550 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Section on college worlc. — Chairinai], H. C. White, of Georgia; secre- 

 tary, E. Davenport, of Illinois. 



Section on entomology. — Chairman, A. D. Hopkins, of West Virginia; 

 secretary, M. V. Slingerland, of New York. 



Section on mechanic arts, — Chairman, C. S. Murkland, of New Hamp- 

 shire; secretary, F. P. Anderson, of Kentucky. 



MEETINGS OF SECTIONS. 

 SECTION ON COLLEGE WORK. 



The sessions of the section on college work were entirely devoted to 

 papers and addresses on the question "What shall be taught in our 

 colleges of agriculture?" and on "The exodus from the farm." 



G. T. Fairchild, of Kansas, stated that the object of the agricultural 

 colleges should be to difluse their influence as widely as possible among 

 the farming element, since they must look for their strongest support 

 among educated farmers. The courses of such colleges should be truly 

 educational, introductory rather than exhaustive, and should be adapted 

 to students of different aptitudes. He gave tbe following brief outline 

 of the leading features of a course leading to the degree of Bachelor of 

 Science : (1) A good English foundation, (2) a full outline of mathematics 

 as applied to some quantitative science, (3) the sciences introductory to 

 agriculture, (4) complete and exact expression, and (5) manual dexterity. 



H. H. Goodell, of Massachusetts, outlined and discussed the courses 

 of study pursued at the Massachusetts Agricultural College, explaining 

 that English was the foundation and framework, and that compulsory 

 manual training had been discarded in that institution. 



H. J. Waters, of Missouri, maintained that no uniform system is prac- 

 ticable, and that the greatest educational advantage will be derived 

 from the study of the practical application of the sciences of agriculture. 

 For this reason technical training was advocated. 



H. C. White, of Georgia, pointed out the impracticability of a uniform 

 system of instruction in agriculture. Local demands and conditions 

 must be met. Pedagogic methods should be followed, but they should 

 be adapted to the main object sought. The professor of agriculture 

 should demonstrate applications of principles. "Eeadcraft" must pre- 

 cede and accompany "handcraft." He laid down the general proposi- 

 tions, (1) the colleges should be institutions of higher learning, and (2) 

 their courses should be primarily educational and not too technical. 



C. D. Smith, of Michigan, thought the agricultural colleges should be 

 colleges in the strictest sense. The courses should be based on a sufli- 

 cient knowledge of the common English branches and of the details of 

 farm work. 



"The college may rightfully teach why we plow, harrow, sow, and cultivate, but 

 it is not a wise use of the valuable time of the students to teach them how to do 

 these things. Tlie entrance examinations should therefore include a test of the 

 ability of the prospective student to perform the details of farm work. 



" The course should be so planned as to arouse, in tbe opening term, a thirst for 

 knowledge in the mind of the student. At the same time bis faculties of observation 



