

 course is chiefly a sociolcgical one. But there is also involved a pedagogical 

 question of most profound significance. For several decades the educational 

 camp has been sharply divided over the ancient Imt recurring controversy 

 between the Greek cultural ideal and the Ilomau utilitarian ideal. I venture 

 the opinion that these two forces of educational idealism will soon reach a 

 compromise which for all practical puriwses will take this question out of 

 the pale of serious debate. The classicist will concede that the scope of the 

 term culture may be gre.-itly enlarged and he m.ay even allow a quite new defi- 

 nition of the cultivated man. It will be generally admitted, to use Professor 



