1917] EDITORIAL. 103 



untrained graduate assistants directly in charge of important phases, 

 it is found that they may be satisfactorily assigned to many duties 

 in connection with such projects, often of a more or less routine 

 nature at the outset, and as they develop in ability and initiative 

 more responsible and technical parts of the work may be turned 

 over to them. Ultimately a phase of a project may serve as the sub- 

 ject of a master's or doctor's thesis. 



Dr. Lipman recognized that the system might break down if tlie 

 research problem were not carefully analyzed and so subdivided as 

 to make portions of it safe to entrust to research students. Success 

 also depends on securing young men who possess not alone adequate 

 technical training but temperamental and other qualities funda- 

 mental to the making of good investigators. 



The New Jersey Station at present regularly employs nine research 

 assistants on a half-time basis, the remainder of the time being 

 devoted to study. Naturally a longer time is required to secure a 

 degree than if full time were devoted to study, but the salary paid 

 such assistants is found to offset the time element with a considerable 

 number of men. The problems assigned these assistants by the sta- 

 tion are as far as possible correlated with their major studies as 

 graduate students in the college. 



Since the adoption of this plan it is felt at the station that its 

 research work has improved in quality and to some extent increased 

 in amount, and at the same time there has been a gain to a number 

 of young men w^ho are preparing themselves for service in agi'icul- 

 tural investigation. 



An interesting turn to the discussion was given by Dr. L. E. Jones 

 of Wisconsin, who considered the matter from the standpoint of th,e 

 teacher and the student. He held the two most important functions 

 of the teacher in relation to graduate students to be " aiding men 

 wisely to choose their own profession, and properly placing within 

 reach of the men the means of their education." He felt there were 

 certain dangers in the research fellowship plan, owing to the effect 

 which financial help might have on the student in reaching a choice. 



" We may all agree that any such help that makes possible the 

 high training of our best types of research students is desirable. But 

 do we not need to recognize that in this or any other financial offering 

 which influences immature students to start upon research as a pro- 

 fession lurks the danger of attracting the weaker more than the 

 stronger?" While zealously searcliing for the right man, therefore, 

 equal care should be exercised " not to tempt or bribe the unfit." 



Considering further the best interests of the student, Dr. Jones 

 pointed to the advantage of a change of location, from his Alma 

 Mater to another institution for his graduate study, especially after 



